September A PUBLICATION OF THE RESCUE MISSION HELP US TELL THE WHOLE STORY 1 THE PASTOR S PERSPECTIVE 4 GET INVOLVED 5 Charis house brings hope & healing Hi, my name is Pat. When I came to Charis House, I was not only homeless, but I was also confused, lonely and tired. I was emotionally unable to care for myself or my child. I kept wondering, How did I get here, and where do I go from here? At Charis House, I found a safe haven. I ve learned that God loves me unconditionally, even when I mess up. I know that He has saved me, and is healing me and making me whole. I want to serve the Lord by being a better mother and friend. After graduation, I look forward to finding employment and a safe home for my daughter and me. I know I ll always have the prayers and support of the staff here. I d like to thank all the volunteers and donors. You have befriended the friendless, fed the hungry and supported the weak. God bless you! help us tell the whole story Food and shelter. If you re like most people, that s what you think The Rescue Mission does. Even our friends and community leaders we surveyed recently have similar thoughts about what we do. While food and shelter are fundamental parts of our ministry, they re just one part. There s so much more to The Rescue Mission. And if we want more people in the Fort Wayne area to get involved, then we ve got to do a better job of telling the story. The whole story. + CONTINUED ON 2 TheRescueMission.net ph 260 426 7357
A PUBLICATION OF THE RESCUE MISSION September + CONTINUED FROM COVER 4ways to tell the story better So how do we tell The Rescue Mission story more effectively? Here are some ideas we ve implemented as well as some things you can look for in the future. THE RESCUE MISSION Our mission: 1. Simpler structure The Rescue Mission s old organizational structure served only to reinforce the foodand-shelter message. We knew we needed a clearer way to communicate the breadth and depth of our four ministries. So we chose a simple concept a house to represent our communities of compassion. To provide, through the power of Jesus Christ, a home for the homeless, food for the hungry, and hope for their future. RESTORATION Men experiencing a homeless crisis Women & children experiencing a homeless crisis Short- & long-term residential programs Meeting spiritual, emotional, physical & educational needs Immediate Housing Program for men experiencing a homeless crisis, providing emergency shelter, basic needs & spiritual support Community Meals Program offering nutritious meals, referrals & other support to the public 365 days a year thrift store Proceeds fund The Rescue Mission programs + CONTINUED ON 3 TheRescueMission.net ph 260 426 7357
A PUBLICATION OF THE RESCUE MISSION September + CONTINUED FROM 2 2. New look With a new organizational structure established, we felt it was the perfect time for a new identity a fresh visual look reinforcing what each ministry does and how they relate to one another. Ask us about the story behind our four ministry logos, and check out the article below on our corporate logo. 3. Improved communication Communicating better with you is a huge part of spreading The Rescue Mission story. In the past, our communication with you tended to be crisis-focused, leaning on appeals for feeding the hungry. Since The Rescue Mission is more than food and shelter, we need to concentrate on sharing what God is doing through all of our programs and your generosity. In the future, you ll be seeing stories and outcomes from all four ministries. We ll also make it a point to ask for your input and preferences so we can make your Mission experience the best possible. It all starts with the response card inside this newsletter. (You can also visit our Donor page online, complete the donor survey and give us the same information.) 4. Energized advocates Finally, we know we can t tell the Mission s story alone no matter how hard we try. We need you, your voice, your passion. Who s in your sphere of influence? What do they know about The Rescue Mission? How can your church or business get involved? Do your friends and family know why you support The Rescue Mission? Please share this special, educational issue with those around you. Refer your friends to our new website. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Share your heart for our ministry so we can have an even greater impact in the Fort Wayne area and together continue changing lives for good. SHARE THE MISSION S STORY Look closely at The Rescue Mission s logo and you ll see transformation before your very eyes. See the little boxes on the left-hand side? Those represent the diverse issues and problems people bring with them to The Rescue Mission. But when they come here, they encounter the Cross, Jesus Christ. And the transformation that follows brings hope, healing and wholeness. TheRescueMission.net ph 260 426 7357
THE PASTOR S PERSPECTIVE Pastor Donovan A. Coley, Sr. CEO Senior Pastor It s a new era at The Rescue Mission. Today, we re about much more than the threehot-meals-and-a-cot mentality of the early 1900s. We re more relevant. More needed. And constantly evolving to respond to our community s needs. New short-term program One example of changing to meet our residents needs is found in our new short-term program. Over the last five years, as the economy has spiraled and the cost of living increased, our numbers have soared. But these new homeless residents were unlike any we d seen before. They were men and women who d held jobs and sustained themselves. They had different needs than what our immediate or long-term housing programs could meet. So in 2010, we added a short-term program at both Restoration House and Charis House to assist people in the middle those needing stability, support and guidance in meeting life s challenges. In the first year alone, we ve served 229 people in this new program, thanks to your support. Again, this is just one of many examples of how The Rescue Mission is responding to the everchanging needs in the Fort Wayne area. I d love the opportunity to share more stories with you, your church, organization or business. So come and visit us, or invite us over to learn how you can play a bigger part in changing lives for good. ASK TONI by Toni Lovell MSW, LCSW, ICAC-II, NCAC-II Program Director & Corporate Grant Developer Q. Is The Rescue Mission seeing an increase in the number of people you serve? Absolutely. Here are just a few statistics showing the increases in the past year at The Rescue Mission. Service Increase from 2010 216,000 meals + 12% 46,000 bed nights + 13%
A PUBLICATION OF THE RESCUE MISSION September 5 WAYS TO GET INVOLVED Here are just a few ways to get involved at The Rescue Mission. If you re new to the Mission, we d love to sit and chat with you, give you a quick tour and allow you to experience our ministry firsthand. 1. Pray The most powerful thing you can do for The Rescue Mission is pray for us and for how you might become involved. Oswald Chambers said, Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work. 2. Give Because we receive no government funding, personal contributions are the lifeblood of our ministry. We offer many ways to give, including online giving, planned giving, onetime or monthly giving options, and automatic credit card or ACH payments. 3. Volunteer Ask us about the myriad of volunteer opportunities available at our facilities. Visit our website, TheRescueMission.net, for details and application forms. 4. Donate The Rescue Mission accepts furniture, appliances, clothing, household items, paper products, hygiene items and nonperishable foods. For a complete list, visit our website. 5. Partner We ve designed exclusive programs and opportunities with varying ranges of commitment for churches and businesses wanting an ongoing, deeper level of intimacy with The Rescue Mission and its residents. Contact us for more information. On a more somber note, we re also seeing an increase in the number of people requesting services. Here s just one example from Charis House, showing the incredible need that exists. VISIT US ONLINE TheRescueMission.net ph 260 426 7357 In 2010, Charis House received requests to house 1,234 women and 1,008 children. 301 W. Superior St. Fort Wayne, IN 46802
The Fort Wayne Rescue Mission Ministries, Inc. 301 W. Superior St. PO Box 11116 Fort Wayne, IN 46855-1116 Non-profit Org U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 760 DONOR SPOTLIGHT Dick & Ann Honig How d you get involved at The Rescue Mission? Fifteen years ago, we began supporting the Mission financially. Then one day, we called and asked to take a tour. During the tour, someone mentioned leading Bible studies, which led to our first hands-on experience at The Rescue Mission. Today, we re monthly donors and continue to lead Bible studies at the Restoration House in downtown Fort Wayne every week. Why do you continue to partner with us? The Lord has given us a love for these men, and we really enjoy attending graduations and seeing lives changed. We sense the Lord at The Rescue Mission and count it a privilege to serve. TheRescueMission.net ph 260 426 7357