Homeless for the Holidays
It's a sad fact that there are more and more families homeless in major cities throughout the United States and beyond.
It doesn't matter who you are, what you did for work, homelessness can strike anyone at any time and for any reason. It's no respecter of gender, race, creed, religion or social status.
If you're homeless, where do you go to get help especially now that the weather is growing colder by the day?
Do you wish you could assist the homeless but do not know where to turn to donate your time and/or money?
Most police and advocates for the homeless say do not contribute to those on the street, instead, donate your time and/or money to the organizations serving the homeless and needy. Why?
It's the old saying that holds true: you can feed a man a fish and he'll eat for the day, teach him how to fish he'll eat for a life time.
Most major cities have a rescue mission or some sort of shelter for its homeless citizens.
The Fresno Rescue Mission is located in my city of Fresno in California. Yours may be larger or smaller and may not offer all the services my city's rescue mission does.
The Mission was founded in 1949 to meet the needs of the many homeless in my area here in California from the vision of a reverend, a prayer meeting, the "Fisherman's Club," and the loving and concerned hearts of many local Christians.
The focus of our rescue mission among the many other charitable organizations and agencies is to provide shelter, food and clothing, but The Fresno Rescue Mission provides more than just a warm bed and food.
Each year, our rescue mission serves thousands of homeless and needy residents with spiritual guidance and helps those in need with food, clothing and shelter either directly or through their linked services.
Noted for their religious services, holiday meals and of course places to sleep for the homeless, our city's rescue mission for example, provides more than food and prayers, they provide hope.
Many people believe rescue missions serve only men with shelter and the homeless with a hot meal, but did you know they also serve women, children and families as well?
The rescue mission's Medical Respite Center, for example, is an 8 bed facility for recuperating men referred to the center by the hospitals in the area.
The Emergency Family Shelter offers families a helping hand back on their feet during these tough economic times for a 2-4 week period in one of their 9 family apartments. They provide assistance to women and children, referrals to food, clothing and other services.
Samaritan Women offers programs and services to the women in prison through ministry. Each woman's needs are assessed and addressed. The program also offers classes and referrals.
The program Rescue The Children offers a safe haven for high-risk children with a wonderful family centered program designed to provide the mother and her children with services and referrals. The idea is to educate and work with the parent in providing his/her children with a loving, safe, drug free, substance free environment in a collaborative effort to prevent these children from growing up committing crimes landing them in prison or juvenile hall, in and out of the court system or worse.
No residential or shelter facility currently exists for single women without children in my city, but women can find shelter through several other locally run homes here.
Our rescue mission also has classes in GED, anger management, money management, parenting courses, and more. There's a thrift store manned by those in the mission to not only offer the city a place to purchase dress clothing for job interviews but it provides the worker with experience, self reliance and builds self esteem.
How Donations to the mission works
Unfortunately, homelessness and need does not end when the New Year starts. Homeless men, women and families still need shelter, clothing, food and medical care. Long after the turkey has been eaten, wrapping paper tossed and ornaments put away, thousands of hungry men, women and children return to sleep in their cars, on park benches, in door ways and continue to brave the elements striving each day to find work and survive another day.
Many people use the holidays to offer to donate toys and volunteer to serve meals; often though, while this is necessary, there are other areas the mission needs and accepts donations:
- Electronic Funds Transfer
- Mail In Donations
- Memorials & Honorariums
- Corporate & Food Donations
- Clothes and Household Goods
- Vehicles
- Property
- Planned Giving
The Fresno Rescue Mission is just one of many organizations that serve the needy and homeless men, women and children with food, clothing, toys and other goods and services to help the city's homeless.
How is this possible?
Organizations like rescue missions, food centers and community food banks can make every penny of the money donations they receive throughout the year go further because they can buy in large quantities from various businesses and farmers. Some organizations advertise or hold food and clothing drives around the city or county. These bins are located usually in large supermarket chain parking lots complete with radio personalities and media coverage during the event.
What If I Need Help?
Most people that need help get it through a referral and sometimes word of mouth by friends and family who went through this experience or knew someone that did. Information about assistance programs in the city in which you live can be found several ways: by contacting your city or county's Social Services Department located in the County section of your phone book (the Government pages) or by looking up food and emergency services through your local online yellow pages.
Whatever your need is this time of year, be it a job, home, food or service, never give up hope. There's help if you're willing to work hard in improving yourself and those of your family, there are agencies and organizations willing to help you. Help and hope are just a phone call away.
Deborah Crow - Mom of a disabled 24 year old that wants to share with the world what it's like from the inside.
Join the Conversation