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Turning Hunger to Hope – cold streets to warm homes

Posted at 12:30 PM, Nov 08, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-08 14:32:37-05

Most of us are planning our holiday menus of roast turkeys and honey glazed hams, tuning up, skis and boards and looking forward to seeing family, the reality for many others in our community is quite different.

Like many of our homeless neighbors, Suzie was sleeping in a park playset wondering where she could a find warm and safe place to sleep and where her next meal will come from. There are currently 3,000 homeless people in Utah each night, sleeping in parks, vacant lots, abandoned buildings or wherever they can hide and rest their head. These people are the unwanted and unnoticed individuals standing on the corner and by the side of the road. Due to varying circumstances, many at no fault of their own, have had their hope been taken from them. The streets are the only place they have found to wander during the day and sleep at night. Yet, through desperation, there is hope.

The Rescue Mission of Salt Lake turns hunger to hope and cold streets to warm homes. Annually the Mission provides over 250,000 meals per year serving, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. Over 60,000 nights of warm, safe shelter are provided to men and women who would have no other place to lay their head. Additionally, throughout the week we offer day room, hot showers, hygiene and clean clothes to the men and women who walk through our doors we help working families struggling with hunger and bills by providing over 3,000 family food boxes yearly to prevent families from falling into homelessness.

Yet that is just the start the Rescue Mission offers a way off the streets and out of poverty – a way to change their lives. That is what happened to Suzie when she walked in the door and asked for help. Suzie entered our New Life Recovery Program, a free inpatient program that address the cause of the person’s struggles and resulting homelessness. Bringing education, life skills, and resources to the area of need helps people regain their dignity and independence. Today Suzie has a job and it looking for her own apartment.

Many of our homeless friends have serious needs, but have not received help because it is unavailable or costs to much. That’s why all our services are free. We are completely privately funded with no funding coming from any governmental entity. That we don’t have to turn someone away who does not meet a funding requirement. Our case workers walk alongside our clients as they fight their way to recovery, employment, housing and a better life – just like Suzie.

Will you walk alongside the Rescue Mission as we turn hunger into hope, cold streets into warm homes? Just $1.00 provides a meal and more, $25.00 provides a day of emergency services; meals, day room, shower, clean cloths and taking with our crisis team, $50.00 sponsors a person on our New Life Program for a day or could help one of our homeless friends to find a job. Will you walk with us today? Give.RescueSaltLake.org