View this issue - Phoenix Rescue Mission

December 2014
Transforming Lives. Transforming Our City.
PhoenixRescueMission.org
A Christmas of
HOPE
She was
pregnant with nowhere
to go. He was facing a prison
sentence. They prayed for a miracle.
Little did the Lopez Family know,
the gift God gave to this
world 2,000 years ago
was also their
HOPE.
Their story begins
inside on page 3
INSIDE:
2
The Main Thing
5
Turkey Drive
feeds Thousands!
6
Winter
Wonderland
Gift Drive
keeping the main thing,
MAINthing
the
a message from Jay Cory, President and CEO
MISSION
MILEPOSTS
MEALS SERVED
386,426
341,526
294,827
2012
2013
2014
BED NIGHTS OF
SHELTER
79,456
58,665
49,689
2012
2013
2014
BOTTLES OF WATER
DISTRIBUTED
468,258
T
his time of year, our Mission is
consumed with events, food drives,
preparing meals, meeting ever-increasing needs
and celebrating Christ’s birth with our clients. To say Christmas time at the
Phoenix Rescue Mission is busy is an understatement! But we do it all with
joy and a thankful heart knowing our efforts have eternal significance. By
God’s grace and the support of friends like you, we see lives transformed
and new creations in Christ made here every day.
I wanted to share the chart at the left side of the page to highlight how your
friendship is continuing to meet the need at a time when Phoenix has one
of the highest rates of homelessness in the nation. Together we are feeding;
providing life-saving water; offering safe, nightly shelter; and witnessing to
more men, women, and children in need than ever before!
I want to thank you for making our mission possible. On behalf of all of us
here at the Phoenix Rescue Mission, and from my heart, I want to wish
you and your family a blessed and safe Christmas holiday!
P H O EN I X R ES C U E M I S S I O N &
M U S I C S ER V I N G TH E W O R D M I N I S TR I ES
P R ES EN T
MUSIC WITH A MISSION
A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY
332,695
255,048
2012
2013
2014
WOMEN AND CHILDREN SERVED
(CHANGING LIVES CENTER)
83 Women
44 Children
169 Women
87 Children
22 Women
20 Children
SATURDAY • DECEMBER 13, 2014
5:00PM REGISTRATION • 5:30 - 6:15PM DINNER & JAZZ
6:15PM MUSIC WITH A MISSION
Hosted by
NORTHERN HILLS COMMUNITY CHURCH
2740 E. UNION HILLS DR., PHOENIX 85050
RSVP required. Call or email Renee Soldanels at 602-346-3336 or
[email protected]
2012
2013
2014
J
uan and Veronica were both introduced to drugs at a very
early age. Juan started using marijuana when he was 10,
progressed to pain-killers by the time he was 14 and
started to sell at 16. Veronica lost her mom to suicide
at 15, a tragedy that caused her to self-medicate with
methamphetamine at age 16. But it wasn’t until they
met at a friend’s house and started dating that their
lives took a rapid downhill turn.
“We enabled each other’s addictions,” Juan says.
“I introduced Veronica to pain-killers and Veronica
introduced me to meth. Once you become dependent
on either you have to use it every day or you feel
awful… you don’t want to move, you’re weak and your
body hurts everywhere... and now we were using both at the
same time.”
The pain drove Juan to do things he never imagined he would be capable of to keep
them both high. He began to steal from stores, friends – even his own mother.
Juan admits, “At that point
we were numb to any kind of
remorse, we didn’t really care
who we were hurting as long as
we could make the pain go away.”
One by one they wore out
their welcome with friends and
family. Before long, Juan and
Veronica found themselves living
next to a canal in a tent they
constructed out of bed sheets.
Thank God
the Phoenix Rescue Mission allowed my chi
in recovery. We looked at a lot of rehab cen
have what this place offers - a chance for a
find hope and a rea
Veronica remembers, “It was rock bottom. We would go days without eating. When we did
have food, ants and other bugs would usually get to it before we did because we were too busy
getting high. We smelled because we were washing in the dirty canal water… it was terrible. We
didn’t know what to do, but we knew we didn’t want to stay here. So one night we sat together
and prayed to God for help. Juan called his mother the next day and mercifully, she let us move
back in.”
3
Their newfound convictions saw Juan and Veronica find sobriety over the
next two weeks... but it didn’t last. Soon after their first son, Juan IV, was
born they both went back to using. Something was missing. Something
they both found at the Phoenix Rescue Mission.
“We started to get high again and my run-ins with the law
were catching up to me. God gave us one last chance through my
parole officer. He said I could either get help at the Phoenix
Rescue Mission or I could serve prison time…. the choice was
obvious,” said Juan. “The counselors and staff have opened
my eyes. They showed me how to give my troubles over to
Jesus Christ, that God had a plan for my life and part of that
plan included becoming the man He designed me to be for my
family. I always knew there was a God but, for the first time, I had
a real relationship and real hope in recovery.”
One month later a pregnant Veronica entered the Changing Lives
Center.
Today both are sober and by God’s grace their newest child, Mariposa, was born a healthy 5
lbs, 14 ounces!
ildren to join me
nters and none
whole family to
al future.
Veronica admits, “If you had asked me to choose between sobriety and being
with my children, I don’t think that is a choice I
could make. Thank God the Phoenix Rescue
Mission allowed my children to join me in
recovery. We looked at a lot of rehab centers and
none have what this place offers - a chance for a
whole family to find hope and a real future.”
That’s the real gift we celebrate on Christmas
isn’t it? Jesus Christ represents our chance to start
over, to begin a journey from death into everlasting life. As
Christians, it’s a truth we should never forget. Through your
prayers and support, another family has been given a precious
gift that not only promises a better future in this world, but also
secures one in the next. Thank you helping make this Christmas
a special one for the Lopez family and all the families we serve!
4
Turkey Drive
Feeds
THOUSANDS!
O
ur annual Frozen Turkey Sunday, November
9th, was a gobble of a good time – complete
with food, live music and family fun! Our
friends at Schuff Steel provided the enormous grill we
needed to cook up some delicious BBQ and live music
was played by The Hallelujah Blues Band.
The Mission received 615 frozen turkeys donated by our
friends to feed the hungry at Thanksgiving.
By the end of the day over 200 of our supporters
attended and donated over 615 turkeys to feed the men,
women, and children we serve during Thanksgiving!
The week after the
event, the turkeys
continued to roll in,
helping us meet our
goal of 700 birds.
At an average of four
family members each,
these 500 turkeys
touched the lives of
over 2,000 people!
We cook 200 of
those donated
turkeys ourselves for
Thanksgiving dinner
at the shelter and at the Changing Lives Center. The
other 500 turkeys are delivered directly to families in
need across the valley. At an average of four family
members each, these 500 turkeys touched the lives of
over 2,000 people! That’s on top of the hundreds who
walked through our serving line during Thanksgiving!
PRM CEO Jay Cory (right) provides service with a smile at
the Turkey Drive event.
We want to thank all of our friends who donated time
and turkeys to make this day a huge success. Together
we helped make Thanksgiving special for the families
we serve!
Did you deliver a FIll-A-Box to a family this
Thanksgiving? Share your photos on Facebook,
Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #FeedA-Family.
After lunch, guests received a guided tour of the Mission
facilities, including the newly remodeled shower &
bathroom facilities.
5
Help us
“Bag Hunger”
this Christmas!
Have a shopping list a mile long this Christmas?
Rather than check it twice, save time shopping for
the Phoenix Rescue Mission by grabbing and giving
canned food for families in need.
Phoenix Rescue Mission has
teamed up with Sprouts
Farmers Markets to “Bag
Hunger” this holiday season.
From now until December 20th,
select Sprouts locations have
put together grocery bags filled with food items at a
10% discount. Most bags cost around $10. Just pick
out one of these specially marked bags, bring it to
the checkout with the rest of your items and leave
it with Sprouts to deliver to the Mission – it’s that
simple!
It’s never been easier or less expensive to give the
gift of a full stomach this Christmas, and in doing so,
offering the chance at a transformed life. Thank you
and God bless!
The Phoenix Rescue Mission will be
hosting a Winter Wonderland event for the
community on the morning of Saturday,
December 20th. This event will allow
parents to “shop” for their children for
Christmas. Here are some of the most
popular items needed:
For Teens:
Arts & Crafts Items
Skate Board
Soccer Ball
Football/Basketball
Hair Accessories
MP3-Player/CD Player
Hand Held Game
Roller Blades
Make-Up/Grooming Kits
Participating stores are located
in these convenient locations
around the valley:
1625 E. Glendale Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85020
5665 W. Bell Rd.
Glendale, AZ 85308
8040 N. 19th Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85021
For Tykes:
Board Games
Remote Control Cars
Legos Sets
Play Cash Register
Princess Dress Up Kit
Leap Frog Toys
Train Set
Elmo
Toy cars
For Parents: Children will be able
to “shop” for a gift for their parents
as well. Suggestions include:
• Household Items such as: Towels,
Dishes, Blankets, Pans, Utensils,
Pillows, Sheets.
• Personal care items such as:
Perfume, Wallets, Purses,Cologne,
Nail Care Kits, body wash, jewelry
All unwrapped gifts are due to the Phoenix Rescue Mission Donation Warehouse by Friday,
December 13, 2014, 1468 N. 26th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85009. For more information contact
the Volunteer Hotline at 602-346-3363 or [email protected]
To mail a gift: P.O. Box 6708 ~ Phoenix, AZ 85005-6708
For shelter & meal service: 1801 S. 35th Avenue ~ Phoenix, AZ 85009
602-233-3000 ~ www.phoenixrescuemission.org