Hope During The Holidays – and All Year Round
South Bend's Hope Rescue Mission share hope all through the year.

A January 2005 street count in Saint Joseph County indicated a total of 624 people were homeless in the county. What’s more, 100 people were left completely unsheltered in the chilling cold of winter. Of the 524 that were sheltered, only 42 were involved in a program that teaches that Christ is the key to a new life. Overall that means that, out of those who need Him most in South Bend, less than 7% have heard of the One who can rebuild their lives through a local mission.

For nearly 52 years, the Hope Rescue Mission has been a refuge in downtown South Bend where those who need a warm meal, an encouraging word, and a place to stay have been able to seek refuge. Hope’s mission is to relieve the suffering of those who are homeless, and give them hope through laying a foundation of stable health, life skills, and opportunities for a brighter future by being transformed through a relationship with Christ. Hope refers to this as the Three Pillars of Hope, with pillar one being a growing relationship with Christ, pillar two being stable mental and physical health, and pillar three being skills and opportunities for sustainable living.

And the role of the local church is critical. Executive Director David Vanderveen is very appreciative of the over 60 local churches that help with the daily operations of the mission. These Christian volunteers prepare meals, preach sermons, sponsor care for the homeless through donations, and offer church homes, all of which are essential to the continuation of Hope’s program. The role of the church will continue to grow in importance, since Hope is opening a new Family Life Center next month in the old Ries Furniture Store downtown. This facility will provide housing for homeless women and children, and will also contain an educational center, a kitchen, and more. And with the growing number of women and children that are homeless, this 70,000 square foot location is critical to Hope’s mission.

For those who need short-term relief, Hope offers the opportunity for people to simply walk in, enjoy a nourishing meal, and have a safe place to stay. But for those who choose to remain at Hope to rebuild their lives with Christ as their foundation, Hope offers an extensive program that includes food and shelter, chapel services and chaplain care, Bible study classes, addiction recovery program, child and teen development programs, employment readiness training, and more. The mission also offers housing transition assistance, to help people get while they are finding a safe new place to stay.

According to the August 2005 issue of The Voice of Hope newsletter, “One of Hope’s goals for its residents is to prepare them for stable employment through work experience, team building and various life skills learned as part of the Mission community.” And it works. There are countless stories of people that endured hardships, turned to Hope, and have rebuilt their lives through the Three Pillars of Hope. “We’re here as an agent of the Christian community to relieve suffering and give hope to the homeless,” adds Vanderveen.

Take Gwen, for example. She was involved in a tragic car accident that caused her husband’s untimely death and left her in apposition of overwhelming grief with two children who had witnessed their father’s death. Gwen immediately focused on helping her children cope with this loss, but quickly slipped back into some self-destructive habits to cope with her suffering. Thankfully, Gwen’s aunt suggested she go to Hope Rescue Mission to rebuild her life. Through Hope’s Addiction Recovery Program and the mission’s focus on Christ as the center of a new life, Gwen has a new life in Christ and hope for tomorrow. She says, “At a time when I needed somewhere to go, Hope was there.”

But to invest in these precious lives, it costs $1,083 to provide full services - including food, shelter, support and programs - for one resident for one month. And when you consider that the mission shelters about 57 to 75 men, women, and families every night of the year and provides over 86,000 meals for the homeless, the overall impact on the South Bend community is significant – especially when considering that the new Family Life Center will add space for an additional 18 families and 16 women.

Here’s how you can help Hope Rescue Mission:

There are many ways you and your church can help the men, women, and children served by the Hope Rescue Mission. To volunteer your time at Hope Rescue Mission please contact Don Bloore at (574) 235-4150 x231 or dbloore@hoperescuemission.org. To learn about other ways to get involved, please contact Claudia Manning (574) 235-4150 x232 or cmanning@hoperescuemission.org.

• Volunteer at Hope. This is a real opportunity to touch the lives of those who are looking for hope. Consider serving meals, ministering at Hope, and offering a church home (including transportation) for residents at Hope starting this holiday season. This will be a real blessing to the individuals and families that are building a foundational relationship with Christ as a way to rebuild their lives.
• Sponsor meals for those who are physically and spiritually hungry. For $1.79, Hope provides one warm meal to someone who desperately needs nourishment. Consider holding a fundraiser for Hope at your church to provide meals.
• Devote a church small group to praying for and encouraging those at Hope. If your church small group is interested in touching lives in a significant way, consider sending letters and cards to encourage those at hope. Also, a small group devoted to praying for those at the mission could have eternal impact. To find out more about the specific ways your church small group can help Hope, contact David Vanderveen.
• Pray for Hope’s expansion. Hope is undergoing a significant capital campaign in early 2006, to raise funds for the Family Life Center’s housing center, kitchen, educational center, and other important aspects of the Center. Keeping in mind that Hope is the primary way the homeless can learn about Christ in downtown South Bend, it’s more important than ever to support this outreach. Contact Hope for details on how you can financially support this campaign, or volunteer to help in this initiative.
• Sponsor an individual or family at Hope. It costs $1,083 to provide full services - including food, shelter, support and programs - for one resident for one month. Encourage your church or small group to “adopt” an individual or family by covering the costs of Hope’s services for one person for one or more months.