July 2012

Mission: Rescue

contact us: info@BoiseRM.org | 208-343-2389 | Po Box 1494, Boise iD, 83701 | www.BoiseRM.org

DReaMing BigTrying to put one’s life back together after homelessness is discouraging and oftentimes overwhelming. It is difficult to know where to start, which piece of a broken life to pick up first...Isaac is a member of the New Life Discipleship Recovery Program and one of many men staying at Boise Rescue Mission’s River of Life. His life has been what he calls “chaos,” growing up with an abusive father and mother with drug addictions. He ran away from home at 16 years

old and started getting into trouble with the law by the age of 18. Amidst the chaos, Isaac turned to alcohol for comfort and confidence. “I thought it was helping me,” he says, “but the whole time, it was killing me.”

His deadly addiction came to a head when he was involved in a car accident and charged with a felony DUI. By God’s grace, no one was injured and it was the wakeup call that Isaac needed. “Some people need something in their life to change them and refocus them. >>

restor ing fa ith hope & family

I’ve never had that opportunity in my life and I plan to keep going forward.”

After almost a year in the New Life Program, Isaac has started looking into the future and making plans for a career. However, the road has not been easy. He faces discouraging rejection in his search for employment due to his criminal history and permanent record. Boise Rescue Mission staff, Leo Hellyer, says that this rejection is a common problem among the men at River of Life and one they try hard to combat. “They keep running into

It took something very traumatic for me to change my life.”

In prison, Isaac began turning his life around, attending chapel, and studying for his GED. After two years, he was accepted into Boise Rescue Mission’s New Life Program. There he has found the support, encouragement, and accountability he needs to rebuild his life. More than that, he has found the courage to dream big and imagine a new life for himself.

“Being here has opened my eyes to a lot more than I could have imagined: mentally, physically, and spiritually.

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Through classes, counseling, peer support, and a lot of hard work, guests and program members find skills to help them put their lives back together and are encouraged to stay on the right path.

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brick walls and it’s easy for our men to start feeling worthless and it can be devastating if they let it. We work with the guys almost daily to let them know they’re not alone.”

Thankfully, Isaac is not letting the discouragement stop him and he says that having God in his life is making him dream big. He is already one of the first in his family to gain a GED or high school diploma equivilent and he continues to aim high. “At first, my goal was to go to barber college, because I already have some experience cutting hair, but now I want to go to CWI and study business management. I want to learn more, to have something to be able to sell myself to an employer.”

Isaac credits his new life and big dreams to the Boise Rescue Mission and to God: “He helps me stay focused to the man I want to be for the rest of my life.”

DReaMing Big

>> www.BoiseRM.oRg <<

Our kids’ summer program is going full swing and you can keep updated on the fun. Follow us online (www.BoiseRM.org), friend us on Facebook (facebook.com/boiserescuemission), and check out our blog (www.boiserescuemission.wordpress.com) to see the impact you are having in the lives of homeless children.

July needs

- Meat: - sausage, ground beef, pork, beef, chicken strips- fresh fruits & vegetables- frozen vegetables- Ketchup & Mustard- Canned fruit & vegetables (esp. #10 sized cans)- salad Dressings- oil, spices

fooD neeDs:

- Cash Donations- gas gift Cards- Razors & shaving Cream- Deodorant- t-shirts, underwear, & socks- Diapers [all sizes]- Bath towels- Cleaning supplies- household light Bulbs- new Computers

otheR neeDs:DRoP off youR Donations:

Boise:Ministry Center308 s 24th st208 389-9840

naMPa:lighthouse Rescue Mission475 Caldwell Blvd208 461-5030

July 2012 | 3

MaKing an iMPaCtInvest in the lives of our homeless and hungry neighbors this summer!

KiDs’ suMMeR PRogRaM

Boise Rescue Mission Ministries is more intentional than ever about providing opportunities for men, women, and children to recover from homelessness and return to independent living. Please consider investing in the lives of our hungry and homeless neighbors. Your support will provide the financial resources essential to serve meals to anyone in need, offer safe shelter, and keep life-changing programs and classes in operation.

Your gift in the next few weeks will make an immediate impact.

Ways to Give >>>> (208) 343.2389 Community.BoiseRM.org Boise Rescue Mission Ministries PO Box 1494, Boise ID, 83701

Many of the children staying with us are grades behind in school. Through the summer, we continue our tutoring and education programs to help them catch up and keep up with their studies.

The summer program is designed to be fun, with trips to parks and pools, and informative, with classes like this one about self-defense.

Your support is breaking the cycle of poverty by helping our children dream big. College tours, like this one at BSU, show the kids what they can accomplish if they study and work hard.

a letteR fRoM the DiReCtoR

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I hope that you are enjoying the beautiful summer with your family and friends. We are so blessed to live here and to be a part of the most caring and giving community I have ever known.

Your financial support during the summer months is truly appreciated as we continue to serve many men, women and children, but historically see our funding decline. It wasn’t long ago that our shelters would be less populated between June and September, and we could

do maintenance and repair work without disrupting a lot of guests. That’s not the case anymore, as the beds are nearly full and the dining rooms are often overflowing.

The other evening, I spoke in the chapel service at City Light and arrived early to spend time with the guests having dinner. I met one woman who worked in the emergency room as a Registered Nurse. She told me how a tragedy in her life triggered a drinking binge, leading to a DUI, and 90 days in jail. When she was released, she was unemployed, her husband filed for divorce and she became homeless. Then I talked to a lady who had been beaten and tortured in 1991, suffering permanent brain damage and blindness in one eye. This quiet, soft-spoken woman broke my heart with her story of homelessness and loneliness. I also spoke with the sweetest little 10 year-old girl about her day in the Children’s Summer Program. She was glowing as she told of going bowling and scoring a strike and “a whole bunch of spares!”

That same day, I was at the Lighthouse, our facility in Nampa. As I walked down the hallway, I stopped at the Learning Center. There, seated at computer terminals, were several men working on academic and vocational programs. I thought to myself how this breaks the stereotypes of homeless men that so many people have. Thanks to your support, our guests are not sleeping under a bridge or panhandling on the side of the road. They are in our Learning Centers and programs, studying for their GEDs, working on their résumés, receiving job search assistance, and improving themselves to return to the work force and independent living.

Your gifts are used to continue the life-changing work we do here. On behalf of all of our homeless and hungry guests, thank you again and God bless you for caring and sharing with them and us. Together we are restoring “Faith, Hope and Family.”

In His Service,

Our Mission Boise Rescue Mission Ministries reaches out to the community by teaching the word of god and providing food, shelter, clothing, and opportunities to recover from homelessness to men, women, and children in need.

RiveR Of life Rescue MissiOn575 s. 13th st.Boise, iD 83702208-389-9840

lighthOuse Rescue MissiOn472 Caldwell Blvd.nampa, iD 83651208-461-5030

city light hOMe fOR WOMen & childRen1404 w. Jefferson st.Boise, iD 83702208-368-9901

MinistRy centeRWaRehOuse & adMinistRatiOn308 s. 24th st. Boise, iD 83702wh - 368-0824admin - 343-2389

BRMMBOaRd Of diRectORsCraig verdi, ChairmanJody Buckner, secretaryDon anderson, treasurergreg BrownDavid hillsBob Richmondgerald salisburyRick thomas

BRMM fOundatiOnBOaRd Of diRectORssandy Dalton, Chairmaned Zimmerman, secretaryBill laska, treasurerDon Brandtgina Caven-thompsonadalaide fredriksenMerlyn Knightharold thomas, emeritus

Rev. Bill Roscoeexecutive directorrevbill@BoiseRM.org

Correction:In our story of Jim in the June 2012 newsletter, on pg 2 it was incorrectly reported that he will soon qualify to “move up to the 3rd floor of River of Life where he can begin to pay rent and establish a rental history.” No one pays rent at the Mission. We encourage our guests to establish a savings account with the goal of saving enough money to successfully transition to independent living.