July 2013

Transforming Lives. Transforming Our City. PhoenixRescueMission.org

continued on page 2

Volunteers find many things while

serving at the Mission. Some find

purpose in helping those in need;

others find their perspectives forever changed

by what they see. Will however, found

something here he never could have expected

– his daughter.

Last year, Pastor Will Russell felt a tug

on his heart. God was leading him to start

serving others in a new way, to teach the

gospel to those that needed it most. After a brief search for the right opportunity,

Will found the Phoenix Rescue Mission.

“When I first began volunteering at the Mission, I instantly felt

like I needed to be there. It quickly became my home away from

home.”

He started his volunteer services in the kitchen, helping to

prepare meals and serving them to the individuals and families

that stream through our cafeteria every day. But as much as

he enjoyed giving words of encouragement to the souls on

the other side of the serving tray, he soon found his heart

wasn’t completely satisfied. God was telling him he could

do more.

He shared this desire with a few of our staff members

and they recommended he try teaching a discipleship class. It only took one session before

he knew had found what he was looking for. He immediately signed on to teach on a

regular basis. Every week his classes grew as word got around and he found great satisfaction

in leading several men and women to Christ.

At last, Will had finally found his place, his journey was over… or so he thought. A few

months later he received a phone call that would change his life even further. It was from an

unknown number and the woman on the other end asked to speak to “Andrew.”

“That’s my middle name, and no one has called me that for a very long time,” Pastor

Russell said. Curious, he asked who was calling. Will couldn’t believe what he heard next.

On the other end of the line was someone he hadn’t seen in over 24 years – his daughter

Scan this code with your mobile device to see Will’s story told in his own words.

Lost & Found continued from page 1

theMAINthingkeeping the main thing,

a message from Jay Cory, President and CEO

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Will, our volunteer of the year and the focus of our

cover story this month is a perfect example of what

we try to achieve here at the Mission – a miracle we call transformation360.

Last month I explained that transformation is never a one way street. Like a ripple in a pond, every act done in

God’s name sends His power and His love in all directions - reshaping hearts and lives in 360 degrees. Just think

about Will’s story. He sacrificed his time and energy to help transform the lives of others as a volunteer, but God

didn’t stop there. He used Will’s sacrifice to do something wonderful, to transform Will’s life by reuniting him with

his estranged daughter.

Now, I can’t say that the experience of every volunteer will be as dramatic as Will’s, but I can say that I see God

working in the lives of countless people every day. He changes the hearts and minds of volunteers and clients alike on

a regular basis here at the Mission. But don’t take my word for it. Give it a try by checking out our volunteer page at

phoenixrescuemission.org/act.

Who knows? You may find God waiting for you at the door, ready to transform lives and leave you with a blessing

that will change your life forever.

“I had been praying that my daughter would come back into my life somehow, and receiving that phone call was

as if God said, ‘I heard you.’”

24 years ago, Will was a very different person. He describes himself during his 20’s as a “train wreck.” One of the

decisions he made during that time was to give up his daughter Amy for adoption. Now God was giving him a chance

to make up for lost time.

The two met the next day for breakfast. Pastor Russell took the opportunity to describe what he was like during

his 20’s and how he had turned his life around since then. He explained how God uses those experiences now to

help others who are struggling with addiction and other life challenges at the Phoenix Rescue Mission. But when

he said the words Phoenix Rescue Mission, he noticed Amy’s jaw drop. Stunned, Amy told him that she had been

volunteering at the Phoenix Rescue Mission since March… only a month before Pastor Will started in the kitchen.

Only God could have planned something like this.

Now nearly a year after their initial meeting, both still serve at the Mission and love the experience. In fact, Pastor

Will has just been named our Volunteer of the Year. They both agree that their faith is stronger than ever and hope

others will consider supporting Phoenix Rescue Mission in its efforts to help homeless men, women and children and

elderly shut-ins.

“No task is too small,” says Amy, who is a mother to two young children. “By giving back, we also receive. I’m

inspired anew every time I volunteer.”

Summer just started and we’re already experiencing record temperatures

here in Phoenix. For those caught out in the sun, excessive heat can

be dangerous and even deadly. But did you know that the dry air and

extreme temperatures pose a threat to those indoors as well? As you may have

read in our Hope Coach article this month (page 5), last year more than 50

elderly citizens died due to dehydration inside their homes.

That’s 50 lives, 50 deaths that could

have been prevented by something

as simple as a case of water. It’s

unacceptable and this year, as a

part of our Code Red initiative,

Phoenix Rescue Mission is

doing something about it.

In addition to our Hope Coach heat relief efforts,

volunteers and staff will be visiting elderly communities on a

weekly basis to perform wellness checks, to educate men and

women about the dehydrating effects of various medications

and to provide each of them with provisions designed to keep

them safe and healthy.

“Because many seniors live a sedentary lifestyle, they often don’t begin to feel thirsty until dehydration has

already set in. Combine this with the draining effects of many medications and you have a potentially life-threatening

situation,” said Jay Cory, our President & CEO. “We

have the opportunity to save lives this summer with

simple things like education and bottles of water.

There’s no reason the needs of this vulnerable

population should continue to be ignored.”

For more information on Code Red

and how you can get involved, please

visit phoenixrescuemission.org/codered

or call 602-346-3363.

3

Elderly at RiskLast year, more than 50 elderly died from dehydration inside their homes.

Volunteers and staff visit elderly communities, educating the men and women about dehydration.

A case of water can mean the difference between life and death for the elderly.

4

If you’ve ever had a chance to visit the Mission, you may have been surprised by the energetic and overall cheery

attitude of our staff and volunteers. After all, serving food, teaching a course or distributing water on the streets

doesn’t seem very exciting by itself. But there’s a perfectly rational explanation for their warm smiles and the

bounce in their step.

They’ve caught the vision.

You see, there’s something special that happens when you walk through our doors, when you come face to face

with the people we serve and actually witness the hope and transformation for yourself. It’s a feeling that’s infectious

and addictive - knowing that what you are doing is having a real impact, and saving real lives.

The members of Pebble Creek Community Church got their first glimpse of the vision last June when a few

representatives took a simple tour of our Emergency Center and Changing Lives Center. Struck by what they saw,

they immediately pledged their financial support.

The vision grew in October when Pebble Creek’s pastor attended our

Quarterly Celebration. He would later comment that he felt Christ’s presence

They Caught the Vision

as he listened to the amazing stories of our men and

women in recovery. Then in January, the vision finally

took hold when a member of their Missions Committee,

Bruce Sharp, experienced his own tour of the Changing

Lives Center. He was so moved by the work that he

championed a significant gift request to assist our

women in recovery. The Missions Committee agreed

immediately.

But it didn’t stop there.

In April, we were invited to present our vision to the

entire congregation of Pebble Creek Community Church.

Through the amazing testimony of Diane, one of our

recent recovery graduates, the vision spread like wildfire

throughout the church body. A men’s group signed up

to begin serving meals, a ladies group started a Christmas

Shoebox project for the Changing Lives Center, and a

member of the church matched the Mission Committee’s

funding out of her own pocket to help the men, women

and children we serve!

It’s impossible to truly describe what it’s like to “catch

the vision,” you just have to see for yourself. This summer

we encourage you to take the time to get involved and

find out, or better yet, get your church or neighborhood

group active in our work of rescue.

The Phoenix Rescue Mission is always looking for new volunteers - spirited men and women willing

to donate their time and energy to spread hope to those who need it most!

Our family of volunteers is our most precious resource. They bring life to our ministry through their hard work, kind hearts and helping hands.

From serving meals to street outreach there are countless ways a volunteer can make a difference here at the mission.

For a full list of opportunities or to sign up, please visit our website at phoenixrescuemission.org/act/volunteer or by scanning the QR code with your smart phone, or by calling Sofia at (602) 346-3363. We hope to see you soon!

You can catch the Vision, too!

continued on page 6

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There’s a significant portion of our Phoenix

community that is suffering in silence. They

are all around us, but only the most severe

cases ever catch our eye. They are independent,

isolated and alone, and every year more than 50 of

them die in their homes because of it.

I’m speaking about some of our most vulnerable

neighbors, our city’s elderly.

Just a couple weeks ago I had an opportunity to ride along in the Hope Coach to help distribute water and

supplies to a few of our cities’ seniors. I imagined a day of delivering provisions to homes filled with lace doilies and

old family photos. I pictured places not unlike my grandparent’s house with their knickknacks and china cabinets and

plastic covered sofas.

I was completely unprepared for what I saw.

Our first stop blew me away. As I exited the van, I saw an elderly woman

waiting for us on the front steps of her home, a small domed structure that

looked like some sort of desert igloo. Her front yard was in total disarray.

Old milk cartons, cinderblocks and trash littered the dirt surrounding her

house. As I watched this sweet-looking old lady close her rusted front door

and hobble towards us through the debris, my heart was in my shoes…

So this was what it really meant to be elderly and forgotten.

I never expected it to be this bad. To see someone that could easily be

my grandmother live this way broke my heart. The last time I saw similar

conditions was on a mission trip south of the border… a trip I’ll never forget. But this was Phoenix; this was only 20

minutes from my home. I’m embarrassed to say - I never had a clue.

The woman’s name was Susan and I could tell that she didn’t get many visitors by how excited she was to see us.

We took down her contact information and gave her a couple of cases of water and some hygiene supplies. That’s

when Chaplain Cliff, the Hope Coach Coordinator offered to pray for her.

As a photographer, I’m privy to the private moments during prayer. I get to watch

the expressions of people lost in communication with God. As Chaplain Cliff began

to speak I could see Susan’s emotions begin overwhelm her, her lips started to quiver

as she tried her best to hold back the tears. At that moment what she was feeling was

written all over her face. Life was hard for this woman, almost unbearable - and it

meant the world to her just knowing that someone out there truly cared for her.

I’d like to say that Susan was the only elderly person we met that day desperate for

help and human contact. But that wasn’t the case.

A short trip down the road brought us to the front door of Joe, who greeted us

in his walker in front of a house no larger than my office. Next door was Earnest, an

older gentleman who had lived in the same rundown apartment for the past 6 years

Susan’s home looked like a desert igloo.

Chaplain Cliff and Sofia Ontiveros with the Community Engagement Department pray with Susan.

To mail a gift: P.O. Box 63005 ~ Phoenix, AZ 85082-3005For shelter & meal service: 1801 S. 35th Avenue ~ Phoenix, AZ 85009602-233-3000 ~ www.phoenixrescuemission.org

Hope TotesForgotten continued from page 5

Phoenix Rescue Mission would like to thank you for a tremendous year. As you can see, your support really made a difference for men, women and children in the Phoenix area:(Figures from Jan. - Dec. 2012)

• Total Meals Provided 305,393

• Chapel Service Attendees 25,605

• Bed Nights of Shelter 51,069

• Permanent Job Placements 183

• Volunteer Service Hours 20,168

• Bottles of Water Distributed 370,260

Mission Mileposts

Need a summer project you can do with your kids? Make Hope Totes for the Hope Coach to distribute to the homeless as part of Code Red Summer Heat Relief. We need your help to build lifesaving totes with the following items:

Place the items in a one-gallon Ziplock bag and bring them to the Mission Donation Center, 1468 N. 26th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85009. For more information, please call 602-233-3000.

Bottled Water

Sunscreen with an SPF of 30+

Lip Balm with SPF

White, Athletic Socks

Shoelaces

Deodorant

Travel-size Soap, Shampoo

and Conditioner

A Note of Encouragement

because a spinal cord injury gave him no other options.

Across the street we met Delores, an older mother whose

son was in jail and unable to care for her any longer.

Each stop was another tragic story, another lonely

soul – each

of them

living in

unimaginable

conditions

and many of

them utterly

alone. But it

doesn’t have

to be this

way.

Together

we can do

something

about it.

This summer Phoenix Rescue Mission has made it

a priority to bring hope and relief to elderly people like

Susan as part of their Code Red initiative. I’m asking

you to join me in support of their efforts by donating

cases of water, imperishable foods and hygiene supplies

to the Mission at 1468 N 26th Avenue. Financial gifts

also make a huge difference. You can give online at

phoenixrescuemission.org/give or by mail in the envelope

provided. Also, make sure you check out the article on

page 3 to learn about more ways you can help the elderly

beat the heat this summer.

Together we can bring hope to hopeless situations and

provide the regular contact and support that keeps people

like Susan, Joe, Earnest and Delores safe and healthy. For

more information on drop off locations or how you can

take your own ride on the hope coach, please call 602-

346-3363 or visit phoenixrescuemission.org.

Joe greets Chaplain Cliff and is grateful for what the Hope Coach brings.