I am continually amazed by your kindness and generosity. As always in this newsletter, you’ll f ind a detailed tally of the ways your support reaches our homeless friends — providing warm meals, safe shelter, hot showers, clothing, and, most importantly, the good news of Jesus Christ.

This month, however, I want to move the focus from outputs (our everyday efforts to help people) and instead highlight the outcomes, the actual changed lives, your support and God’s enabling is producing.

Year to date, as of the end of September, your generosity helped 65 individuals obtain housing and 62 gain full-time employment (Note: there is some variance in those who have jobs and those who have housing because we run a 13–18-month program). These individuals either made the transition from life on the streets or are growing in stability with a renewed sense of purpose. Most are reconnected with their family with rebuilt relationships and societal contributions.

Because of your gifts, our Emergency Shelter Program continues to provide ongoing support. Over 69% of the adults who are staying with us in emergency shelter are employed but cannot afford housing. They are not panhandling but striving for livable wage increases so they can afford to rent an apartment. You help us offer not just shelter, but the tools and encouragement needed to sustain success. In addition to housing and employment, your volunteer chapel providers to share the Gospel, leading to 253 professions of faith so far this year. These decisions to follow Christ are the most important outcomes of all. Beyond the eternal blessings, we believe that spiritual renewal is the foundation for lasting recovery and a restored life. The transformation of the heart is essential for healing from addiction, homelessness, and brokenness, and your support is directly contributing to the spiritual renewal of so many.

Finally, because of your gifts, many who graduate from our New Life Program return to serve others. Having experienced life-changing transformation themselves, our graduates return as mentors, volunteers, and even serve as staff members of other homeless service providers or the Rescue Mission (see Steven Defa’s life story in this month’s newsletter). Their journeys from brokenness to wholeness inspire hope in others and demonstrate the enduring power of recovery and faith.

Thank you for making possible not just outputs, but also the God-honoring outcomes that the outputs lead to. While God is the one who changes lives, I am blessed to witness firsthand how He uses your support, prayers, and volunteering to restore broken lives and create outcomes that bring glory to Himself.

Thank you and God bless you,
Chris D. Croswhite
Executive Director