Year-end Letter From Rescue Outreach Mission

One of the greatest joys in my life is helping people in our community.

Just a few weeks ago, I was in Chick-fil-A when a mother and her child came up to me and shared the impact of Rescue Outreach Mission on their lives. They were guests in our shelter earlier this year and are now in their own home and doing great.
She shared how kind and compassionate our staff was to them, and she wondered where they would be if not for us.

Her story is not an isolated incident. Reflecting on this past year, nearly 250 men, women and children had the same experiences as this family. They came to our doors looking for help, a fresh start, a pathway back to a home they can call their own and they left with all of that and more.

Unfortunately, the number of people experiencing homelessness continues to increase as the costs of housing explode without a similar increase in wages or income.

We’ve had more senior women come to Rescue Outreach Mission than any time I can remember. The cost of their apartment grew so much that it outpaced social security. Faced with the choice of lifesaving medicines, food or shelter, they almost always choose food and medicine.

We continue to see more and more children at our shelter, and we have more than 200 family members on a waiting list for services. We try and provide shelter to as many families as possible but, with a limited number of family rooms, I wish we could do more.

Sadly, there will be more than two dozen children in our shelter and more than 300 Seminole County students will be sleeping in a car or a tent.

One child experiencing homelessness is too much.

As we wrap up 2024, We cannot do this work alone. Here’s what you can do:

1. Can you consider an end-of-year gift? An extra $100 gives a family of four one night at our shelter.
2. Can you introduce us to your friends and associates? Too many people in our community do not know the needs that our neighbors have today.
3. Will you invite us to speak to a group you are involved in? We’ll come to talk to your church or your homeowners’ association or any other place where we can share what we do.
4. Will you sign up to tour the shelter and see what we do first-hand? When you see our mission in action, you’ll see why our work is so important.