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Not everyone is fortunate to have all the basic necessities of daily life. That’s also on top of the risk of being hooked on drugs, suffering from domestic violence, and being homeless. That’s why we at Kids4Community want to share with you information about other local groups who have dedicated their resources to help – and one of these organizations is San Diego Rescue Mission.

What is San Diego Rescue Mission?

While many people are living in the comfort of our own homes, others have the compassion to help the homeless. San Diego Rescue Mission helps to lead people in the marginalized sector to better lives and to give them hope.

San Diego Rescue Mission is a non-profit organization whose main goal is to spread the good news and salvation through Christ by serving the needs of the poor, abused, addicted and homeless. The assistance that the group extends is geared towards not only providing rehabilitation but also strengthening their faith through discipleship programs that will lead them to a permanent change and start an independent life.

Brief History

San Diego Rescue Mission is the one of the oldest programs in the locality in terms of extending assistance to the poor and homeless. It started in an abandoned building on G street in 1955, to serve coffee and doughnuts after every evening chapel service.

Decades later, after three locations, the San Diego Rescue Mission has grown and helped thousands of men, women, and children through the various programs that they have developed. With Jesus as the center for everything that the organization does, providing hope to the homeless became its core mission.

Programs and Beneficiaries

San Diego Rescue Mission offers 10 programs with one single mission: to help the people get back to their feet with strengthened faith. These programs include the following:

1. Emergency Shelter for Women and Children

Nueva Vida was opened in 2000 to provide shelter to homeless women and children. The emergency shelter provides for women and children below 17 years old a secure place to sleep, meals, clothing, and access to warm baths.

2. The Men’s Center

The Men’s Center is a program that provides a 12-month recovery program to homeless and addicted men, which include training and support to permanently change their lives. Apart from these, the shelter integrates vocational training and educational classes.

3. Women and Children Center

This is a 12-month comprehensive program that helps families to slowly get up on their own and allow children to go back to school. The program includes specialized classes, parenting and life skills training, and therapy. School-aged children benefit from after-school tutoring, school supplies, counseling, and a secure playground.

4. Children’s Preschool Center

The group’s childhood education program aims to help children grow physically, socially, psychologically, academically and spiritually.

5. Recuperative Care Unit

This program aims to extend the needs of homeless men and women after they have been released from the hospital but may still need medical attention for complete recovery.

6. Outpatient Therapy Clinic

This program aims to provide individual, family or group therapy for residents of the San Diego community, with the help of licensed marriage and family therapists.

7. 2^nd Avenue Transitional Housing

The 2^nd Avenue Transitional Housing program focuses on healing and acquiring independent living skills to help individuals become successful. The program is designed for single men and women, as well as women with children. Beneficiaries are housed in dormitory-type living spaces.

8. Work Therapy

San Diego Rescue Mission does not only provide assistance to the basic needs of the poor, but it also teaches them to become skilled and independent individuals.

9. Alumni After Care

The Alumni Aftercare program was created to provide assistance to those clients who are coming back to the society after successfully completing a Rescue Mission program. The organization’s goal is to provide resources and support to individuals while allowing them to be self-sufficient.

10. Partner for Hunger Relief

This program is a collaboration of grocery stores, restaurants, caterers, universities, hotels and hospitals to help feed thousands of people in San Diego.

Ways to Help San Diego Rescue Mission

The success of the organization will not be possible without the help of others. Those who would wish to be part of extending help to the needy can send items, which they can ship to the office or request for pickup. They may also send financial assistance or be part of the team implementing the programs mentioned above.

The world has evolved into a place where everything that can improve our lives has become accessible. However, catastrophic incidents have driven some people to become addicted and homeless. Seeing them live on the streets do not only strip them of the ability to live a decent kind of living; it also robs them of the hope that they can improve their lives.

San Diego Rescue Mission’s goal of providing for the needy is a great way of restoring their faith and self-worth. This is extremely important in making them get back to their normal ways.

The programs that San Diego Rescue Mission offers is a complete care and rehabilitation package that provides for the needs of the poor, abused, addicted and homeless people. Its focus is not merely giving the basic necessities, but rather paving a way of introducing the love of Christ and providing them a ray of hope amidst life’s difficulties.

If you want to extend help to San Diego Rescue Mission, you may visit their website to donate, become a volunteer, or learn more about the organization.