Last month, the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM) celebrated our 101st anniversary with an inspirational event featuring emotional testimonials from our clients, a delicious dinner prepared and served by DRMM clients in our culinary arts program, and music performed by our clients.

Since 1909, DRMM has provided services to tens of thousands of people in the community. We feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, clothe the poor, treat the addicted, educate the disadvantaged, and save lost souls. As you can imagine it takes a lot of money and resources to provide the volume of services that we offer. That’s why my primary goal at the DRMM anniversary celebration was to show our friends and supporters exactly how their donations are making a difference in thousands of lives.

There’s no better way to illustrate this than hearing the personal stories of people who came to the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries when their lives were on a downward spiral. We heard from a gentleman whose former lifestyle resulted in him being stabbed and shot numerous times. Today he works as a DRMM staff aide and attends a local community college. A female client described her longtime drug addiction and how DRMM saved her life. She is now celebrating eight months clean. And a young, single mother of five talked about her drug addiction and a long string of abusive relationships with men, which led to her children being taken away. Today, she has been reunited with the kids and has completed one year of college.

We often hear people lament that they want to know how their tax dollars are being used. But do you also know how your donation dollars are being used? Do you realize how important your donation dollars are to non-profits like DRMM? I hope so. Charities across the country are making a difference in so many lives. And it will make you feel great to know that you are part of those miraculous transformations.