Latest News – Page 63 – Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries

Later this month, the nation’s homeless population will be counted in a mass effort required every two years by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Called the “Point-in-Time Count,” volunteer teams will fan out after dark in cities across the country to locate, interview and count the homeless who are living in the streets and in shelters. Based on the findings, HUD will set funding levels for shelters and other agencies assisting the homeless.

Here in Detroit, the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM) takes an active role in the nationwide count. Working in partnership with the Homeless Action Network of Detroit (HAND), we are providing volunteers and a staging area for them before they spread out over Detroit. Numerous other service agencies and community and civic leaders will also participate.

This year’s count will undoubtedly shed light on whether the economic recession has resulted in a rise in homelessness. For the first time, volunteers will take a detailed census of homeless veterans and unaccompanied children under the age of eighteen. It also provides an opportunity to inform the homeless of the assistance that is available to them and to distribute care packages containing items such as food, blankets, socks and hygiene products.

As an agency working with the homeless, next week’s count is extremely important. We have seen an increase in the people we serve, so an accurate count will help us get the necessary resources to address the issue more effectively and permanently. The data that is collected through the interviews will also help us promote real change in people’s lives.

Volunteers are still needed across the country to help in the count. Experienced leaders will accompany the teams. Contact your county or local service agencies to find out how you can get involved. Every person counts!

The Man with the Golden Voice

Posted in: From Dr. Chad Audi

January
7

By now, you’ve probably heard about the man in Ohio dubbed as the “homeless man with the golden voice.” Fifty-three-year-old Ted Williams had been homeless for a decade due to drug and alcohol problems. Today, he is two years sober, but has not been able to break out of the cycle of homelessness. That is until a Columbus Dispatch cameraman videotaped Ted speaking in his radio voice as he begged for money on an Ohio highway, holding a sign that touted his “radio voice” as a God-given talent. In fact, Ted had worked in broadcasting prior to his downfall. The video went viral on YouTube, getting more than 11 million hits.

As a result, job offers began pouring in to Ted. During an appearance on NBC’s Today Show, he told how thankful he was to be getting a second chance. But most of all, he exclaimed that his life will be different now, because “This time I have God.” He was also reunited with his 90-year-old mother after a decade long separation.

Ted’s amazing story is but one example of the personal stories that flourish among this nation’s homeless population. As President & CEO of the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM), I see extraordinary talent of all sorts in the people who come through our programs. There are musicians, singers, writers, artists, and much more among our clients. In most cases, they possessed the talent, but they got diverted on the wrong path in life. That’s why it is important to DRMM to embrace the talents of the homeless and disadvantaged and provide them with the educational and vocational skills needed to secure jobs and escape poverty permanently.

As Ted Williams’ story illustrates, everyone deserves another chance to live life as a productive and honorable human being, just as God would have us to do.

A New Year of Possibilities

Posted in: From Dr. Chad Audi

January
6

2011 is here. We are entering the New Year with a lot of hope. Hope that the economy will continue to improve in 2011. Hope that the homeless, hungry and hurting will follow God’s path to a better future. And hope that more people will reach out and support the efforts of agencies like the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM), which provide programs designed to get disadvantaged people off the streets and on their way to purpose-filled lives.

The festive season of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve has ended. During the holidays, more of this country’s homeless population received temporary relief from hunger and loneliness by attending special dinners and parties at local shelters and social service agencies. They shared in the joy of the season by eating hearty meals and opening gifts donated by generous supporters. It is the time of the year when more people think about giving to the less fortunate.

However, helping the homeless should not be limited to the holidays. The homeless and disadvantaged need permanent, safe housing year-round. They need nutritious food on a consistent basis. And they need an opportunity to learn job skills that will lift them out of poverty permanently.

My hope for 2011 is that DRMM and other organizations around the world are able to get more financial support and volunteers so that we can continue to change hundreds of thousands of people’s lives. What is your hope for the New Year?

A Holiday Tragedy

Posted in: From Dr. Chad Audi

December
30

You may have heard about the tragedy that unfolded in New Orleans, Louisiana over this holiday season. Eight young homeless people died in a fire at an abandoned wood-framed warehouse. They had sought shelter from the unusually cold weather and began burning trash and wood to stay warm. The fire raged out of control, trapping the young squatters. It was the deadliest New Orleans fire in nearly four decades.

It’s believed that the victims were in their late teens and early twenties. They were described by others as being accomplished musicians or artists. How tragic! A recent report by the Center for American Progress estimates there are 1.6 to 2.8 million homeless youth in the United States, ages 12 through 24. Many are homeless because of abuse, neglect, and family conflict. Another tragic occurrence!

New Orleans officials say homelessness — especially among young people — has increased since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in 2005. On any given night, as many as 3,000 people are estimated to be living on the streets. Shelters can provide only about 800 beds. And homeless agencies in New Orleans say many young adults and teenagers tend to avoid shelters for numerous reasons. Many would rather stay out in the cold than seek social services.

In my experience at the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM), I find that sometimes the homeless don’t want to abide by an agency’s rules, or they feel uncomfortable going to a shelter, or pride prevents them from seeking help. Another problem is the lack of affordable housing. The need is larger than ever considering the record number of foreclosures and the economic crisis we have faced. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of vacant, blighted properties can be found across the country and often are used by the homeless as a haven from the weather and dangerous streets.

The tragedy in New Orleans is heartbreaking. We should never lose young people — or anyone — in this manner. Everyone — citizens, the government, non-profits, and businesses — must step up and address the issues that are leading to increased homelessness in this country.

An International Connection

Posted in: From Dr. Chad Audi

December
14

I recently returned from Beirut, Lebanon, where I participated as a trainer in a three-day international conference on “Capacity Building” for 40 Lebanese non-profit agencies. Nearly 200 people attended the seminar, representing civil society, military and security forces, religious clerks, and the Modern University for Business & Science (M.U.B.S.) Board of Trustees and staff. What an experience! As President & CEO of the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM), I was honored to provide information to the Lebanese charitable organizations on how to grow their agencies, using our work as a model.

The demand for social service agencies like DRMM has risen across the world. It’s not just here in the United States. There is an international emergency in terms of people and families in need. And the problems are the same: How can charitable agencies do more with fewer resources? How can agencies obtain funding to expand their reach in society?

The conference training sessions focused on three areas: “Social Services: Challenges & Opportunities,” “Project Proposals for Results,” and “Lebanese Ministry of Social Affairs’ New Quality Standards.” The conference garnered national attention, and I was interviewed on Lebanon’s national television network. I’d like to thank the Modern University for Business & Science (M.U.B.S.), under the patronage of His Excellency, Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs Dr. Salim Sayegh for partnering with DRMM on this workshop.

Humanity is international. Charity work is important across the globe. We must all work together to increase awareness about poverty and homelessness, so that we can come up with universal solutions. All human beings are deserving of the necessities in life. It doesn’t matter where they live.

Cold Weather Survival

Posted in: From Dr. Chad Audi

December
6

In many parts of the country, like here in Detroit, snow has started to fall. The extended weather forecast calls for temperatures hovering around the freezing mark. It is December, so we expect as much. But while many of us can dial up the heat in our homes or start a fire in the fireplace to keep warm, there are hundreds of thousands of people across the U.S. who dread this time of the year. They are homeless men, women and children who are living on the cold streets.

This is the busiest time of the year for the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM) and other agencies like ours. Not only because of the cold weather that drives the homeless to look for shelter and a warm meal, but also because of the holiday season. Everyone deserves to experience the joys of the holidays with good food, gifts and warm gatherings.

A recent newspaper story in Detroit focused on a college student who has designed and created three prototypes of a combination coat and bed roll made of Tyvek HomeWrap insulation and flexible, synthetic fleece. The student’s hope is that the coat will save thousands of homeless people’s lives by protecting them from dangerous, cold temperatures. Interesting? Yes. While certainly no one wants to encourage the homeless to stay on the streets, we do realize there are some people who do not want to come to shelters and abide by the human services organization’s rules.

However, these days, the number of people seeking shelter from the cold is rising. All it takes is the loss of a job or a home to send a person’s life into a tailspin. Or perhaps a tragedy, such as a home that has burned to the ground. And sometimes it’s because of an alcohol or drug addiction that hasn’t been treated.

Whatever the circumstances that lead to homelessness, it can be difficult to find a bed in shelters during this time of the year, because many places are overcrowded. At DRMM, we don’t turn anyone away. But it’s difficult when you don’t have the space and resources to service everyone who needs help. Keep these agencies and the homeless in your prayers and thoughts as we go through the winter season.