100 Years of Helping the Homeless

Posted in: From Dr. Chad Audi

August
22

It’s hard to believe, but next year is the 100th anniversary of the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM). That means a lot to us. We have been servicing the Detroit-area community for a very long time and are quite proud of our accomplishments and thousands of success stories throughout the years.

On a daily basis, we service 1,200 to 1,300 people. Our program “graduates” are now employed in all walks of life. DRMM alumni include police officers, firefighters, store managers, hotel employees, medical staff, nonprofit agency employees, and Detroit Rescue Mission staff who are giving back to the agency that gave them new lives. Even the popular, national recording artist known as KEM at one time sought shelter at our Mission. Now, look at him!

As a result, DRMM is proud to contribute to the economy and well-being of the City of Detroit and the State of Michigan. Thousands of our clients have returned to society as productive citizens. They often share with the community firsthand testimonies of how their lives have been dramatically changed. Over the next 100 years, DRMM plans to continue producing success stories while increasing public awareness of our agency’s programs. We are constantly looking for new ideas to enhance our services and meet the new needs of the community. Let me know your thoughts and ideas.

As with most non-profits, we couldn’t do what we do with out the financial and physical support of people in the community. We depend on our supporters and donors to give money and other items, to pray with us, and volunteer their time. We salute them and thank them. The Detroit Rescue Mission has been a vital part of the community for a very long time and we are going to continue to be a part of the community for a very long time.

The Changing Needs of the Homeless

Posted in: From Dr. Chad Audi

August
22

Everyone knows the basic services provided by most homeless shelters: a place to sleep, nourishing meals, clean clothes and a hot shower. But today there is a need to expand those services to provide many more opportunities for the growing number of disadvantaged people looking for another chance in life. As far back as the 1990s, the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM) recognized that need and began to adapt. The Mission changed its whole image from just being a soup kitchen that only addressed the needs of the hungry to becoming a complete support system for the homeless, addicted and disadvantaged. Yes, we continued to care for the hungry and provide them with meals and clothing, but we also began to help them find a permanent solution so that they would never have to look back at the past. Instead, they can focus on the future. The Mission provides food, clothing and job leads. It reunites the homeless with family, places them in churches, and surrounds them with a very strong support system independent from an institutional setting. Additionally, the Mission offers programs to help a person successfully reintegrate into society, including job training and education — whatever he or she needs to learn or regain valuable skills.

For a long time, the DRMM simply performed the “front work” — keeping a person sober by treating his or her addiction. We discovered from our data that this did not always produce a long-lasting solution. It is just the first part of the answer. The second part involves the creation of collaborations to help the person become successful on a long term basis. In other words, we felt we need to teach people how to fish, not just give them a fish. Plus we needed to bring those support services directly to the person. We can’t expect a person who was lost at one point in life to know where or how to find these opportunities on their own.

Approaching the issue of homelessness in this comprehensive manner produces positive results. All individuals are treated with dignity and respect. They are exposed to the unconditional love of God. Not only are a person’s “surface” needs met, but so are their physical and spiritual needs. This is what keeps a person from returning to addiction, homelessness and despair and creates hope for the future.

Surviving Tough Times

Posted in: From Dr. Chad Audi

July
17

We are all connected. Anything that affects one of us affects each of us. Given that, we know that times are tough for a lot of us today. Have you found yourself trading sympathetic glances or talking about the state of the nation or world with strangers at the next gas pump? Have you asked for help from friends and relatives to pay routine bills or been asked to help your relatives or friends with bills? Have you changed your driving habits or been more frugal about spending money? Are you genuinely worried about the future?

Housing, transportation and financial services industries are scrambling to reorganize to survive. Individuals are finding that the $25 they used to have left over after filling their gas tank is no longer there to buy milk and bread for the family. People are dipping into their savings to pay bills. The government is facing a squeeze, so money it once gave for direct services to people is now being redirected. Grant allocations are stagnant or being cut.

As the president of the non-profit Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM), which serves those in need with the help and support of government and donors, we are having to tighten our belts too and think about how many more notches to take it in during the months to come. The costs of food and fuel to serve people in our facilities are climbing through the roof. The Chronicle of Philanthropy recently published a report called, “Giving’s Tough Climate: Economic Woes put Damper on Some Donations in 2007.” It cites organizations that are downsizing their staffs and halting projects and programs because the giving well is drying up.

Historically, people of faith have given the largest amount of money to charitable causes. In the U.S., they donate at least 33 percent of all of the money given to faith-based non-profits. That is not surprising when you consider the teachings that people of faith live by: “Give to those in need,” “Whoever gives will be given a great reward,” and “Take care of widows and orphans.” The ability to give to others in the face of one’s own needs is what marks people of faith. It is believed that as the economy worsens, faith-based donors have been channeling additional charitable dollars to non-religious based causes that provide vital human needs, such as water, food and other forms of emergency relief or social services. However, the demands on such organizations are increasing. Aside from the rising demand for services, there is shrinking government, foundation and corporate support looming for direct aid to clients.

So what should you do to meet your own family’s needs and the needs of those you know? What should agencies like the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries do? I believe we should follow the same course of action. Know that we need wisdom if we are to take care of our own responsibilities while we continue to share with others in need. Ask for guidance from God and from those who have been given wisdom in such matters. Do not see struggles or adversity as a reason to neglect our responsibilities, but strive instead to even improve on what we are doing and how we do it. View current challenges as the opportunity we have been given to re-evaluate our priorities and make sure they are in the right place. Reach out to accomplish in partnership with others what our own resources cannot accomplish. Look for new avenues to meet needs and seek education to do more with what we have. Finally, continue to have faith that if we do the best we can and really love Him and our neighbors, God will see us through despite any mistakes we may make or our lack of knowledge. If we do these things, we will do well for ourselves and those around us.

The Importance of Volunteering

Posted in: From Dr. Chad Audi

July
17

Muhammad Ali, the former heavyweight champion of the world, described the importance of volunteering as, “Service to others is the payment you make for your space here on Earth.” A person who unselfishly donates his or her time and resources in helping their fellow man is fulfilling a commitment to God.

Given that Michigan — and the entire country — is facing one of the toughest economic situations we have seen in decades, more people are seeking help from non-profit human services organizations like the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM). It’s difficult for us to do the best job that we can and offer quality services using paid staff members only. They are dedicated and have the heart, but we can’t do it alone. It’s a massive job considering the growing number of people who need shelter, food, clothing and updated vocational skills. That’s where volunteers can play a big role.

You may feel that you don’t have the time to volunteer because of all of the demands on your time already. But just giving four hours per month can be a rewarding experience. Not only for the person you help, but for yourself as well. Our volunteers at DRMM are friends and partners in our mission.

Volunteers are an important part of any organization’s team. Non-profits need volunteers to lend their expertise in a variety of areas — administrative, counseling, painting, cooking, construction, gardening, teaching, ministering, and more. Whatever you do for a living or as a hobby will more than likely translate into a volunteer opportunity. For example, if you enjoy painting, then volunteer your services to spruce up rooms. If you like to garden, then help the disadvantaged plant a garden that will produce food for their meals. If you enjoy teaching, then tutoring is a wonderful way to give back to the community. Or you could offer to pray with someone who’s in need of spiritual strength. When you volunteer, it not only makes a difference in someone else’s life, but it brings joy and new friends to your life.

A Life Graduation

Posted in: From Dr. Chad Audi

June
23

This is the time of year when families everywhere are celebrating graduations. It marks an important time in a person’s life. He or she is ready for the next big step in their academic or professional careers. But there are many other types of milestones that a graduation can commemorate.

Recently, the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM) celebrated the “life” graduation of 437 clients at its newly-renovated Banquet Hall/Conference Center in Detroit. Some had completed at least 90 days of substance abuse treatment. Others had completed job training and educational classes. Some were moving on from DRMM’s transitional housing programs. And others were happy to have earned their GED. The energy and enthusiasm in the room was unbelievable.

Just like a high school or college graduation, the DRMM graduates had proud family members in attendance to cheer them on. They all received certificates. But unlike a typical graduation where you get a diploma and you already have your next plans made —or perhaps you’re not sure if you’re going into your chosen field of work — this was a graduation where the graduates are regaining their lives and celebrating a rebirth. They are starting out on a new venture in life. And believe me, it hasn’t been easy.

At some point in their lives, many of the people participating in DRMM’s graduation had lost all hope. Some of them had attempted suicide and slept in vacant buildings, under bridges, in cars and on the streets. They were prostitutes, drug addicts, alcoholics, criminals and the impoverished. But after they came to the Detroit Rescue Mission, they received another chance and another outlook on life. Their past didn’t matter; just their future.

The DRMM graduation celebrated “change.” These graduates are getting a fresh start in life. Approximately 80 percent of them now have a full-time job or are going to school. The other 20 percent are on the road to recovery and a new life by remaining clean and sober. Congratulations to all of the DRMM graduates for your accomplishments! We share in your joy.

Providing Hope for Teen Mothers

Posted in: From Dr. Chad Audi

June
10

It sounds callous, but every day dozens of teenage girls are kicked out of their parents’ homes because they are pregnant. Suddenly these young girls not only must confront the medical concerns associated with bringing a new life into the world, but they also must find shelter, food and overall care — alone.

This is a situation we witness often at the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM). Our Genesis House I program welcomes homeless pregnant and parenting teens who have been abandoned or escaped unstable home environments. Many girls have lost their self-esteem when they seek out DRMM. They’re frightened and emotional. Some arrive with just the clothes on their backs. They don’t know how they’re going to finish school, find a job and provide for their babies.

We provide the teens with transitional housing, life skill classes, parenting courses, day care, counseling, food, clothing, job search assistance and much more. The girls attend school and are shown how to become productive and independent members of society. Most leave our 24-month program and move into their own homes or enroll in college. We give them guidance and supervision. We give them help and hope for the future. You can witness for yourself some of their compelling stories at http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1296698/teen_moms_find_hope/.

Most importantly, DRMM demonstrates the love of God to the teenage mothers and their babies. When they feel that things are hopeless and there’s nowhere to turn, they need to know how much they are loved and that they are God’s children. It doesn’t matter what type of situation they find themselves in, they all deserve another chance to get on the right path in life.