| THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMPASSIONATE ACTION | Your prayers, volunteer hours and contributions feed hungry families, prepare lost men for gainful employment, rescue the captive from addiction and pave the road to freedom in Christ for so many in Washington, DC. We gratefully THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. |
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| IN A WORD... | We wanted to give you a snapshot of what the Mission is all about, so we interviewed staff and friends for their Mission "keywords." These words came to mind: "inspiring," "supportive," "encouraging," "quality" and even "fun." But the top of the list reveals "serving" and "compassion." That's where our inspiration for this fall's Campaign for Compassion 2010 comes from. You'll read about so many ways to show compassion: from volunteering your talents, as has graphic artist Joel Young, to exercising in the Help the Homeless Walkathon. Compassion is creative. We have many other ideas to share with you, and we know you have some of your own. Please read on for all the details, and share with us at www.missiondc.org for Compassion 2010. |
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Operation Christmas Miracle 2010 Community Health Fair Turkey Give Away Seniors Luncheon |
Veteran's Day Luncheon Fannie Mae Help the Homeless
Walkathon Community Thanksgiving Dinner Thanksgiving Dinner
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Walkathon participants show their warm hearts on a cold morning. |
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| All events take place at the Mission unless otherwise noted. To volunteer, or for more information, please contact James "Seamus" Merrigan at 202-MISSION or www.missiondc.org/support_us/volunteer. | |||
THE ART OF SERVING GOD
Here is the new logo that Joel designed for us. You'll see this and the new seal above on all our Mission communications. |
Joel Young is hearing God's call, and Central Union Mission is fortunate that he's listening. Young worked in the corporate world as a graphic designer for nearly ten years. He had good intentions for serving God, but with all his work hours, he just had no time. Then God got his attention through a conversation with a friend who strayed from the church. Young realized that ministry was just too important to put off. In faith, he decided to resign from his job with a consulting firm and to open himself up to God's plans. He is leaving Northern Virginia this summer for Ohio to work with a friend in an evangelistic ministry as well as to continue his graphic design business.At first, Young volunteered to help serve a holiday meal at the Mission, but we soon found out about Young's special talents and asked him to help us innovate the Mission's graphic image. Thanks to Joel Young and his dedication to obeying God, the Mission's updated communications attract even more potential friends to the work of helping homeless people. You can contact Joel at Joel.Young@evantgard.com.
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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:
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This fall starts up another busy season at the Mission. With Camp Bennett and Operation Backpack behind us, we're already planning for the holidays and cold weather. Of course, our planning for the future is ongoing, too. We learned in July that DC's Department of Real Estate Services has selected Central Union Mission as the agency to negotiate a lease for the purpose of rebuilding and operating a community-based residential facility in the Gales School at 65 Massachusetts Ave., NW. We pray for a short negotiation period and a prompt beginning of construction for this 175-bed facility. Another piece of news is our collaboration with the distressed DC Sports Network to equip area teens both for basketball and their futures. I hope you'll read all about this exciting project here». Thanks to you, needy and homeless
people have the chance to be safe and
fed, as well as trained and inspired.
With your participation in our
Campaign of Compassion 2010,
lives are changed every day.
Blessings, |
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Since homeless people have little or no money, all of Central Union Mission's services and programs are provided for free. Your faithful and generous support makes our work possible. Here's a quick look at the ways you can help needy people in DC during our Campaign for Compassion 2010:
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For Coach Leonard, education is the key: "It's important that these kids stay in school and get good grades, because when basketball is over, they have to live their lives." |
Where some may see a coincidence, others see God's hand at work. As DC-based recording artist and TV host Jeff Majors toured Central Union Mission, he recognized someone. "That's Gregory Leonard," he said, former all-star point guard for a local high school basketball team. Mr. Leonard, a wealth of basketball talent and strategy, has been living at the Mission as an overnight guest. A few months later, Wade Simmons was trying to pull together the teen basketball league DC Sports Network that he founded with another former homeless man. The league was shattered when Simmons's partner ran off with the uniform and referee fees the Northeast, DC, boys had invested. Central Union Mission saw the connection and stepped in to help sponsor the league and a team with Gregory Leonard as the new head coach and Don Ross, Mission chaplain, as assistant. The Mission is also contributing water, computer and copier access and administrative and fundraising help to the league. According to Dave Treadwell, Mission executive director, this is a perfect opportunity for both the Mission men and the teens. The men gain a chance to contribute to the city's future citizens and to gain some responsibility and job skills. The young men can benefit from the hard-driving competition, the athletic advice from our men and the hard-learned lessons about homeless life. "We can get involved and help the young men, get them off the street and on a positive track, so that we never have to see them here later as adults." |
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CAMP BENNETT
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Central Union Mission's Camp Bennett welcomed Congresswoman Donna Edwards for a tour this summer. The representative from Maryland's fourth district was impressed with the Camp's commitment to inspiring needy children. She also offered ideas for funding for facility improvements and using the land for work therapy and environmental education. |
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COMPASSION THROUGH VOLUNTEERING Graphic Designer Joel Young donated his skills to update the Mission's appearance. Do you have some time or skills you can volunteer? We can use your professional skills like photography, grant writing and accounting. If you've got time to offer, please volunteer at one of our upcoming events and contact James "Seamus" Merrigan at 202-MISSION. |
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COMPASSION THROUGH INDIVIDUAL ACTION Is God calling you to be vulnerable enough to make a difference through the power of one? You can tutor a Spiritual Transformation student or Overnight guest, helping prepare them for independent life. Call Shirley Johnson at 202-MISSION ext. 225 for details. |
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COMPASSION FOR HOMELESS YOUTH Into basketball? DC Sport Network and the Mission can help you show compassion by donating uniforms, balls or your practice facility. They also need your time as a coach, driving players to games or attending a game to cheer them on, so call Don Ross at 202-MISSION ext. 232. Christmas is coming soon, and many DC children will not be getting presents without your help. You can sponsor a child for Operation Christmas Miracle 2010 through Tracy Duncan at 202-MISSION ext 260. If you'd prefer, we're having a Holiday Dinner and Toy Drive on December 4, 2010, 5:00PM, at the Fourth Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, MD. Bring toys for underprivileged children between the ages of infancy to 17. Your gift should be wrapped and tagged by gender and age. Each and every toy will go to a child in need. No ticket is required. RSVP NOW! |
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COMPASSION THROUGH FINANCIAL SUPPORT
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COMPASSION TO END HOMELESSNESS On November 20, join us as we walk a scenic three-mile route through downtown DC in the Help the Homeless Walkathon. We'll be among thousands showing our compassion for the needs of homeless people in our city. New this year: you can register as a family, and you can register your faithful canine companion. Or, you can be a Walkathon "Virtual Walker," and sleep in instead. Learn more about these options under "Get Involved" at www.helpthehomelessdc.org, You must register in advance. Please visit www.helpthehomelessdc.org, and select Central Union Mission #DC015 as your beneficiary, then meet us outside the Archives/Navy Memorial Metro Station entrance (on the Green/ Yellow line), at 7th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. at 8:30 am. Just look for the Mission banner! |
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CORPORATE COMPASSION Are you a networker? Use your connecting skills to get others on-board for compassion. Sponsor a Compassion Sunday or Urban Outreach event. Perhaps your company can make donations to the Mission through your business, as do FAB Solutions (www.fab-s.com) and Kensington Caboose (www.kensingtoncaboose.com). Contact Deborah Chambers at 202-MISSION ext. 227 for ideas. |
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17 PRESENTS FROM ONE BIRTHDAY
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Malaika Staff has a heart for children, so when a colleague told her about Operation Backpack, she knew She had to participate. To her, it was "heartbreaking that kids had to go to school without supplies they needed, through no fault of their own or their parents'." So for several summers, she donated a full backpack to Operation Backpack. This summer when family and friends asked her how she'd like to celebrate a milestone birthday, she decided to share it with the children of DC. Her planned double donation of two backpacks turned into five, then nine, then 17! She and her niece Alyssa had so much fun filling the backpacks with supplies purchased and donated by her loved ones. She also inspired her friend Joyce Casso, proprietor of the awardwinning Kensington Caboose childrens' consignment shop (Kensington, MD), to donate proceeds from a special sale to Operation Backpack in the amount of $618.00. Says Malaika, "Raised by a single mom with four kids, I can appreciate how community, friends and family step in when children are in need." We're so grateful that Malaika shared her birthday and her compassion with Operation Backpack. |
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We know about your passion for helping needy people in DC, but have you ever wondered how you can share that passion with your friends? That's why we've created Compassion Sunday and the Urban Outreach Event. To sponsor a Compassion Sunday,
you choose a good date for your
congregation, and a Mission senior An Urban Outreach Event is perfect for your church group, office colleagues, youth club or other community group. After receiving a facility tour, your group can meet current students and residents and participate in a volunteer project at one of the Mission's facilities. If either sounds like the inspiration your group needs, please contact Deborah Chambers at 202-MISSION ext. 227 or dchambers@missiondc.org for more information. |
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WE COVET YOUR PRAYERS Knowing that God will provide everything we need to do His work, we ask you to keep the Mission in your faithful prayers this fall. Here are a few requests to keep in mind: |
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