2018 Annual Report

As I look back over the last year, I am so encouraged by God’s faithfulness. No matter the challenges that Hope Mission has faced over the last 90 years, God has provided through the generosity and compassion of people like you. Our vision – to serve, strengthen, and uplift men, women, youth, and children with the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ – is a big one. But every day, we see hope and transformation bloom.

The stories within this Annual Report are just a small sample of the real lives that are being changed at Hope Mission – and it’s all because of you. Your kindness is bridging the gap to people who are experiencing homelessness and heartache. It is reaching out to those who are lonely, feeding the hungry, and comforting the broken. On behalf of all of us at Hope Mission, thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus.

God bless you,

Bruce Reith

Executive Director

“By the grace of God, I survived that one.” Eric shared about a drug relapse that left him in the hospital for two weeks.

He was just four days into the yearlong Breakout program when he succumbed to the drugs again. Bleeding from his mouth, he passed out, cradled in the arms of a Hope Mission Shelter worker.

He returned to Breakout after his stay in the hospital, and “made a solemn oath to God that I would be done with this addiction.” Over his year in Breakout, Eric was true to his word.

Your generous support provided the way for real transformation to happen in Eric’s life. On the outside we see his journey from hunger, addiction, and homelessness to finding a home, getting clean, and feeding others through work in the Hope Mission kitchen. But Eric’s words point to a deeper work within. “I am happy for the first time in a long time,” he says.

“You can go without shelter and food for a while,” Eric adds, “but you stop being human if you go without love. You are loved. These people here are going to show you some of that love.” Thank you for showing your love to Eric and others like him.

Virginia spent much of her life running away. She ran away from home because of her father’s abuse. She ran away from group homes until she found herself on the street so hungry that she didn’t have enough energy to find food. She even tried to run away from life by using hard drugs. She kept running until one day her daughter found her and a boyfriend heavily intoxicated.

“Mom, what are you doing to yourself!” her daughter cried. That cry woke Virginia up. She came to herself and realized she had to act. She went to a treatment program for her addiction, and then she enrolled in the Wellspring program at Hope Mission. There, her heart finally found a home where she was loved and safe.

“I discovered my higher power,” she says, “He died for our sins. He’s done so much for me. He was what was missing the whole time. Now that I have Him in my life, so much has changed. He’s my heavenly Father. He’s my Dad. I never had a dad growing up who was as loving as Him.”

Thank you for helping lost ones like Virginia find their way home.

Ethan is ten years old and a regular at the Hope Mission afterschool program. For Ethan, the sign outside Hope Mission points to the importance of food for the kids we serve. “It says, ‘Hope begins with a meal,’” he shares, “And Cheryl cooks the best meals. A while ago, we had these cool chicken balls, and another day potatoes and corn, then hotdogs, and then chicken on bone. And there was always salad in the bowl.”

With a smile on his face, Ethan continues sharing what he loves about Hope Mission. “The staff are friendly,” he says, “They help you, and they actually treat you with respect. They respect you, and you respect them. It makes me feel happy and safe.”

And now Ethan knows what it is liked to be missed. He didn’t come to Hope Mission for three months, and when he returned, Kyle, a Hope Mission staff member, told Ethan that he missed him.