Coming events:
The AGRM Northeast District Meeting will be held in Utica April 3-5, 2008. Visit the website to register and learn more about this year's exciting conference.
Press Releases:
4/3/08 - Rescue Mission of Utica focuses on Mental Health among the homeless at Hotel Utica this weekend
The Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated in 2005 that 754,000 people in the United States are homeless. But Rev. Bill Dodge, executive director of the Rescue Mission of Utica, a member mission of Association of Gospel Rescue Missions (AGRM), is suggesting remedies that go beyond the usual answers.
“The numbers are hard to grasp; three-quarters of a million homeless people in America.” Dodge said. “However, you don’t solve the problem by marveling at the numbers. You reduce the numbers by caring for individuals.”
Dodge said the growth in the homeless population and obvious shortage of housing are significant issues. However, his concern is focused upon groups of homeless people for whom there is no quick answer or easy solution; people who do not readily fit into a program or case management plan.
“We cannot continue to assume that people who have a mental health history that results in homelessness will be able to care for themselves on an on-going basis, once they are stabilized on medication.” Dodge said. “Relying on them to remember to take their medication, or believing that they will seek help from a mental health professional when life gets tough, is an open door to the streets.”
This weekend the Rescue Mission of Utica is hosting nearly 100 people from more than 20 other Rescue Missions from cities around the Northeast United States and Canada who are reaching out to the homeless in their cities. Some of the cities they represent are Albany, Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo, New York City, Newark (NJ), Hartford (CT) - even Hamilton, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec in Canada.
These colleagues are a part of an association that the Rescue Mission of Utica has been a part of since 1960 - the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions. Their fellow Rescue Mission workers are particularly interested in the Rescue Mission's outreach to those with mental illness. Of the 300 Rescue Missions across the United States, fewer than 10 percent have programs specifically designed for those with mental illness despite the great need among that population.
People who work with the homeless find that people with mental illness make up 30 percent to 40 percent of those who need the services of an emergency shelter. The delegates from the Northeast district are coming to the annual meeting to learn about the successful treatment program for the mentally ill at the Rescue Mission of Utica which has become a model for others across the state.
Each year, the Rescue Mission serves over 1 80,000 meals to the hungry, provides over 25,000 nights of lodging and care to those facing homelessness, and assists over 1,000 men and women in their battle against substance abuse. You can contact the Mission by calling 735-1645 .
1/31/08 - UTICA’S LARGEST SUPER BOWL “SUPER SUB”
Prepared and served by Rescue Mission Food Service & Volunteers
As the country prepares to watch the New York Giants and the New England Patriots kick off in Phoenix for Super Bowl XLII, the Rescue Mission of Utica will be hosting its Fourth Annual Super Bowl Celebration for Mission program residents this Sunday. Staff and volunteers will help prepare a special 18 foot submarine sandwich which will be shared with nearly 150 on-site residents, staff and volunteers.
A special half-time show, “The Power to Win” featuring Shaun Alexander and Matt Hasselback of the Seattle Seahawks will be shown. The DVD offers the excitement of sharing and enjoying the gospel with all the fun and fellowship surrounding the excitement of the super bowl and football fans.
The Rescue Mission’s Emergency Homeless Shelter once again provided a record number of nights of care in 2007, providing over 6,400 nights of care to homeless men in its shelter. It is the only emergency shelter for adult men in the area between Syracuse and the Capital District. The Mission also serves homeless men and women who are battling substance abuse at its Addictions Crisis Center.
Each year, the Rescue Mission serves over 175,000 meals to the hungry, provides over 25,000 nights of lodging and care to those facing homelessness in its residential programs, and assists over 1,000 men and women in their battle against substance abuse. You can contact the Mission by calling 735-1645 or on the internet at www.uticamission.org.
1/20/08 - HOMELESS SEEK RELIEF FROM COLD IN EMERGENCY SHELTER
The bitterly cold temperatures currently sweeping across the country are emptying downtown streets throughout the Mohawk Valley. Most head for the shelter of home or work, but those who are homeless have few places to go, which means The Rescue Mission of Utica’s emergency shelter will be full once again.
“When wind chills drop, this can become a life or death situation for those out on the streets,” said Rev. Bill Dodge, Executive Director of the Rescue Mission. “The homeless on the street have no option. They can’t stay out in weather like that.”
Extreme changes in weather are dangerous for the homeless, which means the shelter will be at or beyond capacity once again. When that happens, extra mattresses are pulled out so that those in our overflow can sleep in what is normally shared living space in the residential center. Dodge states, “When the temperature drops this low, we want people to know that the Mission is there if they need a place to stay. Even if we are full, we will make room for them. We will not turn people away.”
There are many reasons why a person in the Mohawk Valley may become homeless. These reasons include: loss of employment, eviction, inability to obtain heat and utilities, fires, substance abuse, domestic disputes, mental disabilities, and shortage of affordable rental units. The Rescue Mission assists homeless individuals locate permanent housing, as well as addressing the issues that caused the person to become homeless.
The Rescue Mission’s Emergency Homeless Shelter once again provided a record number of nights of care in 2007, providing over 6,400 nights of care to homeless men in its shelter. It is the only emergency shelter for adult men in the area between Syracuse and the Capital District. The Mission also serves homeless men and women who are battling substance abuse at its Addictions Crisis Center.
Each year, the Rescue Mission serves over 175,000 meals to the hungry, provides over 25,000 nights of lodging and care to those facing homelessness in its residential programs, and assists over 1,000 men and women in their battle against substance abuse. You can contact the Mission by calling 735-1645 or on the internet at www.uticamission.org.
For more information, please contact: Rev. Bill Dodge, Executive Director at (315) 735-1645, ext. 101 (Office) or (315) 292-8978 (Cell).
