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An in-depth look into why people become homeless THE CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS MarchApril 2016 Volume 30 Number 2 ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH FINDING YOUR LIFE PURPOSE CLIENT REENTRY COVER FOCUS Causes of Homelessness Homeless by Choice 6 What causes people to live life on the streets by Kristi Rector Factors Contributing to Homelessness Vulnerable Veterans Homelessness Risk Factors Who Comes to Rescue Missions Fighting on the Front Lines 18 How one mission is attacking issues that drive homelessness by Jeff Lilley CONVENTION PREVIEW No More Business as Usual 24 Not to sound crass but think about this one As a rescue mission whats your product by Vince DAcchioli MENTAL HEALTH Mental Health in a Rescue Mission World 30 As part of a special initiative AGRM looks at key ways to address mental health in rescue mission settings by Brooks Ann McKinney By the Numbers PERSPECTIVE Living Your Dash 36 There is a day you were born and the day you will die. In the middle is the dash by Rick Hale LIFE PROGRESS Reentry after Rescue 42 Helping your guests take that giant first step back into society by Sherri Langton A New Way of Thinking 3 MarchApril 2016 Volume 30 Number 2 Association of Gospel Rescue Missions CONTENTS Contents continued on page 5 5 DAY-TO-DAY Practical help with the operations and ministry of your mission FINDING FUNDS Fundraising Champions 48 Should your board members encourage others to give by Barry Durman LEADERSHIP LAB Heart of the Matter 50 As mission leaders the first transformation must occur within us by Mike Johnson A FULL PLATE Preventing Foodborne Illness 53 Simple proper cleanliness provides health and safety in your kitchen by Brian M. Romano INSURANCE SOLUTIONS Under Siege 54 Could your mission be the next place in the news because of a violent intruder by Brian H. Merriam ACROSS THE STREET From Halifax to Havana 56 A trip to another country provides some surprising insights to use at home by Michelle Porter PR TOOLKIT Good Ol PSAs 59 Tips for creating quality public service announcements by Steve Wamberg HALLS OF GOVERNMENT Civic Pluralism 60 AGRM stands for an important concept woven into the fabric of the United States by Rhett Butler AGRM 62 Association News and Events RESCUE President John Ashmen Editor Brad Lewis Managing Editor Kristi Rector Advertising Sales Beth Hall Designer Mike Hames Photos iStock unless noted Printed in the USA MarchApril 2016 Volume 30 Number 2 Association of Gospel Rescue Missions Rescue ISSN 1049-586X is a bimonthly publication of the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions AGRM. Published as a service to members of the association it seeks to provide current useful information about issues and subjects pertinent to the ministry of rescue. AGRM exists to proclaim the passion of Jesus toward hungry homeless abused and addicted people and to accelerate quality and effectiveness in member missions. Rescue magazine welcomes contributions and comments. Please send photographs queries and ideas for articles feedback and address changes to Brad Lewis at editoragrm.org or to Rescues editorial advertising and circulation offices at AGRM 7222 Commerce Center Drive Suite 120 Colorado Springs CO 80919. All Scripture quotations taken from the HOLY BIBLE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION unless otherwise noted. Copyright 1973 1978 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Copyright 2016 by the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions RE CONTENTSContinued Phone 719 266-8300 Fax 719 266-8600 Email agrmagrm.org Web www.agrm.org T he sprinkler guy came to our house last fall to blow out the sprinkler system. My husband Jess and I were both chatting with Roy who was new both to us and our lawn. While we watched the sprinkler heads blow out their last drops of water powered by the compressor on Roys trailer we shouted above the noise and chatted about what we all do. COVER FOCUS Causes of Homelessness 6 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 HOMELESS BY CHOICE by Kristi Rector What causes people to live life on the streets 7 When it was my turn I told Roy that I am a contracted writer and editor and that one of my clients is the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions. As I explained what the association is Roy quickly got it and asked about Denver Rescue Mission. On his many trips around the city he had seen their residential campus along I-70 and their downtown emergency shelter for homeless men. Roy briefly told me about his own experience with alcoholism. He hadnt turned to a mission but he had turned to Christ and His transform- ing power. Roy said that his return to Jesus and the church had saved his life career and family. We had a little congratulatory time with him as the compressor blew out the second zone of sprinkler heads. But then after a bit of silence Roy asked me something I really didnt know how to answer. I could tell the question was coming from his own experience of conquering his alcohol addiction and the conversation at hand yet also from somewhere deep within him. With a lot of care behind his question he said Why do you think people choose to be homeless Wow. I wracked my cerebral database mentally scrolling through the pieces Id worked on for AGRM over the years. I stammered a bit because I thought I should know how to answer his question. 8 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 I could tell the question was coming from his own experience of conquering his alcohol addiction and the conversation at hand yet also from somewhere deep within him. With a lot of care behind his question he said Why do you think people choose to be homeless I wondered if mission staffers would know how to answer if Roy asked them that question. After a few stops and starts I told Roy that I wasnt really sure. But I was intrigued myself. I said I would do some research and email him some answers. As I dug into resources online and elsewhere I found that the cause of a person becoming homeless is never just one thing. According to the Homelessness Resource Center in most cases it is the intersection of structural factors personal histories and individual characteristics that lead to homelessness. This perfect storm of disaster pulls some people into the sinkhole of homelessness. We know that homeless people struggle with issues such as mental illness substance abuse and unhealthy relationships. But why do those issues lead some people to live on the street Lets take a deeper look. MENTAL HEALTH A ccording to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 20 to 25 percent of the homeless popula- tion in the United States suffers from some form of severe mental illness. Theyre gripped by schizophrenia bipolar disorder or severe depres- sionall manageable with the right medication and counseling but debilitating if left untreated according to a report from USA Today. The mentally ill homeless are some of the hardest to reach and toughest to treat often self-medicating with drugs and alcohol and teetering between lucidity and crippling despair. Serious mental illnesses disrupt peoples ability to carry out essential aspects of daily life such as self care and household management according to the National Coalition for the Homeless NCH. Mental illnesses may also WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 9 Typically families become homeless as a result of some unforeseen financial crisisa medical emergency a car accident a death in the familythat prevents them from being able to hold on to housing. Most homeless families are able to bounce back from homelessness quickly with relatively little public assistance. Usually homeless families require rent assistance housing placement services job assistance and other short-term one-time services before being able to return to independence and stability. National Alliance to End Homelessness prevent people from forming and maintaining stable relationships or cause people to misinter- pret others guidance and react irrationally. This often results in pushing away caregivers family and friends who may be the force keeping that person from becoming homeless. As a result of these factors and the stresses of living with a mental disorder people with mental illnesses are much more likely to become homeless than the general population. People with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder are particularly vulnerable. Poor mental health also affects physical health especially for people who are homeless. Those with mental illness might not take normal precautions against disease. Combine that with inadequate hygiene and its easy to see how mental illness makes homeless people vulnerable to physical problems such as respiratory infec- tions skin diseases or exposure to tuberculosis or HIV. Its a vicious cycle spiraling out of control. NCH breaks it down Some mentally ill people self-medicate using street drugs which can lead not only to addictions but also to disease trans- mission from injection drug use. This combina- tion of mental illness substance abuse and poor physical health makes it very difficult for people to obtain employment and residential stability. One homeless woman Deborah Zelinsky spent more than 20 years homeless before being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. There are so many people out there who are mentally ill that need to be treated she says. On the streets you 10 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 There are so many people out there who are mentally ill that need to be treated. On the streets you dont have time to get treated. You are trying to survive. Continued on page 14 WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 11 Vulnerable Veterans The ravages of war can extend far beyond physical injury According to research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC not only are veterans overrepresented in the homeless population but veteran status is also associated with increased risk for homelessness after controlling for race sex and age. The gravity of the situation increases when the data is controlled for poverty Veteran status was associated with more than a two-fold increase for men and a three-fold increase for women in the odds of becoming homeless the CDC found. Male veterans in the 45- to 54-year-old age group had the highest risk of becoming homeless and made up 41 percent of the homeless veteran population. The CDC also found that the risk of being homeless is magnified for black veterans who are living in poverty. For example for the youngest age group living in poverty more than half of black male veterans and more than 30 percent of black female veterans were homeless compared with only 7 percent for nonblack males and 12 percent for nonblack females according to data from the Homeless Management Information System. The Veterans Administration VA has found a higher rate of homelessness at each year of the first five years after discharge compared to nonveterans and about half of these veterans became newly homeless after three years of being discharged. This suggests a window of opportunity for preventing veterans from becoming homeless after dis- charge from active duty reports the VA. Those veterans who did experience homelessness after military separation were younger enlisted with lower pay grades and were more likely to be diagnosed with mental disorders andor traumatic brain injury at the time of separation from the military than their civilian counterparts. The VA also found that the presence of mental disorders mental illness andor substance-related disorders was the strongest predictor of becoming homeless after discharge from active duty. We found that 7883 percent of the newly homeless diagnosed with mental disorders at the end of the study were diagnosed before they became homeless according to the VAs report. Thus it may be beneficial for VA homelessness primary prevention efforts to focus on the treatment of veterans with mental disorders as well as on their housing risk. Adapting to normal life back home often proves to be very difficult for those who have served. Unable to cope some choose to leave homes loved ones and jobs behind for homelessness andor addiction according to the National Coalition for the Homeless. Veterans often become homeless due to war-related dis- abilities according to the National Alliance to End Home- lessness. Difficulties readjusting can give rise to dangerous behaviors including addiction abuse and violence which coupled with the difficulties can lead to homelessness. 12 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 Homelessness is a multi-faceted issue but risk factors can be identified that might put some people at in- creased risk. Root causes can even begin in childhood and be related to the family of origin. According to a study published in the U.S. National Li- brary of Medicine Significant differences in families of origin among these groups were identified. On univariate analysis homeless persons were found to have an in- creased prevalence of alcoholism in the family of origin earlier departure from the home minority status a self- described negative childhood experiences of abuse as a child high birth order in large families less parental education less-skilled parental occupations less feeling of love in the childhood family less likelihood of the father being in the home more risk of the father having been in jail and less identification with a religious group. In another area many people who are addicted to alcohol and drugs never become homeless however people with low income and addictions are at increased risk of home- lessness according to the Homelessness Resource Center. Other risk factors associated with an increased vulnera- bility to homelessness according to Jrank include Race. African-Americans are overrepresented among homeless people in the United States. Extremely low income both current and lifetime. Home- less people are likely to come from poor or impoverished backgrounds and to spend their lives in a sim- ilar economic condition. More than 60 percent work in unskilled or semiskilled occupations with income of about half the poverty level. Disruptive events in youth. About one-fifth of homeless people have had a major disruptive event in their childhood such as death of parents or placement in foster care. Prior imprisonment. About half of older homeless men and one- quarter of older home- less women report prior imprisonment. Chemical abuse. Alcoholism rates among homeless men and women are higher than those of their peers. Physical health. Homeless people report 1.5 to 2 times the level of physical symptoms as their same-age peers in the general population although their functional impairment is no worse. Victimization. Homeless people of all ages report high rates of victimization. Studies have found that almost half had been robbed and one-fourth to one-third had been assaulted in the previous year. More than 25 percent of women reported being raped. Social supports. Social networks of homeless people are smaller more concentrated on staff members from agencies or institutions more likely to involve material exchanges such as food money or health assistance and reciprocity. Older homeless people also have fewer intimate ties than their peers. Prior history of homelessness. A key predictor of pro- longed and subsequent homeless episodes is a prior history of homelessness. Lengths of homelessness are higher among older men than older women. Homelessness Risk Factors Why do some people survive hardships while others end up on the street While the general impression is that the homeless are primarily the chronic and episodic those unfortunate individuals often seen living on the streets in the downtown areas of our cities the fact is that more than half the homeless are families with children. The vast majority of these have been thrust into homelessness by a life- altering event or series of events that were unexpected and unplanned for. The number of Americans who are homeless at some point during a year changes constantly as people move in and out of homelessness sometimes for days at a time sometimes weeks or months. USA Today WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 13 Who Comes to Rescue Missions A quick look at homelessness numbers at AGRM-member missions According to AGRMs 2015 Snapshot Survey conducted near the end of last year 85 percent of those who seek help at AGRM-member missions identify themselves as homeless. Of that number 30 percent have been homeless for less than three months 21 percent for three to six months 20 percent for six months to a year and 30 percent for more than a year. Almost one third 30 percent are experiencing homelessness for the first time 45 percent are facing homelessness for the second or third time and one out of four say they have experi- enced homelessness three or more times. Those served by rescue missions also bear out many of the risk factors of how people succumb to homelessness. Accord- ing to the survey 37 percent struggle with mental illness and 22 percent were victims of physical violence in the past year. 85 identify themselves as homeless 30 first time 37 mental illness 22 physical violence 25 three or more times 45 second or third time NUMBER OF TIMES HOMELESS IDENTIFY AS HOMELESS RISK FACTORS dont have time to get treated. You are trying to survive. See Mental Health in a Rescue Mission World on page 30 in this issue of Rescue for more on mental health. RELATIONAL BROKENNESS P ortland Rescue Missions website offers a succinct explanation of how broken rela- tionships can lead to homelessness A homeless person is most often a deeply hurting person. By the time they come to a homelessness organization for help theyve burned through every supportive relationship possible. Friends and family are no longer able or willing to help leaving the homeless man or woman very much alonein a sense their situation is less about homelessness and more about unwantedness. A significant barrier to recovery often lies in the ability to restore trust and maintain healthy relationships. Another relational aspect that can lead to homelessness is grief. Portland Rescue Missions website explains Its not uncommon to discover that the men and women in the Portland Rescue Mission recovery program are burdened by grief. Unable to deal with the death of a loved one or other significant trauma they numb their pain in addiction. Addiction and apathy lead to the loss of job and home. They simply stop caring if they live or die. Grief becomes a roadblock to living. 14 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 The loss of a job a serious illness or some other personal disaster can quickly snowball into missed rent or mortgage payments and ultimately to eviction or foreclosure. Family conflicts are frequently at the center of why teens become homeless. They get kicked out of the house or choose to run away over issues such as drug or alcohol addiction physical abuse sexual orientation or teen pregnancy. And teens in foster care frequently end up on the street after they age out of the system at age 18. LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND UNLIVABLE WAGES I ts probably just common sense but not being able to afford rent or a mortgage often leads to homelessness. According to NCH many people are underemployed at wages that cant sustain them. Layoffs and job cuts leave individ- uals and families in desperate circumstances. Unemployment benefits and savings run out leaving people homeless who never thought it could happen to them. According to the Homeless Resource Net- work For families and individuals struggling to pay the rent a serious illness or disability can start a downward spiral into homelessness beginning with a lost job depletion of savings to pay for care and eventual eviction. For those living in poverty or close to the poverty line everyday life issues that are manageable for people with higher incomes can be the final factor in placing them on the street. Poor people are frequently unable to pay for housing food childcare health care and education. Difficult choices must be made when limited resources cover only some of these necessities. Often it is housing which absorbs a high proportion of income that must be dropped. If you are poor you are essentially an illness an accident or a paycheck away from living on the streets according to NCH. Data from just a few years ago showed that more than 6.5 million households were spending WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 15 Factors Contributing to Homelessness Even small events can become huge weights when someone is on the verge of homelessness When a person or family is already living in a precar- ious situation one seemingly small event can tip the scales from stability to homelessness. Some identified by the Homeless Re- source Network are Car problemsBroken down car no insurance or too many unpaid tickets leave a person without transportation. DivorceDivorce often leaves one of the spouses homeless. Most often its the father but sometimes its the mother and children or the entire family. Lack of child supportIf child support is not paid the decreased income can cause an inability to pay rent utilities or both. Natural disasterA fire tornado flood or hurricane often causes housing to become unliv- able and costly repairs are simply not possible. RoommatesWhen one or more room- mates fall through with their end of the bargain others splitting the rent could lose their housing. Tragedy and griefSome people just quit functioning after someone in their family died or was killed. more than half of their income for housing expenses according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. At the same time many of these households live from paycheck to paycheck with no savings. The loss of a job a serious illness or some other personal disaster can quickly snowball into missed rent or mortgage payments and ultimately to eviction or foreclosure. Today the rapid unexpected loss of jobs and resultant foreclosures has caused great dislocation among families and has dramatically added to the number of people without a roof over their heads according to HomeAid. Working for the same company until retirement is almost unheard of any longer. The decrease of manufacturing jobs outsourcing work to other countries and an increase in temporary and part-time employment have eroded the stability of the job market. Jobs today are not only far less secure than they were in the past but many also pay less when consid- ering the rate of inflation. In the late 1960s a minimum-wage job could sustain a family of three above the poverty line. That isnt the case today writes Stephanie Watson contributor to How Stuff Works. A recent U.S. Conference of Mayors report stated that in every state more than the minimum wage is required to afford a one- or two-bedroom apartment at 30 percent of a persons incomethe federal definition of affordable housing. Unfortunately for 12 16 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 The decrease of manufacturing jobs outsourcing work to other countries and an increase in temporary and part-time employment have eroded the stability of the job market. million Americans more than 50 percent of their salaries go toward renting or housing costs resulting in sacrifices in other essential areas like health care and savings. Even if people can find work this does not automatically provide an escape from poverty according to NCH. The same situation exists in Canada as well accord- ing to the Homelessness Resource Center. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development HUD in recent years the shortages of affordable housing are most severe for units affordable to renters with extremely low incomes. About 200000 rental housing units are destroyed each year yet renting is one of the most viable options for low-income people according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies. Declining wages have put housing out of reach for many workers In every state more than the minimum wage is required to afford a one- or two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent. The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty estimates that up to 25 percent of homeless people are employed but still cant afford housing. DECLINE IN PUBLIC ASSISTANCE A ccording to NCH Housing assistance can make the difference between stable housing precarious housing or no hous- ing at all. However the demand for assisted housing clearly exceeds the supply Only about one-third of poor renter households receive a housing subsidy from the federal state or a local government. Limited housing assistance means excessively long waiting lists for assistanceoften stretching several years before help is available. Even so the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program TANF has not kept up with inflation. Most states have not replaced the old welfare system with an alternative that enables families and individuals to obtain above-poverty employment and to sustain themselves when work is not available or possible NCH reports. Current TANF benefits and food stamps com- bined are below the poverty level in every state according to Homeless Resource Network. The median TANF benefit for a family of three is approximately one-third of the poverty level. Today just one in four eligible households gets federal rental assistance while rents keep rising income stagnates and a record number of families are paying more than what they can afford according to Think Progress. Its a good thing I hadnt looked into these issues before Roy asked why people choose to be homeless. Of course part of the answer is that few people truly choose to be homeless. And the complexity of the causes doesnt provide any easy solutions to battling or ending homelessness. Add in that many homeless people also face sig- nificant spiritual battles and you can understand why individuals like Roy want to know why. WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 17 Kristi Rescues managing editor has been a maga- zine writer and editor for 20 years as well as a contributing author for devotionals and curricu- lum. She and her husband Jess are the parents of three children. Email her at kristiwritesgmail.com. Declining wages have put housing out of reach for many workers In every state more than the minimum wage is required to afford a one- or two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent. COVER FOCUS 18 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 19 F or years Seattles Union Gospel Mission had a large board room. It was simply known as the conference room. Dark wood paneling a huge board table and high-backed leather executive chairs. It was where you went if you were going to have a meeting. Meanwhile one of our core values said we believed in passionate urgency. FIGHTING ON THE FRONT LINES How one mission is attacking issues that drive homelessness by Jeff Lilley PhotocourtesyofSeattleUnionGospelMission Passionate urgency is driven by the fact that while we sit in meetings this afternoon planning how we might be able to tell our story better someone else is living out their story trying to survive sitting out in the rain on a curb. Theyre planning tooplanning where they might sleep tonight. Planning how they might feed their fam- ily. Planning how they might escape the claws of addiction or the cloud of mental illness. We come to work at missions because we are a passionate people. We come because we want to help others who might be facing a terrifying crisis. We believe those people are hoping and praying that someone out there is working hard 20 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 We tore up our board room and created a room that is designed to identify problems to remind us of the needs in our community and to keep the reason this organization exists in front of us. PhotocourtesyofSeattleUnionGospelMission to solve their crisis. We dont come to work at the mission to attend meetings. With that in mind we tore up our board room and created a room that is designed to identify problems to remind us of the needs in our community and to keep the reason this organization exists in front of us. We wanted it to be a place where passionate individuals who are feeling the urgency of others in crisis can work toward solutions to some of our commu- nitys messiest challenges. We needed a creative and dynamic place for thinking differently for ensuring lasting outcomes. And we changed the name. THE WAR ROOM S imply calling it the War Room was not enough but it was a start. Some staff members pushed back You cant call it the war room. Wars are violent and aggressive. The word war creates an unsettling feeling. Exactly we replied. We need to feel unset- tled about the problems facing our community Thats the thing about wordsthey mean something. For years we had a warehouse to store our gifts-in-kind. Calling it a warehouse meant we were supposed to store things. Then driven by the overwhelming needs in our com- munity one of our staff asked a new question. Dont we want the items donated for those in need to actually get to those in need It seems like a basic question but she went on. Shouldnt we be calling it the distribution center Shouldnt it be a place that doesnt store things but a place that will distribute things Its not as simple as renaming an existing room or buildingas if you could get your own children to behave better if you just changed their names But there is a theology of place the idea that where we do ministry is key to how we do ministry. This is true when the Spirit led Jesus to spend 40 days somewhere. The where mattered. It was true with why Moses was led up onto a mountain why God spent so much time describing how to build a temple and even where Adam and Eve began life and why they subsequently needed to leave that place. The theology of place should matter with the buildings where we shelter people. It should matter with where we sleep people. It should matter where we meet and plan as well. Our missions war room is a place designed specifically to identify problems and create an atmosphere that is conducive for coming up with dynamic solutions. We deal with some of soci- etys darkest and messiest issuesissues that have already proven to be difficult to solve. How can we a rescue mission with a limited budget hope to help We must be innovative. We must be scrappy If we dont really want to solve the problems then any old room will do. But if we want to declare war on the most significant problems WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 21 We deal with some of societys darkest and messiest issues issues that have already proven to be difficult to solve. We must be innovative. We must be scrappy Jeff is the president of Union Gospel Rescue Mission in Seattle. He previously served for 26 years at Hume Lake Christian Camps in California. You can reach him at jlilleyugm.org. in our community then we should be meeting in a war room. WRITING ON THE WALL T he room is designed to be read like a book from left to right. It begins with a Needs Wall. This wall has a chain-link fence covered with articles and newspaper clip- pings bringing the problems on our citys streets right in front of our staff. If heroin overdose deaths are up in our city and they are does our staff know that If gang violence is skyrocketing are we aware If our streets are seeing an influx of souls wandering lost in mental illness so what What are we going to do about it The next wall is floor-to-ceiling glass dry-erase boards. Lots of pens lots of space. Lots of room for drawing pondering creating and solving. The next wall the longest wall is covered in maps of the city the county and the neighbor- hoods in greatest need. Each of the maps is cov- ered with glass so staff can sketch and draw out strategies for particular neighborhoods. In fact just about every surface in the room is writable even the tables are glass on sale at IKEA. Finally the last wall is about victories. It focuses on the idea that if we are doing this right then we should have some great stories to tell. There is a picture wall with portraits that can be selected as videos so anyone can begin to hear the stories of life change firsthand by those who have been saved from the battlefield. Because of the dynamic nature of the room it has become a powerful tool when working with donors and other community supporters. As soon as they step into the room they dont just see tables and chairs they see our problems they see our strategies they see our solutions they see our passion and they see the lives that have been changed. Recently the mayor declared a state of emer- gency on homelessness in Seattle. Were glad he finally noticed. There is a war going on. Sin and brokenness are gripping our community and we must continue to be moved with a passionate urgency for those who are losing this battle. One small war room is not the solution it is simply setting the stage for where those on the front lines can be stirred to enter the fray. 22 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 As soon as they step into the room they dont just see tables and chairs they see our problems they see our strategies they see our solutions they see our passion and they see the lives that have been changed. PhotocourtesyofSeattleUnionGospelMission CONVENTION PREVIEW 24 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 NO MORE BUSINESS AS USUAL W hile speaking to a group of local pastors recently I asked them Pastors what is your product I could tell that some of them were a little intimidated by my use of business terminology. I explained that my question wasnt meant to address them personally but rather the broader church. In other words if the church were a factory what would its product be Many of them had a difficult time articulating a response. Not to sound crass but think about this one As a rescue mission whats your product by Vince DAcchioli WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 25 Vince will be a keynote speaker at AGRMs 2016 Annual Convention June 710 in Jacksonville Florida. He is the founder and president of On Target Ministries and author of Wired to Work. He has served as a ministry leader pastor speaker and vice president of a Fortune 500 company. He and his wife of 50 years Cindy live in Monument Colorado. Vince can be reached at vinceotm.co. After a few minutes I initiated a second ques- tion What is Chryslers product The immediate response was cars. I then suggested While its true that Chrysler makes cars cars are not really their product. As confusion began to break out among the group I continued on. Chryslers ulti- mate product is transportation. They manufacture different kinds of cars in order to satisfy a wide range of transportation needs. The pastors seemed to readily accept this notion. I then restated my first question So using this illustration what is your product After several minutes someone responded The product of the local church should be Christ- like people. What a great answer We should be producing people whose lives truly reflect the life and love of Jesus Christ. However arent Christ-like people the same as the car You see I believe that the product of the church ought to be a godly world. It would follow then that the product of a local city church ought to be a godly city. I wanted these pastors to see the big picture. Just as Chrysler remembers each time they manufacture a car that their primary purpose is to satisfy and provide transportation needs we as leaders need to recognize that the primary pur- pose of building up Christ-like people is to draw others to Him and ultimately produce godliness in our communities. In keeping with this train of thought who is our customer Many would suggest that those attending our churches are our customers. This is not the case. Our real customers are lost individuals and those in attendance are in training to reach them. I believe it is critical for us to understand this paradigm. I continued on with a more challenging ques- tion. Most of us would agree that Chrysler is doing a pretty good job in delivering a quality product. Now tell me how do you think the church is doing In other words if the church were an actual factory whose bottom-line profit was directly related to the quality of its product would we be in business The silence was deafening. BUILDING A BETTER MACHINE L ets assume that Chrysler has purchased the best raw materials available. Then they throw all of this rubber glass metal plastic and so on into a box on the factory floor and call it a car. Obviously we would never identify this box of parts as a car. Disassembled those parts could never satisfy our need for transportation. Now I want you to think of an average man 26 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 After several minutes someone responded The product of the local church should be Christ-like people. or woman sitting in church or in one of your chapel services receiving some of the greatest raw material the world has ever heard. To think that this individual will step out of that building as a Christ-like person is as ludicrous as believ- ing that the box of parts is a car. Chrysler figured out something that I believe we as the Body of Christ need to consider and employ. First they go to the drawing board and ask themselves some tough questions. What is the finished product supposed to look like How will it operate and what features will be needed to ensure that quality transportation results In answering these questions they capture a vision. Each member of the staff leaves that planning ses- sion knowing exactly what it is they want to build. Next Chrysler initiates an assembly line. An intricate process is involved in the construction of a vehicle. You cant put on the wheel before the axle is there and before the engine can be installed a solid frame must be constructed. Its interesting that in the academic community we understand the absurdity of teaching advanced calculus to a first grader yet somehow we have overlooked that concept in our efforts to develop Christ-like people. Just as Chryslers work is done part upon part as Christian leaders our work needs to be accomplished precept upon precept. Building principle upon principle is critical. However there is one final step that must be taken to ensure success. Understanding that a product is only as good as ones ability to measure or evaluate it Chryslers process goes beyond the assembly line. For them each vehicle is consid- ered both costly and significant and therefore each one must be inspected for quality and relia- bility. So before a car leaves the factory Chrysler sends a person with a clipboard to the end of the line. This person is required to give the car a thorough inspection. If the car passes it is released to the marketplace and offered for transportation. If the car fails inspection it is sent back to the assembly line for the appropriate adjustments. Its important to realize where we as the Body of Christ are falling short in this process. Many churches and Christian organizations are still struggling to understand what their product should be. Others have a keen knowledge of their product but have not discovered how to put the assembly line into place. And then there are those who seem to have a firm grasp of the precept-upon-precept approach yet they are experiencing limited success because they are not measuring their results. Too often leaders WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 27 Understanding that a product is only as good as ones ability to measure or evaluate it Chryslers process goes beyond the assembly line. have no idea how real people are really doing in their world. TAKING OUR PRODUCT TO THE WORLD G od is not concerned about the condition of our nationwe are. God is con- cerned about the condition of His peoplewe often are not. There is now an urgent call to prayer for our countryand rightfully so. But I believe we have a much deeper problem demonstrated by the very idea that we are making this call to prayer now. Our tendency has been to call for prayer only when significant issues pop up and it becomes a Band-Aid approach to something that could have been prevented with on-going prayer and taking our relationship with God seriously in the first place. We have lost our way as a nation because we have lost our way with God. In recent months I have been sensing three things that I believe are weighing heavily upon our Lord. 1. I do believe He is concerned about the condi- tion of you and me His followers. He is desper- ate for an intimate relationship with us and we are either unwilling or unable to develop one. 2. I am sensing His heartache over the lack of unity in the Body of Christ. It seems we spend more time disagreeing on nonsense issues and theological positions than seeking Jesus directive to become one. 3. I am also sensing He really does want to see a concerted effort on our part to go to Him in prayer. He is not looking for us to click on a checkbox and promise to pray as much as making sure we understand what prayer really looks like. THE SOLUTION I believe that the Chrysler illustration suggests at least three major points that we need to consider if we desire to build a successful ministry. And let me make this clear This applies to you as rescue mission leaders every bit as much as it does to church leaders. First we need to catch the vision. Who are our customers What is our true product What does it look like Chrysler takes its understanding of what the customer needs goes to the drawing board and creates a visual image of the product before any actual procedure is put into place. Point of action Put together a list of essential 28 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 Who are our customers What is our true product What does it look like characteristics of a Christ-like person. Decide what these individuals need to understand and how they will need to behave in order to impact others. Second we need to implement an assembly line. Once Chrysler has a clear understanding of what the finished product should look like it then puts together an elaborate assembly process to lead to the desired result. Point of action Now that weve defined the characteristics of Christ-like people we must learn to teach them systematically. Develop a process for instruction and ensure that each level is being supervised and guided by a staff member or team. Third we need to find an accurate means of measuring our effectiveness. Like Chrysler when all is said and done we must be able to answer the all-important question Is our product doing what it has been designed to do Point of action We must be creative in devel- oping strategies that allow us to stay more con- nected to our product and we must take seriously the spiritual health and vitality of each person under our care. As co-workers in Christ dedicated to the fulfillment of His business lets reevaluate our process so that we might have a better chance of impacting our world with godly and effective followers of Christ. Lets begin to practice intentional Christianity ITS TIME TO UP OUR GAME S o whats the take-away here It is simply this All of us who consider ourselves Christians have to up our game. We need to get serious about our relationship with God if we ever expect His life and power to flow through us and make a difference. For those of us in leadership we must have the courage to face the facts look at what we have been doing and make the necessary adjustments in order to produce what God is looking for. This is not a time for self-abasementit is a time for seeking Him for supernatural wisdom and discernment. Our focus and subsequent battle must be cen- tered on what God is calling us to do. We must remember that He is still on the throne and in the end we have nothing to fear. If we fail to understand these things and continue in the direction we are going wellsomeone once said that if you keep on doing what youre doing you will end up with more of what you got. I dont know about you but I dont think we can afford more of what weve got. WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 29 Our focus and subsequent battle must be centered on what God is calling us to do. MENTAL HEALTH 30 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 MENTAL HEALTH INARESCUE MISSION WORLD As part of a special initiative AGRM looks at key ways to address mental health in rescue mission settings by Brooks Ann McKinney WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 31 A s an association AGRM has been known historically for its incredible ministry to the most vulnerable providing food shelter and numerous resources. But over the years the people walking in the doors of our programs have become more fragile than ever as resources have dwindled and gaps in health care coverage are more pronounced. Spiritual growth is a priority with the overall mission of AGRMs member missions. Fortunately there are ways to address mental medical and substance abuse issues without compromising Bible- focused programming. With that in mind lets look at some ideas and solutions in the area of mental health that can help fill any gaps in programming so that participants will be more successful and confident in their journeys out of homelessness. These suggestions are written from an administrative perspective but can be used as ideas for any staff that work for or with rescue missions. ASSESSMENT AND ACCOMMODATION T he only way to successfully address mental health needs is to find the current status of your program. To get a true picture of your population you must find ways for your residents to be open about their needs. You can do this with anonymous surveys focus groups or your staff doing questionnaires. Anonymity is important due to the continued stigma that mental illness and substance abuse disorders impose. Accommodating your residents who have cognitive impairment or learning disorders is also critical. Any written material should be simple and to the point without difficult choices or lists. Staff members might need to help with reading and recording answers to questions such as Have you ever been diagnosed with a mental illness or How many times have you been to the hospital in the last year Through this process you might also find areas of your program that hinder your residents growth. Asking about chapel Bible studies and classes is a way to make sure that volunteers ministers or teachers are accommodating to the vulnerable nature of some residents. Be aware that some lessons or sermons could trigger a physical or psychiatric response to past traumatic events. Individuals with a history of verbal or sexual abuse in the family church or from a person in authority can have negative responses in situations where they feel unsafe. Checking in with your staff and residents is key so these situations are avoided. The information obtained is also important so you can track outcomes before and after treatment which could be valuable for grant-writing purposes in the future. ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH IN RESCUE CARE I n practical terms here is what supportive mental health care could look like in a rescue-mission setting. Community Assessment Every program at AGRM member missions would be dynamic based off surrounding community resources. Larger cities would have access to mental health agencies clinics and other nonprofit organizations. Also online tools such as the Community Health Needs Assessment can identify social and health needs often with resources available. Program administrators would benefit by listing and possibly mapping out local agencies by category of service. Once com- plete this can be described as a gap needs assessment to correlate the needs of your residents compared to the availability of resources. This is your baseline to springboard goals and objectives for your program staff and residents. This baseline will direct the goals moving forward depending on your staff structure. For example if you have case managers who work one-on-one with residents developing treatment or care plans with mental health substance abuse and physical health goals are the first steps in proving success. As the resi- dents become stable mentally and physically they will succeed in their spiritual vocational and occupational goals. Its almost impossible to focus on personal goals if someones health and mind are not stable. Remember people in your programs cannot truly apply themselves to grow spiritu- ally educationally or occupationally without being mentally and medically stable. 32 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 Remember people in your programs cannot truly apply themselves to grow spiritually educationally or occupationally without being mentally and medically stable. Partnerships and Models of Innovation Community partnerships offer incredible oppor- tunities not only for services but also with fund- ing. Community health centers hospitals and mental health agencies desperately need a place for homeless patients to recuperate and stabilize in order to decrease readmissions and length of stay. Some of these models are structured innova- tive programs that have nationally proven success- ful and are reimbursable services that can increase revenue. If your organization wants to avoid direct reimbursement with federal agencies there are ways to partner with agencies with contracts or a Memorandum of Agreements MOAs. Medical respite is short-term recuperation for homeless individuals when they are released from the hospital. The focus is on acute medical care until the patient is stable. Often this can be the place where people transition into perma- nent housing or longer-term treatment. The length of stay varies depending on the referral from a medical provider. Details about medical respite programs can be found at NHCHC.org. Mental health respite is the same concept but with focus on mental stability. Rescue missions in close proximity to state hospitals might have a higher percentage of residents discharged that need a program. Substance abuse programming can be based off your normal curriculum with added services from a clinical agency to have access to psychiatry and medications. This will take the load off your staff and residents will have a therapist or other clinician to discuss physical or mental instabilities. Drug court programs have increased over the years and are the most effective intervention for drug-addicted individuals in the justice system. Participants sometimes need a place to get stable while intensive services are provided. They are required to have drug tests and work hours which can be used for jobs that are on-site. Non-medical detox beds are a way to allow medically stable residents to rest while they detox. After they rest this is an excellent time to engage and offer longer-term programming. This can be a partnership with hospitals clinics and law enforcement to ensure safety while reaching out to those in need. Once you identify what model best meets the needs of your residents or community its time to pursue funding. Data outcomes and estimates of how your program benefits hospitals clinics etc. will be valuable based on what agency or organization you are applying with. This would be the time to get your development department andor a grant writer involved. WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 33 By the Numbers How does mental illness affect Americans One in four adultsapproximately 61.5 million Americansexperiences mental illness in a given year. One in 17about 13.6 millionlives with a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia major depression or bipolar disorder. Approximately 20 percent of youth ages 13 to 18 experience severe mental disorders in a given year. For ages 8 to 15 the estimate is 13 percent. Approximately 26 percent of homeless adults staying in shelters live with serious mental illness and an estimated 46 percent live with severe mental illness andor substance use disorders. Approximately 60 percent of adults and almost one-half of youth ages 8 to 15 with a mental illness received no mental health services in the previous year. Serious mental illness costs America 193.2 billion in lost earnings per year. Individuals living with serious mental illness face an increased risk of having chronic medical conditions. Adults living with serious mental illness die on average 25 years earlier than other Americans largely due to treatable medical conditions. Source National Alliance on Mental Illness This will take the load off your staff and residents will have a therapist or other clinician to discuss physical or mental instabilities. Collaboration with Other Local Agencies Getting involved with other local nonprofits and even your local Continuum of Care COC can be critical when developing relationships with your community. The COC is a federal program under HUD designed to promote commitment to ending homelessness on a local level. It provides funding and resources to quickly rehouse indi- viduals and families to prevent further homeless- ness. Agencies that receive HUD funding and housing vouchers have direct access to services that can support the stability of your residents. Contact your local COC head and see how you can get involved. You can find local resources on the HUDexhange.info website. Large organizations might be able to keep staff on-site to do assessments clinical time housing applications and more without having to pay for the service. HUD requires their funded organiza- tions to go where the homeless reside which many times is rescue missions. Mental health agencies are held accountable to keep their patients stable in treatment. If your residents are connected to a provider andor an agency it might be worth taking the time to meet with the leadership. Ideas on how you can work together can be a win-win situation. The residents will get the services while the agency can increase their success of treatment outcomes. Formal contracts can be composed or simply write an agreement so that roles are understood. The financial cost for these services is very high so any kind of partner- ship is a gain to your program. POSITIVE IMPACT ONYOUR STAFF T hrough these types of partnerships and collaborations your staff can focus on running the program and not on the medical and psychiatric needs of clients. If you find that your staff is more confident with training then education or training is one way to help. Classes andor online curriculum are available to increase knowledge of basic mental illnesses crisis protocols and more. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration www.SAMHSA.gov has many resources on training and technical assistance for staff at low or no cost. The SOAR SSISSDI Outreach and Access to Recovery model is successful for assisting your disabled clients in expediting their SSI claim to provide income and medical insurance. This assistance allows residents to have access to a stable income insurance and social service resources. SAMHSA also has a partnership with Health and Human Services HHS to provide assis- tance to faith-based and charitable organiza- tions for fostering relationships with government agencies. These are only a few organizations out of many that are available for partnership. We cant solve homelessness alone so the more we work together the better. If your mission is opposed to taking government funding look for programs that provide funding to the indi- vidual being treated instead again this could be a win-win-win situation for the resident your mission and the programs providing the funding. These ideas might sound overwhelming at first however over time they will make your program run smoother and increase positive outcomes to end homelessness in your community. This will open doors to funding partnerships and more importantly success for those you are called to serve. Remember that this path is never linear there will always be ups and downs. But with faith and commitment together we will move forward for a greater purpose. 34 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 Brooks who holds a mas- ters of social work degree is director for the Community Medical Respite Program at Raleigh Rescue Mission and a former treatment coordina- tor for Denver Rescue MissionChampa House. FREE HELP One AGRM contract part- ner Safe Harbor provides Christian-based clinically sound counseling services by licensed mental health professionals often at no cost to rescue missions. For more information and to see if the program is available in your state visit www.thecaregroupllc.com or email Ken Guise at kenguisesafeharbor1.com. PERSPECTIVE 36 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 LIVING YOUR Y ou can learn a lot about people by looking at their gravestones. As a pastor I conduct a number of funerals. One day as I waited for a funeral procession to arrive at a gravesite it dawned on me that in the midst of all the variety of grave markers every single headstone shared one common denominator It was the dash. Between the date of birth and the date of death was a dash on every headstone. I suddenly realized how that short line represented something of great significance. It was a symbol of the diseased persons entire life. Everything that happened to that person was represented in that single dash. There is a day you were born and the day you will die. In the middle is the dash by Rick Hale WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 37 DASH THE IMPORTANCE OFYOUR DASH G od has a specific task for you to accomplish between now and your funeral. Lets call it your life purpose. What special project has God assigned to you Finding your mission isnt easy. Assembling your life purpose can be as frustrating as putting together a jigsaw puzzle only to discover your dog has eaten some of the pieces. This frustration could make you think that finding and fulfilling a life purpose is a rare privilege. You know the names of people who have accomplished their life purpose. Their names grace the pages of history books. But you also per- sonally know people who have either accomplished their life purpose or are successfully living it today. You can name friends and family members who have raised godly children developed a God-honoring business started a faith-based min- istry developed an effective non- profit organization led an effective ministry or coordinated a successful international mission project. The book of Nehemiah tells the story of a man named Nehemiah building a wall around the city of Jerusalem. More importantly its the story of a man finding and fulfilling his life purpose. By reading his amaz- ing story you can learn how to find and fulfill your own life purpose. Where do you begin finding your life purpose You start where Nehemiah startsyou must first catch Gods vision. You must be able to answer these questions God what do you want me to accomplish for you before my funeral What project or task have you uniquely shaped me to complete STEP 1 DECIDE TO CARE O ne day Nehemiah receives a report from the inhabitants of Jerusalem Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and dis- grace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates have been burned with fire. For Nehemiah more than just a wall is broken. So is Nehemiahs heart. The news is devastating. What touches your heart stirs your emotions and moves you to tears Nehemiah cared about the Jewish exiles in distress in a city without walls. People dont all care about the same cause. What moves you to tears might move the next person to boredom and the causes that pas- sionately move others do nothing to call you to action. This doesnt mean people are uncaring it simply reflects an important truth about the way God created people. God has uniquely shaped each persons heart to fit a need. If every- one cared about the same issues many important needs would go unmet. This is Gods creative way of ensuring that the innumerable needs around the world are being met. There is a good reason why you are passionate about a certain causeGod wired you that way. He placed this passion within you as a motivator to inspire you to action. In fact this is often the first piece of the puzzle in identifying your life purpose. Take a look at the world around you and ask yourself what touches your heart stirs your emo- tions and moves you to tears. STEP 2 COMMITTO PRAYER O nce Nehemiah sees the need and decides to care he commits to prayer. A closer look at the content of his prayer can help you learn how to pray about your life purpose. Nehemiah doesnt move an inch without first acknowledging his source of strength. He knows build- ing a wall around Jerusalem is out of his league but not Gods. The logis- tics of successfully accomplishing a project of this scope and magnitude are mind-boggling. Its nothing short of a miracle that Nehemiah doesnt quit before he starts but he knows he serves a great and awesome God. With God all things are possible. This great truth runs like a golden thread from Genesis to Revelation. Successful people discover this prom- ise and live by it failures disdain it and are defeated without it. Jesus reminds his followers I am the vine you are the branches. If a 38 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 man remains in me and I in him he will bear much fruit apart from me you can do nothing John 155. You must never run ahead into your life purpose without your power source. Without a vision of Gods unlim- ited power the temptation will be to reduce the size of the dream by trimming it down to match your limited human power and ability. Instead of having faith in the God of the impossible fear of failure moves in with its paralyzing grip. Imagine what would have hap- pened if Nehemiah had failed to see Gods power Chances are his project would have never been started much less finished. The God-sized dream of a fortified wall around Jerusalem would have become nothing more than a set of rolled-up blueprints in a drawer. I wonder how many God-inspired life missions are stuffed in drawers. Life missions get exciting when the dream is clearly beyond human ability when the only hope of the dream being fulfilled is if God shows up. Dare to dream big by dreaming beyond yourself. Believe in a God who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine according to his power that is at work with us Ephesians 320. Second Nehemiah makes himself available. He is 800 miles from Jerusalem with no mention of vacation time but he asks God to use him. What a great attitude in seeking Gods intervention in your life purpose. You might think that the great heroes of the Bible were men and women of incredible ability. Looking at their accomplishments might lead you to believe they had superhuman skills. But look closely and you will find glaring deficiencies and poten- tially crippling inadequacies. If their secret was not found in their incredible skills and abilities where was it found The common denominator was their availability. When God called they showed up. Third Nehemiah asks for success. Are you afraid to ask God for the impossible even though Scripture teaches that God does the impossible Be like Nehemiah in boldly asking God for His favor and success. Approach the throne of God with confidence. Let the words of Paul given to Timothy guide you. For God did not give us a spirit of timid- ity but a spirit of power of love and of self discipline 2 Timothy 17. STEP 3 BEGIN TO PREPARE N ehemiah is praying but he is praying with his eyes open. He is waiting and watching for God to open a door of opportunity. This is not an easy task for a man of action like Nehemiah. He has a wall to build But this is where WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 39 Rick is the senior pastor of Grace Community Church in Roswell New Mexico and author of Living Your Dash from which this article is adapted. He and his wife Mary have two grown children. You must be able to answer this question God what do you want me to accomplish for you before my funeral patience becomes a required virtue for the journey. You must be willing to wait for Gods timing. Allow God the necessary time to work behind the scenes instead of trying to kick down the door of opportunity. When the door finally swings open Nehemiah is ready with a threefold petition. Listen carefully to his specific requests. It sounds like Nehemiah has been carefully prepar- ing his speech while he waited for this God-orchestrated access to the king. First he asks permission. Ne- hemiah cannot make a move without the permission of King Artaxerxes. But when the opportunity arises Nehemiah is ready with his request. Have you carefully and intentionally identified who your key people are The list may include parents or a spouse a pastor or a ministry leader. It could include a board of directors or a group of potential donors. The wisdom of Nehemiah is clear Dont run ahead without the permis- sion of key people. Very often God will use key people as a caution light. Their purpose might not be to stop your life mission but as a proceed- with-caution warning to make sure you are in step with Gods timing. Second Nehemiah asks for provi- sion. He doesnt have access to the construction materials hell need to build the wall but the king does. When it comes to fulfilling your life purpose God has a marvelous and mysterious way of providing needed resources along the way. You might be shocked and sur- prised at the people God will use to help you fulfill your mission. Chances are remote that you will have all the required resources at the beginning of the journey. God loves to surprise his people along the way with unexpected provisions from unexpected people. Some of the most faith-building expe- riences in your life mission adventure will be when God surprises you with provisions. So dont be afraid to ask. Third Nehemiah asks for protec- tion. He faces a dangerous journey and the certainty of opposition once he arrives. Not everyone will be cheering for your success the challenge is to understand the reality of opposition and expect its arrival. This allows you to seek Gods divine protection from the beginning. Remember God is in the overcoming business so you can trust Him to provide protection for the journey. Preparing for your life purpose is much like a con- tractor preparing a set of blueprints for a building. A contractor would never begin constructing a building without first having a thorough set of blue- prints. There will come a day when the saws and hammers come out of the tool chests. But not until adequate preparations are complete. The same is true for your life mis- sion. The preparation phase is crucial for the successful construction of a sound life purpose. But here is where some people make a critical mistake. They dont take the necessary time to prepare. Not so with Nehemiah. While he prays he begins to prepare. Have you started to prepare for your life purpose It helps to start writing down your thoughts and ideas. Go back over Nehemiahs preparations and see where he can instruct and inspire you. Spending time with a close friend or finding a qualified life coach can be a valuable investment in this process. Whatever your life purpose is you need to catch Gods vision. Decide to care commit to prayer and begin to prepare. It worked for Nehemiah it is working for me and it will work for you. Catch Gods vision and you will be on your way to living your dash. 40 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 Whatever your life purpose is you need to catch Gods vision. Decide to care commit to prayer and begin to prepare. LIFE PROGRESS 42 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 43 REENTRY AFTER RESCUE J esus told us to feed the hungry clothe the naked and offer a cold cup of water in His name. Thats what rescue missions doand so much more. Of course rescue missions were never intended as permanent homes for clients. Eventually people in your programs must reenter society. So we asked rescue mission leaders Whats the best thing you do to help your clients launch back into the world Helping your guests take that first step back into society by Sherri Langton SPIRITUAL STEPS A number of leaders emphasized a relation- ship with Christ as essential to transi- tioning away from mission life. Henry Martin executive director at Shreveport-Bossier Rescue Mission in Louisiana says his missions first priority is to provide a safe place for guests protecting them from the harshness and condem- nation of the world. But their successful return to the outside he says hinges on faith in Christ. Without faith in Him people will reenter the world facing the same hang-ups habits and hurts that brought them to our doors in the first place he says. Coupled with discipline coun- seling and vocational trainingand of course the basic needs of food clothing and shelter our guests come to realize that life with Christ is a journey they can make with joy. Peoria Rescue Ministries in Illinois takes a similar approach. Jerry Trecek executive director says once clients are introduced to a personal relationship to Jesus Christ the ministry connects them to a solid local church and an accountability group for weekly encour- agement. Jerry adds Without this relationship and accountability they are headed for failure. FINANCES AND EMPLOYMENT A big part of launching back into the world is for clients to secure jobs and gain financial footingtwo significant challenges. To help with this CITA Mission in Melbourne Florida has a job development pro- gram and a local bank that works with clients. Bryan Buddy Morrow executive director of CITA says When clients are placed in a job TD Bank works with us by allowing our men to open a bank account TD calls them Forgiveness Ac- counts as long as they do not owe any monies to TD Bank. If the individual does well and stays on a budget he can move on to transitional housing. Jobs Plus Employment Network of City Gospel Mission in Cincinnati does something similar to transition clients. Program Director Brad Mueller says the mission works one-on-one with individ- uals so they regain their self-worth. At the same time the program provides practical biblical instruction on basic life skills helping guests not only find jobs but also to become effective employees. This can be difficult considering that their clients have spent years struggling with unemployment background issues and unhealthy lifestyles. By obtaining meaningful employment Brad says the individuals in the program feel much better about themselves as they become productive citizens who can start to provide for themselves and their families. Helping transitioning clients find employment is the focus of Oliver Gospel Mission in Columbia South Carolina. PresidentCEO Wayne Fields says the mission connects with area employers through employer roundtables to explain their ministry to men. Thanks to the mission these employers have hired men even with felonies on their records. The mission has also developed what they call a Profile of a Man of Influence. This provides a picture of what they want to see in men who com- plete their program and pursue new lives. Wayne describes three elements of the profile Fulfilled has to do with helping them to develop their relationship with God. Functioning has to do with helping with the skills and attitudes needed for responsible living such as education and employ- ment issues. Fruitful has to do with helping them to reach out to and influence others so that they learn to be givers and not merely takers and receivers. Long Beach Rescue Mission in California offers a long and varied list of options for those reentering the world. Several of those options relate to getting and keeping a job. Robert 44 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 The mission has also developed what they call a Profile of a Man of Influence. This provides a picture of what they want to see in men who complete their program and pursue new lives. Probst executive director says clients can partici- pate in work therapy for 20 hours each week where they learn and practice soft skills to keep a job. He says that over 13 weeks all clients com- plete WorkNet Solutions material which covers applying for work interviewing and maintaining a job all while focusing on building a career. Robert explains Clients with income pay a 20 percent program fee to develop a sense of responsibility and they are required to save 80 percent of the balance of their income so they have funds available with which to reenter society upon graduation. When graduates find employment they remain in the Bridge Program until their income level and savings level will support independent living. VOLUNTEERING S tephanie Boardman executive director at Sunshine Rescue Mission in Flagstaff Arizona says that successfully launching clients back into the world begins with them getting involved in the community. Thats why the mission offers weekly volunteer opportunities. Stephanie says Within our volunteering many catch a vision to serve and get back to work again. Thus a step toward reengagement back into the community through our Men on a Mission program. Before the mission began Men on a Mission only about 7 percent of their guests obtained jobs. Now many have secured employment at local businesses and are serving in community events. But thats not the only blessing Stephanie says. Our Men on a Mission are becoming known for their service Volunteering is also a key ingredient for tran- sitioning clients at Good News Rescue Mission in Redding California. Executive Director Jonathan Anderson says tasks like cleaning up trash and setting up for city events build self-esteem in WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 45 A NEW WAY OF THINKING One mission guest finally breaks away from negative thoughts Sometimes one of the greatest things a mission can do to launch clients back into the world is to help them break out of a negative mentality. Fay Ternan executive director of the Lewis County Gospel Mission in Chehalis Washington tells the story of L.D. one of their frequent visitors who made a drastic turnaround Hed recently been released from prison was on parole and dealing with medical challenges. He told us hed been in and out of jailprison since he was about 13 years old and was over 50 now. All he knew was a prisoners way of thinking. Because volunteers at the missions day shelter accepted encouraged and affirmed himand helped him connect with a Celebrate Recovery group and a churchL.D. has made significant changes in his life. The prisoner mentality that drove many of his choices is beginning to melt away and we see him more at peace even as he faces potential back surgery and still has no stable living situation. He has become one of our most faithful volunteers. The joy on his face as he serves and now reaches out to others in need is a blessing. L.D. and those of us at the mission know that he will still face chal- lenges and has a lot to learn about living outside the rigid structure he was used to. The difference for L.D. is that he discovered there are people who care value and believe in him. We give him space when he needs it but call him back not just to fellowship but to loving account- ability as well. While we grieve for him when he stumbles we rejoice with him as he experiences each aha moment the Lord presents to him. And praise the Lord we rejoice considerably more than we grieve their clients. Once that happens they can partici- pate in the missions many supportive services such as adult basic education and computer liter- acy. Clients can also take part in a long list of programs and assistance to help them financially and professionally. But Jonathan says the biggest help the mission offers is to break its clients out of isolation and slowly integrate them into a larger network of people20-plus individuals from the mission and the community. He adds Mother Teresa said Loneliness is the greatest poverty in the world. I would rather be hungry than lonely. TIME G uests can be in a hurry to return to the world so City Mission of Findley Ohio urges them to slow down. Executive Director Phil Arnold says they help clients pre- pare in two ways mentally through counseling and course work on such things as budgeting and life skills and financially. He explains We have them save at least 50 percent of their earnings for their housing fund so that they have a firmer foundation and are less likely to return in need to the mission. Stuart Harper executive directorCEO of Buf- falo City Mission in New York believes removing a time limit is a critical issue in launching clients back into the world. Their clients have a myriad of issues some requiring immediate solutions and others needing long-term answers. So the facility runs two distinct programs. The first is an emer- gency shelter where clients can stay as long as needed. The second is called the Dream Team. Over the span of 60 days the shelter works with clients in the Dream Team to develop a long-term plan that includes employment education self- development and real-life Christian programming. Following this approach Stuart says enables the shelter to take time out of the equation. Yes we want people to move along in their goals. However if it takes someone two years and another person three years who cares as long as they are each moving along and meeting their benchmarks. ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT A number of leaders say that encourage- ment gives clients a boost back into the world. Leslie Carver case manager at City Gospel Mission in Cincinnati Ohio believes in the power of words to do this. She sees the potential in clients and tells them so. She explains For many they have never been told they had potential had any worth or made someone proud. I make sure to tell each resident over the course of our interactions even if he returns months laterthrough words speaking truth and through being consistentthat he is a valuable loved child of God who has the power within himself to make positive life changes necessary for him to move forward. Helping clients believe in themselves is also what Yavapai Territorial Gospel Rescue Mission in Prescott Arizona works to do. In fact Executive Director Dave Barreras says missions staff mem- bers believe in their clients probably more than the clients believe in themselves. Knowledge and tools are great assets but to have someone in your corner cheering you on is worth more. We are bringers of help hope and healing who are called to guide advise and encourage our clients to give it another try with us by their side. We can cry with them we can walk them through transition to a world they may not have been in before or in a very long time. This mentality is typical of all rescue missions. Whatever their approach they are the arms of Jesus accepting clients into their facilities and then lovingly guiding them back into the world. 46 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 Knowledge and tools are great assets but to have someone in your corner cheering you on is worth more. Sherri associate editor of Bible Advocate magazine has been an editor and writer for more than 26 years and has contributed to many Chris- tian magazines and book compilations. She lives in Denver Colorado where she enjoys playing drums swimming and walking. I f we ask our board members what their responsibilities are I dont think fundraising would be near the top of the list. Their priori- ties may be correct but many may not include fundraising on their lists at all. What does your board member job descrip- tion say about this Have you set appropriate expectations of your board members before they accepted the position If you havent discussed this with them prior to the subject coming up in a one-on-one meeting or a board meeting theyll be surprised and possibly upset. I saw a well-worded statement recently Board members should be involved in fundraising by using their personal influence and example to encourage others to give. Personal influenceUsing personal influence to encour- age others to give is a learned occupation. Your board members need to understand the ministrys fundraising pro- grams and strategies. Using a consultant for this training will help because a third party will be expressing the expectations. Personal exampleThis refers to their personal support of the ministry. It states that board members are expected to give to the ministry and if someone is willing to support the ministry through their volunteer time they should be engaged financially. Its much easier for them to ask others to give if they can say Please join me in supporting this organization. Also foundations and corporations will often look for 100 percent of the board to be engaged. An excellent blog entry at www.nonprofit hub.org is titled 15 ways to transform your board of directors into fundraising champions. It covers a number of thoughts but the key is to provide help with what each individual needs. Some board members will be self-starters and become advo- cates without too much motivation. Others will be downright afraid of asking for money or even talking about the ministry. Some might need to be paired with more outgoing and confident members in order to learn. Board members can identify and introduce prospective donors helping to cultivate and encourage donor loyalty. They can also say thank you. A simple thanks goes a long way when it comes from a board member especially when the gift is large. Suggest that the first step in earning the right to ask for a gift is to bring their prospect to the mission for a tour. Conversations will come easily when you are showing and talking about the needs of those you serve. 48 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 DAY-TO-DAY Practical help with the operations and ministry of your mission FINDING FUNDS Barry Durman Fundraising Champions Should your board members directly encourage others to give Barry is vice president of stewardship at SIM in Charlotte North Carolina. He has more than 30 years of development experience and served the Atlantic City Rescue Mission for 13 years including 10 years as president. Email him at barry.durmansim.org. WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 49 REGISTER NOW Visit www.agrm.org2016convention ESSENTIAL FUNDRAISING TIPS Based on expert advice and insights from a variety of respected industry experts Nonprofit Fundraising 101 Wiley by Darian Rodriguez Heyman is an essential text for nonprofit professionals volun- teers activists and social entrepreneurs who want to leverage best practices to promote their cause. Chapters are brief and easily digestible fea- turing exten- sive resources for additional learning concrete best practices and pitfalls to avoid. With tips and tools expert advice and real-world insights from almost 50 industry leaders this robust resource addresses the entire spectrum of fundraising for nonprofits. RESPONSIVE DONATIONS Mobile responsive donation pages web pages that automatically resize on mobile phones tablets and PCs make it easy for people to give from any device. More than half of the people who visit a nonprofits website do so from a mobile device and responsive donation pages yield 34 more gifts than non-responsive pages. Source MobileCause O ur rescue mission just hosted a private re- ception for city lead- ers. We checked cell phones at the door because the meeting was about race. How can our city promote healing and recon- ciliation and hope in the arena of race and opportunity No easy conversation to be sure but Im glad we are trying to effect change. We invited AGRM Minister- at-Large Robert Loggins to open the conversation and Robert challenged the group to take a new look at the condition of our hearts. Gods progress is first made inside us before it is made through us to those around us. Robert challenged us to let God plow up our hearts. As leaders we are responsi- ble to shepherd resources sometimes great sometimes modest. But first we must shepherd our hearts. Ministry can be stressful frustrating and amazing. But the biggest vari- able in our leadership is the people that we are becoming along the way. Paul describes the fruit of Gods Spirit working in us Love joy peace patience kindness gentleness goodness faithfulness and self-control. Is my leadership known by these qualities Or am I simply innovative or effective At that gathering where we wrestled with the challenges of race in our community Robert told us The matter of the heart is the heart of the matter. And one of the guests replied with Proverbs 423 Above all guard your heart for every- thing you do flows from it. It made me think that my mission my staff and our clients are all impacted by my heart more than any other vari- able. And I will admit that my heart can be a busy busy place. Theres a lot going on in there. Because our hearts are our vehicles for deep relating if we dont share our hearts we dont share deep relationships. And its the deep relationships that create change. I have decided that this will be the test of my leadership That despite my position and responsibility I must remain vulnerable with my heart. Then I can nurture and treasure the hearts of my coworkers so that they can nurture and treasure the hearts of Gods broken children at our mission. Since our missions exist to create transformation let us leaders agree that the first transformation should occur in us We are called to be Christs handsare we also his heart If we have given so much but not our hearts have we truly given what people need 50 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 DAY-TO-DAY LEADERSHIP LAB Mike Johnson Heart of the Matter As mission leaders the first transformation must occur within us Mike is executive director of The Rescue Mission in Tacoma Washington. He is a graduate of Pepperdine University a former Army Ranger an ordained minister and father of six childrenall adopted. You can email Mike at mike. johnsonrescue-mission.org. WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 51 CLIMB THE LEADERSHIP LADDER The most important decision youll ever make as a leader is selecting the leaders around you. Whos Holding Your Ladder Selecting Your Leaders Whitaker House by Samuel Chand reminds us that the height of any visionary leader and the fulfillment of the vision are contingent on whoever is holding his or her ladder. In this book youll discover Without a lad- der holder you can climb only to a certain level. With the right ladder holders you can go much higher. As organizational vision increases the need for another type of ladder holder increases. WHY DELEGATE At some point you have to rely on other peo- ple to help you do what needs to be done. Delegating increases your time. It allows you the freedom to focus on what you should be accomplishing and to better see the big picture. Only do those tasks that nobody else can do. Look at what you do and ask yourself if this is really where you should be spending your time. All routine activities and minor deci- sions should be delegated to others. Also any tasks that should be performed when you are not there or unavailable are also candidates for delegation. Never keep work simply because you do it better. Delegating certain tasks to others is a way of developing and endorsing those you lead. Delegating allows people to learn by doing to take risks and to build confidence. Its one of the best ways to develop that person for further responsibilities. Delegation is a discipline. Youve got to work at it. Source Leadershipnow 52 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 DAY-TO-DAY YOUVE GOT IT Authentic leadership comes from insidea place where logic meets emotion where people connect with people and where character is contagious. It also comes from a place where strategy is simple and people believe they are making a difference and where they believe they can change the world they live in. Its Already Inside Nurturing Your Innate Lead- ership for Business and Life Success Mor- gan James Publishing by Robert Murray is a leaders journey to unlock the secret to connecting emotionally with people finding bal- ance and hav- ing a more successful and happy life by inspiring oth- ers to discover their remark- able potential. WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD Author Laura Stack details pre- cisely how 21st-century lead- ers and managers can obtain profitable and productive results where effectiveness and efficiency meet. She says effectiveness is identifying and achieving the best objectives for your organizationdoing the right things. Efficiency is accomplishing them with the least amount of time effort and costdoing things right. If youre not clear on both youre wasting your time. In Doing the Right Things Right How the Effective Executive Spends Time Berrett- Koehler Stack offers 12 practices that will enable executives to be effective and efficient in the areas of strategic thinking teamwork and tactics. GET AWAY FROM THE GRIND Need an escape Here are some ideas 1Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Set a timer to go off every 20 minutes while youre at your desk. As soon as it goes off look away from your monitor and stare at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. 2Use the Pomodoro Technique. Set a timer for 25 minutes and start working. When it goes off stop working for five minutes and use that time any way youd like. Do that four times and then take a 30-minute break before getting back to work again. This technique creates urgency which might inspire you to make quicker decisions and waste less time. 3Capitalize on your ultradian rhythm. Set a timer for 90 minutes and begin working. Silence your phone. Block Facebook. When the timer goes off stop working and take a 15-minute break. Keeping with the ebb and flow of your body will maximize your productivity and creativity. 4Allow yourself the weekend. Divide your weekend into activ- ity chunks the way you would a workday. Doing so may help you become more comfortable with the idea of doing nothing. 5Take random days off. If you have some spare days in the bank give yourself a three-day weekend. Or schedule a Wednesday off and break up the week. Then use that time to do something other than work. Source HubSpot TRAINING OR DEVELOPING They are not the same Here are some differences between training and development Training Developing focuses on technique and content focuses on people tests patience tests courage focuses on the present focuses on the future is transactional is transformational focuses on maintenance focuses on growth indoctrinates educates maintains status quo catalyzes innovation focuses on efficiency focuses on effectiveness focuses on problems focuses on solutions focuses on the knowns explores the unknowns places people in a comfort zone moves people beyond their comfort zones Source Forbes WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 53 H ow many times do we hear stories in the media about foodborne outbreaks salmonella staphylococcus cyclospora shigella or E. coli We might think that this will never happen at our establishment. The restau- rant chain Chipotle probably thought the same thing before their most recent outbreak. But by the time you read this there will likely be an- other story echoing Chipotles. The sad reality is that foodborne illness contin- ues to happen. Restaurant and food operation workers should be properly trained in sanitation and safe food handling as federally regulated and overseen by the city or county health department. This is the best measure of prevention and public health safety. Washing Is the Key Since humans are the main transporters of disease the most effective prevention is personal sanita- tionhand washing with soap and water as hot as tolerable for at least 20 seconds. This simple practice needs to be done at the beginning of every shift and throughout the day especially after taking out the trash touching a customers dirty dish or after meat handlingessentially every time a new task is begun. Wearing disposable gloves that get changed for each task will also help reduce the risk. The practice of washing dishes pots pans silverware and utensils is also critically important. More specifically rinsing and sanitizing are the next essential steps in the process to significantly reduce disease. Eliminating any of these steps immediately amplifies the possibility of illness. Produce also needs washing. It is often received contaminated to some degree so its essential to wash it all before working with it. For example several produce items such as cantaloupes are prone to carry salmonella. Leafy greens are prone to carry E. coli. If these items arent washed the bacteria will be transported especially once produce is cut into. It immediately contaminates the knife and everything the knife comes in contact with afterward. Finally every kitchen should have sanitation bottles at each station. Proper dilution ratios are crucial but equally important is the amount of time the sanitizer is left on a surface. To properly sanitize allow surfaces to air dry a minimum of 30 seconds so the chemical has time to do its job. Many workers spray it on and immediately wipe it off believing that their station is clean but all they did was push around contaminants. Good sanita- tion practices are one of the most important things we can do for the sake of safety and health for all. Lets go back to the basics Insist on proper cleanliness in our facilities and keep high standards for our employees per- sonal hygiene. FULL PLATE Brian Romano Preventing Foodborne Illness Proper cleanliness provides health and safety in your kitchen Brian is a certified executive chef who holds degrees in culinary arts and restaurant and hospitality management. He serves as culinary instructor for Flint Hill Technical College in Emporia Kansas. You can contact him at chefromano13 gmail.com. 54 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 DAY-TO-DAY INSURANCE SOLUTIONS Brian H. Merriam Under Siege Could your mission be the next place in the news because of a violent intruder Brian is the official insurance consultant for AGRM. The Merriam Agency offers prop- erty casualty auto directors and officers and workers com- pensation coverages tailored to the needs of AGRM members. You can email Brian at brianmerriaminsurance.com. P olice Man evicted from homeless shelter shoots 2 1 dead. Last Janu- ary Station House in north Philadel- phia experienced what could happen just about anywhere these days. Schools movie theaters churches coffee shops malls apart- ment buildings even military bases. There seems to be no place where mass shootings cant take place. Is your mission the next place to make it into the news because of a violent intruder Taking some preventative steps can at least lessen the possibility that you and your organization become the next victim. Here are some steps to take 1Begin by having a frank discussion with your missions leadershipyour board of directors and executive team. Establish your tolerance for risk. 2Consider the layout of your facilities. Where are the vulnerable points where an armed intruder could gain entry or have access to your employees volunteers and guests 3Consider all points of entry. Are doors se- cured Do you have a way to tell which doors and windows are unlocked or opened Do you have a protocol to make certain doors and windows are secured during the day or after work hours 4Consider what you can see. Do you have video cameras at sensitive points Does your staff know who is entering before the intruder gains entry 5Whats your policy on weapons Do you know the laws of your state and where weapons are permissible Do you allow your staff to be armed if they possess state pistol permits Can you add signage about weapons and video surveillance as a deterrent 6Do you keep track of past individuals who had keys or passes 7Do you have a record of who is in your building Would a sign-inout process be appropriate 8Do you provide training for response to a violent intruder There are a number of organizations that provide training all the way from identifying threats to responding to them with lethal force. 9Should you consider hiring a security service to provide an armed professional 10Have you discussed what your staff will do and how people will get away safely should you experience a violent intruder Although none of us want to establish airport TSA-type of screening to merely get into our missions its vital to look at everything dear to us and everyone who holds value to us and con- sider what a prudent response is before someone does something violent in our circle of influence. Take steps now while you are able to make a positive difference to preserve life. WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 55 PARK IT Next time a meeting veers off course with an unrelated topic try the parking lot method. When someone raises an interesting point that doesnt relate to the agenda say the following Thank you for that point Tim. However that goes beyond the purpose of this meet- ing. Let me write down that item in the parking lot and I will include it in the meeting notes that I will send out by email so we can explore your point at the right time. Then be sure to follow up. This will keep the meeting focused on the agenda while still acknowledging points raised by attendees. Source Project Management Hacks STRONG TO THE END Dwight A. Perry provides insightful and sound strategies for ending well in ministry and in life. His book Finish Well A Guide for Leadership Transition and Succession CreateSpace gives insights and tools to ensure effective succession. Drawn from his extensive experience with churches and ministries these ideas will help your leadership team to move into the future with confi- dence and clarity. Learn more by logging in at www.agrm.org and clicking the Certification tab. themselves through dancing play- ing in the ocean and of course baseball. You dont need money to have fun and enjoy life. Eat healthy. Youd be hard- pressed to find an overweight Cuban. Food is simple with a lot of vegetables. It is organically grown and you can taste the difference. Learn from each other. At the resorts some of the staff members cross train and fill different shifts and departments. This is also in the spirit of sharing so tips and gifts are more equally distributed. Share what you have. The story of the widows mite reflects the attitude of Cubans. At resorts tips are pooled and shared. Gifts given by tourists are brought home and shared with families and friends. We are all equal. Doctors and waitresses make the same amount of money in Cuba. Its about 20 per month. University education housing and transportation are provided free of charge. Whether or not you agree with this you have to admit that it is a very visible and tangible way to show equality. Europe than to our American neighbors. In a similar way Cubas communism impacts the culture and mind-set not only of the nation but of individuals. Here are some things I learned from my trip that I am putting into practice in my work and ministry. Relationships are key. When you cant work for money and everyone shares everything life gets stripped down to its core people. Cubans care for others and for each other. Dont underestimate the power of touch. Cubans greet one another with kisses on each cheek and embrace. They also shake hands. Children are our future. Cubans love children. Both men and women will stop what they are doing to love on a baby whether its a tourists or one of their own. Cuban children learn to speak very early its an indicator that much time is poured into the lives of children. Keep active. With limited options for entertainment Cubans have found free ways to enjoy T raveling to a communist country is always an inter- esting experience. There are obvious differences of course just like travelling to any foreign land the culture the language and the to- pography. In Cuba recently I found swaying palm trees sands and beaches that rival any sun destination music and dancing that re- flects the countrys historya smooth jazz fusion probably leftover from the U.S. casino days. Cultural differ- ences arent as easy to separate from their form of gov- ernment than one might think. In Canada even though we are a democracy we are also a constitu- tional monarchy which binds us more closely to 56 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 DAY-TO-DAY ACROSS THE STREET Michelle Porter From Halifax to Havana A trip to another country provides some surprising insights to use at home Michelle is the founder of Souls Harbour Rescue Mission in Halifax Nova Scotia where she currently resides. The missions motto Always go the extra mile is based on Matthew 541. Contact Michelle at mporter.rescuegmail.com. WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 57 DISAPPEARING MIDDLE CLASS About half of Americas 242.1 million adults live in middle-income house- holds according to a new analysis of government data. Broken down that means 50 of adults now live in middle-income households 29 in lower-income households and 21 in upper-income households. While the share of U.S. adults living in both upper- and lower- income households rose alongside the declining share in the middle from 1971 to 2015 the share in the upper-income tier grew more. So the 50 of adults who make up the middle class in 2015 is down significantly from 61 in 1971. Source Pew Research Center 58 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 DAY-TO-DAY IMAGE MAKEOVER Written for budget-conscious nonprofits this book by Barbara McLean gives 52 marketing tips one for each week of the year that influence an organiza- tions brand and increase its likeability credibility and trust factor with donors volunteers and users of its services. 52 Habits of Highly Effective Non-Profits Karmic Media Group helps readers achieve these goals by breaking the strategies down into weekly action- able steps. McLean helps you go from aggressively promoting to your con- stituents to aggressively listening to constituent needs. Through this realignment nonprofits can increase their efficiency and effectiveness and can focus more of their time and energy on fulfilling their missions. DIVINE COLLISIONS Pastor and community leader Mark Strong defines divine merger as the church intentionally integrating with its commu- nity resulting in a kingdom transforma- tion. His book Divine Merger What Happens When Jesus Collides with Your Commu- nity IVP Books is designed to give you the vision and tools you need to fulfill your own God-given mission in your commu- nity. Ranging from single-person ministries to church-wide and even multi-church regional ministries these pages are packed full of ideas to engage your community. Each chapter concludes with questions for reflection appropriate for either individuals or groups. THE WORLD AT YOUR DOORSTEP You can be a missionary by crossing an ocean or by cross- ing the street. We now have unprecedented opportunities to meet people from every culture and nation. But how do we share the gospel with people from different cultures and worldviews Veteran cross-cultural minister Katie Rawson shows how we can witness the way Jesus did entering into peoples worlds and drawing them into God-centered community. Crossing Cultures with Jesus Sharing Good News with Sensitivity and Grace IVP Books equips readers to evangelize Jesus way. Filled with compelling stories practical resources and relational tools this guide shows how you can share the gospel with clear communication and authentic community. SOCIAL ENTERPRISE FACTS Around 40 of U.S. social enterprises have fewer than five employees just 8 have more than 100. 45 of U.S. social enterprises have less than 250000 in revenue 22 have over 2000000. 35 of U.S. social enterprises are nonprofits 31 are regular C corporations or LLCs. 60 of U.S. social enterprises were created in 2006 or later with 29 created since 2011. Source Great Social Enterprise Census reported in The Huffington Post as paid advertising. Bringing a quality PSA to the public need not consume your yearly media budget. Just make sure your production basicsquality visuals for TV clear audio for TV and radio proper resolution for the webare all in place. 4Missions are local and that works to your advantage in the PSA world. Be confident in your role as a representative of a local organiza- tion. These days PSAs for local charities receive favored status over national and international organizations that lack local tie-ins. 5For broadcast PSAs dont be afraid to generate a 60-second spot. This is especially true if you want people to respond via a phone number or a website address shown at the end of the PSA. Theyll need adequate time to copy down the contact information. Public service announcements still generate mostly positive response from the public who also perceive them as being reliable sources of information. Handled strategically PSAs can be a cost- effective tactic in your over- all commu- nications plan. WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 59 W hen I first began working in broadcast media we were required to run public service announcements PSAs so radio and television stations could prove that they were operating in the public interest. For better or worse this requirement is long gone. But PSAs can still be a valuable part of your 21st-century media mix if you remember these guidelines 1Without exception PSAs must have a mes- sage that is truly a public service. Your goal is to offer a message about a service that will help your community not so much to promote the mission itself. For example if your mission has a free clinic hosts an emergency shelter offers GED classes or provides meals to those in needand most missions do at least one of thosea message that makes one of those services and its hours of operation known is just right for a PSA. 2Because there is no guarantee when or how often it will air plan to give your PSA a longer useful shelf life. PSAs might no longer be as viable for bringing attention to events as do paid or sponsored promotion. However keep in mind that community calendars still work well for event promotion. If you can think in terms of having the same PSA run for say a year to let the public know about one of your missions services it should serve your communication purposes well. 3Because PSAs are most often broadcast or published in unsold advertising space they need to follow the same production guidelines PR TOOLKIT Steve Wamberg Good Ol PSAs Tips for creating quality public service announcements Steve helps missions and other nonprofits more effectively communicate with the public. He can be reached at steve wambergyahoo.com. W hat if we could fast-forward to AGRMs 200th anniversary in 2113 assuming the Lord tarries What will AGRM and rescue mission ministry look like How will they be different Will they be ministries The current trajectory of rescue mission min- istry is healthy and exciting. At the same time our national culture is changing. New social dogmas are gaining momentum and beginning to challenge Christians ability to express and exercise genuine faith in public ways. Nearly two-thirds of rescue mission executives and boards reported last year that religious liberty is one of our biggest concerns or in their list of top 10 concerns. Some have already been pres- sured and attacked. If rescue missions are going to weather the coming storms we must be clear about what we stand for. In the area of public policy we stand for civic plural- ism the ability of diverse peoples and groups to co-exist within a nation by peacefully resolving conflicts without disregard for their differences or malice toward each other. Civic pluralismE Pluribus Unum Out of many oneis an ideal that Americas early leaders aspired to. Without it todays rigid ideolo- gies and social dogmas will sow division not unity and drive out our ability to express and exercise our faith. Radical individualism has little use for other peoples convictions or rights. How do we respond to these threats as individual ministries and an association Here are some action steps AGRM will address more throughout 2016 1. Pray. 2. Consider civic pluralism our public policy long game. We have to encourage and strengthen civic pluralism at the federal state and local levels and engaging decision-makers is a priority. 3. Keep serving people in Jesus name and tell more people about it. Humility is an admirable trait among rescue mission leaders but you will need all the public support and goodwill you can get when new challenges arise. 4. Get involved in state policymaking. Oppo- nents of religious exemption laws are training state-level activists to counter any new policy pro- posals that protect your First Amendment rights. 5. Strengthen your rescue missions religious identityits core documents policies and prac- ticesto withstand legal scrutiny. Lawsuits or the threat of lawsuits can be effective weapons against unprepared or weak defendants. Let me know if you want more information I am happy to talk and send you relevant materials. 60 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCHAPRIL 2016 DAY-TO-DAY HALLS OF GOVERNMENT Rhett Butler Civic Pluralism AGRM stands for an important concept woven into the fabric of the United States Rhett serves as AGRMs government liaison and previously served as director of special projects for the White Houses Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. You can email him at rbutleragrm.org. WWW.AGRM.ORGMARCHAPRIL 2016 61 Advertiser Website Page American Bedding www.americanbeddingmfg.com 47 Brewer Direct www.brewerdirect.com 63 Douglas Shaw Associates www.douglasshaw.com 23 ECFA www.ecfa.org 2 Gateway Communications www.gatewayci.com 55 Grizzard www.grizzard.com 64 The Merriam Agency www.rescuemissioninsurance.com 57 Milwaukee Direct www.milwaukeedirect.com 41 Mission Resource Alliance www.missionresourcealliance.com 35 Norix www.norix.com 49 Protect My Ministry www.protectmyministry.com 51 R. Brian Nelson Architect www.rbnarchitect.com 57 Russ Reid www.russreid.com 4 Safe Harbor Christian Counseling www.safeharbor1.com 61 SERVING THE LEAST People are hungry to make a difference in their communi- ties yet most dont know where to start. In fact serving the least is often one of the most neglected biblical mandates. Barefoot Church Serving the Least in a Consumer Culture an unabridged audio book from Zonder- vaninforms listeners how todays church can be a catalyst for individual collective and social renewal in any con- text. Drawing from his own journey Bran- don Hatmaker proves to listeners that serving the least is not a trendy act of benevolence but a lifestyle of authentic community and spiritual transformation. MULTI- GENERATIONAL WORKFORCE Its predicted that by the year 2020 five different generations will make up the workforce according to Talent Management. AD INDEX MarchApril 2016 Same Kind of Different as Me Release Date Moved In mid-February Paramount Pictures announced that the motion picture Same Kind of Different as Me will not be released until the fourth quarter of 2016. Because an AGRM member mission is the setting for this heartwarming story we still strongly believe the film will present some amazing opportunities for rescue missions to connect with their communities donors and volunteers. With the increased lead time before the release the hope is that the studio will be able to generate more excitement about the film. Moreover it will give AGRM and member missions extra time to promote and make plans using the trailer and sizzle reel that we have not had up to this point. Media Innovation Competition Call for Entries Begins This year marks the 13th annual AGRM Media Innovation Competition. Each year the association recognizes and awards rescue missions that are making valuable progress in innovative print and online communications. This years competition features new categories that include mission logos and social media. Policy Matters and New Initiatives Featured at DC Forum AGRM is once again holding its annual DC Forum on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. This years event March 1416 offers a unique opportunity to stay ahead of the most pressing policy legal and cultural issues headed our way in the coming months of this important election year. The DC Forum also offers opportunities to strengthen relationships with lawmakers and congressional staff visit with senior officials at a federal cabinet-level agency hear from special guest speakers focus on key issues that should always be on your radar hear more about AGRMs new Civic Pluralism project and renew friendships with fellow leaders. Jacksonville Is the Place to Be This June AGRMs annual convention is quickly approaching and the AGRM staff is putting the finishing touches on an incredible program. This years event themed Counter- Culture features opening day intensive seminars at Jack- sonvilles innovative Nonprofit Center an opening night concert at the citys historic Florida Theater and an evening outdoor concert at The Landing on Jacksonvilles beautiful riverfront. Of course well have AGRMs stellar General Sessions and popular networking time a full slate of education seminars in 12 tracks which have been refreshed this year and opportunities to meet with businesses and organizations that can help your missions ministry. The convention will be held June 710 at the Hyatt Regency Jack- sonville Riverfront. Youll appreciate the shopping along the riverfront and the citys acres of natural wonders. Whats more Jacksonville is known for its history dining for every taste the arts museums for every interest stunning sunrises and vibrant downtown. You wont want to miss this opportunity for education inspiration and connec- tion with your rescue mission peers. For the latest information on AGRMs involvement with the movie be sure to bookmark and frequently check www.agrm.orgsame-different or email AGRM Strategic Initiatives Architect Mark P. Fisher at mpfisheragrm.org. The call for entries begins March 15 and entry forms and competition rules are posted online for download at www.agrm.orgmic. The online entry form must be completed by April 15. If you have any questions please contact Director of Communications Brad Lewis at blewisagrm.org. Watch the April 1 issue of AGRMs e-newsletter Street Smart for a follow-up report on this years event. To learn more about all we have planned for you flip to the updated insert in the center of this issue of Rescue or find all kinds of details including how to register online at www.agrm.orgconvention. RE AGRMMarchApril 2016 62 Our New Look The issue of Rescue you hold in your hands is sporting a new look and feel. While a new design is fun our goal was more than just making the magazine prettier. We wanted to create a design that is driven by graphics and adds some room to breathe. To accomplish this weve added more pages and created a contemporary look we hope you will look forward to each issue. As always with the content of the magazine we hope both to inform and inspire you as you serve at your mission each day. Id love to hear your thoughts on the changes weve made. Please email me at blewisagrm.org and let me know what you think Always an honor to serve you Brad Lewis Director of Communications