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ACCESSIBILITY W hen it comes to accessibility mis- sion organizations and staff are intentional about inviting commu- nity members onto the mission campus as well as going off campus themselves. They get behind microphones give others the stage and embrace being gracious hosts. In the midst of everyday logistics showing hos- pitality and being a gracious host is a multifaceted priority in facilitating community connections through accessibility. Tours open houses and special events routinely fill a missions hospitality bucket. If the event includes a drawing Executive Director Cherise Merrick at Bread of Life Mission in Holbrook Arizona often asks a community leader in attendance to pull the ticket. Invitations go out for volunteer experiences and shared meals at mission facilities. Our newly elected mayor and his family came and served our Thanksgiving meal says Penny Kievet executive director of City Rescue Mission in Jacksonville Florida. At Dallas LIFE Homeless Shelter in Texas staff members invite the neighborhood associations leadership team to have lunch with them at the shelter. This has resulted in them asking our opinion on things affecting our neighborhood and asking us to speak at their meetings says Executive Director Bob Sweeney. And missions also let other organizations use building space. We actively participate in numerous community groups and are a key site for hosting many of their meetings says Jay Cory presidentCEO of Phoenix Rescue Mission. Law enforcement departments regularly hold meetings on City Rescue Missions main campus in Jacksonville and Penny says her mission has opened its doors to specific community projects. City Rescue Mission also provided the building space for a city-run day center three-year project she adds. Whether its for the benefit of one or more for leaders or laymen or for serving or learning gracious hosting creates intentional accessibility to the community through which friendships are forged and connections are made. Asking community leaders to be guest speakers at mission events gives people in the community a chance to see those at the mission in a different light. These leaders will gain new perspectives and perceptions about the mission its work and the people who come there. The most powerful thing we have done to help us build bridges to the government community leaders and other agencies is to actively recruit them as public speakers at events that bring them into intimate contact with line staff and program clients says Chad Audi president of Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries. When they deliver words of encouragement wisdom and exhorta- tion to our various program graduates and see the responsiveness of their listeners it has made these leaders even more passionate and focused on retaining our clients faces in the forefront of their minds when they work to support services and solutions that will help the clients. Just as community leaders come on-site mis- sion leaders go off-site to speak. I visit each evangelical church every year prior to the areas biggest fundraiser making sure all of them know what the Good Samaritan Mission is doing says Executive Director Chuck Fidroeff of the Wyoming mission. Ken Carroll executive directorCEO at Modesto Gospel Mission in California says We participate with city council by bringing the invocation on occasion. Microphones also carry the testimony of Gods work in the lives of students guests and clients across the airwaves in meetings and on stage. Students at Faith City Mission in Texas share 44 WWW.AGRM.ORG MAYJUNE 2016 Asking community leaders to be guest speakers at mission events gives people in the community a chance to see those at the mission in a different light.