Youth Ministry
Circle of Love is a youth at risk project of the Montgomery Rescue Mission. The mission partners with the Montgomery Housing Authority to provide programs that educate at risk youth on non violence, drug awareness and self esteem an spiritual awareness. See video DeFAIM De’Fine Art In Me is a youth program through the mission. Provides visual art programs teaching basic art, dance and theater. Over 50 children from each housing district participate in the free programs provided by volunteers. The reward for finishing the 4 week program awards children and their parents with a free production broad way show. This is a video of an art class at Smiley Court Community Center [pro-player width='320' height='280' autostart='true' type='FLV']http://montgomeryrescuemission.org/YOUTH.flv[/pro-player]
Our Daily Bread
Our Daily Bread serves men, women and children in need hot meals on a daily basis. The mission’s serves Monday – Sunday from 4:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Due to the economy the mission has experienced a spike in the number of people needing food. Since 2007 number of meals served has doubled. On a daily basis Our Daily Bread serves over 350 meals. The Mission is a partner of the Montgomery Food Bank. In 2008, The Montgomery Rescue Mission gave over 1 million pounds of food away to the public.
CCBM
Chaplain Curtis Browder Prison Ministry provides prison revivals in 9 correctional facilities throughout the state of Alabama beginning in March ending in September of each year. CCBMprovide barbecue’s dinner that serves each inmate bbq chicken, with two sides and a roll. After each meal Chaplain Browder and his team ministers the word of God through biblical scriptures. Chaplain Curtis Browder’s goal is simple. Feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, take a stranger in, clothe the naked and visit those in prison. The Great Commission found in Matthew 25:35-36. In 1991 Chaplain Browder (Chap), established Faith Crusades Ministries through a street project called ”Stop the Violence.” A team of ministers took on the streets at midnight attacking crack and other substances in infiltrating the streets of Montgomery. As Alabama’s first black prison Chaplain he understands the need for after care facilities for ex-ofenders and the importance of meeting the needs of the whole man. Nearly 20 years later , Faith Crusades/Montgomery Rescue Mission serves the homeless, battered women, substance abusers, at risk youth and the working poor. Serving over 200 meals daily. The mission’s prison team under Chaplain Browder’s direction conducts prison revivals every summer ministering to over 9,000 inmates in the ...
On Going Projects
The Montgomery Rescue Mission has numerous ongoing projects in need of volunteers. No Place Like Home- Rehabbing delimited homes in underserved communities. Providing first time home buyers a chance to their own home. The program also encourages community participation. Got Lunch Money? Volunteers from local schools collect can goods and lunch money from the community strategically placed at various business locations. Food Distribution and Assembly- Providing incarcerated men and women hygiene products during Christmas holidays. Montgomery Rescue Mission's orphanage named Faith Crusade of Haiti serves underprivileged children in Haiti. Over 150 children receive clothing, hot meals and education in Del Mar 33 in Haiti. Monetary donations exceed over 25,000 a month to the impoverished community to help with orphaned children.
Faith Crusade of Haiti
The Montgomery Rescue Mission and partners from Tuskegee, Birmingham, Chilton County, and Prattville joined for the first Haiti Recovery meeting on Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 5:45 p.m. Also in attendance members from the mission’s board of directors, military personnel, foster care providers, a native Haitian couple, and a veterinarian student, former Iraqi soldier along with doctors, nurses and pharmacists answered the clarion call to serve the people of Haiti. No News from HaitiGood News From Haiti[pro-player width='300' height='230' type='video' image='http://montgomeryrescuemission.org/Haiti1.png']http://montgomeryrescuemission.org/No news from Haiti.flv[/pro-player][pro-player width='300' height='230' type='video' image='http://montgomeryrescuemission.org/Haiti2.png']http://montgomeryrescuemission.org/Good news from Haiti.flv[/pro-player]Staff members from the mission set up a mock recovery village equipped with 2 room tents capable of accommodating 3-6 people, cots, and the mission’s mobile kitchen was also on display for viewing. The meeting began with a brief overview of the Montgomery Rescue Mission’s ongoing services with a video presentation showing children from Haiti requesting help from the mission. An email from Bishop Andre was read aloud stating “the situation is very bad.” The email asked for food, clothes, shoes, nurses, medicine, vehicles’, doctors and money. He also asked us to come to Haiti and informed us that the children and his family were safe.Chaplain Curtis Browder discussed the three ...
Temporary Housing
Transitional Housing for Men Transitional Living Program 3months -2 yrs. Faith Care Home for Men is located at 529 Sayre Street. The home houses 45 men in need of temporary and long term shelter. During the Transitional Living Phase, men continue to reside at the Mission while they work to obtain permanent employment, save needed start up funds, seek affordable housing, and continue educational and vocational development. Transitional Housing for Ex-offenders The Montgomery Rescue Mission purchased 10 trailers from FEMA to house homeless men and women in need of temporary shelter until individuals find permanent housing. This site holds up to 30 people. Emergency Temporary Housing for Women in Crisis Located at undisclosed location The Montgomery Rescue Mission houses up to 10 women in need of temporary shelter. The mission serves women in crisis from various circumstances including domestic violence, drug rehabilitation and homelessness. Genesis Project is a HUD funded project of the Montgomery Rescue Mission and Faith Crusade. The mission obtained 12 apartment units for homeless clients seeking assistance. The programs give clients up to 2 years to become self suffcient providing life skills and financial planning classes for each client.
I Speak Life
Death Row Ministry: No longer Death Row but “Life Row” – No longer condemn to die but sentence to life- Minister Antonia Osborne, Chaplain Curtis Browder and the Prison Team visits death row inmates at Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama. This team shares the good news of Jesus Christ through live services, monthly biblical calendars, biblical word find puzzles, and DVDS with a look at the outside world with musical and spiritual teachings. EXCERPTS FROM LETTERS FROM “LIFE ROW”LETTER RECEIVED 3 DAYS BEFORE EXECUTION:LETTER RECEIVED A MONTH OF EXECUTION DATE:
You Will Always Have the Poor Among You
"Waiting on Momma" The Montgomery Rescue Mission Food Giveaway
Every Friday, the Montgomery Rescue Mission serves over 250 people in need of food. We have seen an increase of senior citizens, families and disabled veterans attending our weekley food giveaways.
More than one in four Alabama children live in poverty — a figure that has jumped since the recession began in 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau said Tuesday. In 2010, 27.4 percent of children age 18 and under in Alabama lived in poverty. The percentage was 23.6 percent in 2007.
Surban counties had the highest median households incomes and lowest rates of child poverty, in the new Census report. Alabama’s Black Belt counties were largely nestled at the bottom of the rankings.
Shelby County had the lowest child poverty rate in 2010, at 13.2 percent; followed by Autauga County, at 17.5 percent; and Madison County, at 18 percent.
Dallas County had the highest child poverty rate, at 56.5 percent. Perry County was next, at 54.3 percent. The counties had the third- and second-highest rates, respectively, for poverty among all ages. Shelby County had the highest median household income in the state, at $67,135. Madison County was next, at $54,633; and third was Autauga County, at $53,049. Wilcox County had the lowest median household income, at $21,611. Next to last was Perry County, at $24,742. Nationally, the poverty rate for school-aged children increased significantly in 20 percent of U.S. counties between 2007 and 2010. Nearly one in five, or 19.8 percent, of school children were living in poverty in 2010, the Census report said.
Alabama is ranked 9th among the 10 Poorest States In The Union Alabama
Median income: $42,218
Poverty rate: 16.1 percent (tied for 9th highest)
Without health insurance: 14.4 percent (21st highest)
Unemployment rate: 10.0 percent (10th highest)
Alabama has one of the worst poverty rates in the country. Combined with an unemployment rate of 10 percent and a median income of just $42,000, state residents are not in very good shape. State Governor Robert Bentley, acknowledging the dire circumstances state residents face, has begun a “road to economic recovery” campaign aimed at creating jobs in order to pull the state out of depression. In an interview in the Andalusia Star News, Bentley says he hoped to create 10,000 new jobs by the end of the year, but that it would be challenging.
Just because Mark 14:7 tell us, “the poor you will always have with you,…”that does not mean we should not work to abolish poverty or ease hunger’s pain.
*Ten Poorest States in the Union- Theblaze.com
Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses?
On Saturday, December 17, 2011, we attended an immigration rally at the state capital in downtown Montgomery, Alabama. Members of the NAACP, Southern Poverty Law Center, and Alabama Rise were among organizers and a diverse group supporters attended.
A 13 year old child named Joselene spoke candidally about her mother fleeing to Mexico after HB 56 passage into law this past summer. Before her mother’s departure she instructed Joselene to, “Never give up! You must believe that you will be the first in our family to graduate from high school and go to college.” Joselens’ tearful plea to Governor Bentley was both compelling and heart wrenching, “Please Governor Bentley, repel House Bill 56, I want to be with my family again.”
Jose Martinez, a Mexican-American and Vietnam Veteran captivated the crowd by holding a sign that read, “WE ARE THE NEW BLACKS”. He caused a flurry of mixed emotions that overwhelmed myself and many others. I was determined to get a clear understanding regarding this statement. It was a sensitive subject to tackle because history recorded ‘”BLACKS” enduring police dogs, raging fire hydrants, and angry whites chanting derogatory words at defenseless BLACK AMERICANS while governing officials proclaimed segregation today, segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever! After a brief conversation we agreed to disagree but found common ground in that HB56 is mean spirited, racists and according to Governor Bentley, needs to be “simplified and clarified.”
While Alabama continues to parade itself on the national stage as backwards and unwelcoming, one would surmise that Alabama and its public officials are unwilling to confront its past and unable to amend laws and policies. ONLY one elected official decided to show his support to repel HB56, Senator Bill Beasley. Sen. Beasley (D) called upon Governor Bentley to Simplify and Clarify HB56 and to “stand with us by joining the fight.”
Martiza Hernadez, a native of Nicaragua and manager of the Bargain Center Thrift Store on Mount Meigs Road is a member of the Montgomery Rescue Mission extended family for over 14 years. We are proud to announce that Martiza received her nationalization this past summer and she is a proud American citizen.
The Montgomery Rescue Mission is committed to serving a community made up of poor immigrants, a evanescent middle class and undocumented homeless ALABAMANS.
So much for, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free… JUST NOT IN ALABAMA!”
Photos by Kippy Tate 