December 2014 
Transforming Lives. Transforming Our City. PhoenixRescueMission.org 
INSIDE: 5Turkey Drive 
feeds Thousands! 
2The Main Thing 
6Winter 
Wonderland 
Gift Drive 
A Christmas of 
HOPE 
She was 
pregnant with nowhere 
to go. He was facing a prison 
sentence. They prayed for a miracle. 
Little did the Lopez Family know, 
the gift God gave to this 
world 2,000 years ago 
was also their 
HOPE. 
Their story begins 
inside on page 3
keeping the main thing, 
theMAINthing 
a message from Jay Cory, President and CEO 
This time of year, our Mission is 
consumed with events, food drives, 
preparing meals, meeting ever-increasing needs 
and celebrating Christ’s birth with our clients. To say Christmas time at the 
Phoenix Rescue Mission is busy is an understatement! But we do it all with 
joy and a thankful heart knowing our efforts have eternal significance. By 
God’s grace and the support of friends like you, we see lives transformed 
and new creations in Christ made here every day. 
I wanted to share the chart at the left side of the page to highlight how your 
friendship is continuing to meet the need at a time when Phoenix has one 
of the highest rates of homelessness in the nation. Together we are feeding; 
providing life-saving water; offering safe, nightly shelter; and witnessing to 
more men, women, and children in need than ever before! 
I want to thank you for making our mission possible. On behalf of all of us 
here at the Phoenix Rescue Mission, and from my heart, I want to wish 
you and your family a blessed and safe Christmas holiday! 
PHOENIX RESCUE MISSION & 
MUSIC SERVING THE WORD MINISTRIES 
PRESENT 
MUSIC WITH A MISSION 
A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY 
SATURDAY • DECEMBER 13, 2014 
5:00PM REGISTRATION • 5:30 - 6:15PM DINNER & JAZZ 
6:15PM MUSIC WITH A MISSION 
Hosted by 
NORTHERN HILLS COMMUNITY CHURCH 
2740 E. UNION HILLS DR., PHOENIX 85050 
RSVP required. Call or email Renee Soldanels at 602-346-3336 or 
rsoldanels@phoenixrescuemission.org 
MISSION 
MILEPOSTS 
MEALS SERVED 
341,526 
386,426 
2012 2013 2014 
BED NIGHTS OF 
SHELTER 
294,827 
49,689 
58,665 
79,456 
2012 2013 2014 
BOTTLES OF WATER 
DISTRIBUTED 
255,048 
332,695 
468,258 
2012 2013 2014 
WOMEN AND CHILDREN SERVED 
(CHANGING LIVES CENTER) 
22 Women 
20 Children 
83 Women 
44 Children 
169 Women 
87 Children 
2012 2013 2014
3 uan and Veronica were both introduced to drugs at a very 
early age. Juan started using marijuana when he was 10, 
progressed to pain-killers by the time he was 14 and 
started to sell at 16. Veronica lost her mom to suicide 
at 15, a tragedy that caused her to self-medicate with 
methamphetamine at age 16. But it wasn’t until they 
met at a friend’s house and started dating that their 
lives took a rapid downhill turn. 
J 
“We enabled each other’s addictions,” Juan says. 
“I introduced Veronica to pain-killers and Veronica 
introduced me to meth. Once you become dependent 
on either you have to use it every day or you feel 
awful… you don’t want to move, you’re weak and your 
body hurts everywhere... and now we were using both at the 
same time.” 
The pain drove Juan to do things he never imagined he would be capable of to keep 
them both high. He began to steal from stores, friends – even his own mother. 
Juan admits, “At that point 
we were numb to any kind of 
remorse, we didn’t really care 
who we were hurting as long as 
we could make the pain go away.” 
One by one they wore out 
their welcome with friends and 
family. Before long, Juan and 
Veronica found themselves living 
next to a canal in a tent they 
constructed out of bed sheets. 
Thank God 
the Phoenix Rescue Mission allowed my children in recovery. We looked at a lot of rehab centers have what this place offers - a chance for a find hope and a real Veronica remembers, “It was rock bottom. We would go days without eating. When we did 
have food, ants and other bugs would usually get to it before we did because we were too busy 
getting high. We smelled because we were washing in the dirty canal water… it was terrible. We 
didn’t know what to do, but we knew we didn’t want to stay here. So one night we sat together 
and prayed to God for help. Juan called his mother the next day and mercifully, she let us move 
back in.”
Their newfound convictions saw Juan and Veronica find sobriety over the 
next two weeks... but it didn’t last. Soon after their first son, Juan IV, was 
born they both went back to using. Something was missing. Something 
they both found at the Phoenix Rescue Mission. 
“We started to get high again and my run-ins with the law 
were catching up to me. God gave us one last chance through my 
parole officer. He said I could either get help at the Phoenix 
Rescue Mission or I could serve prison time…. the choice was 
obvious,” said Juan. “The counselors and staff have opened 
my eyes. They showed me how to give my troubles over to 
Jesus Christ, that God had a plan for my life and part of that 
plan included becoming the man He designed me to be for my 
family. I always knew there was a God but, for the first time, I had 
a real relationship and real hope in recovery.” 
One month later a pregnant Veronica entered the Changing Lives 
4 
Center. 
Today both are sober and by God’s grace their newest child, Mariposa, was born a healthy 5 
lbs, 14 ounces! 
Veronica admits, “If you had asked me to choose between sobriety and being 
with my children, I don’t think that is a choice I 
could make. Thank God the Phoenix Rescue 
Mission allowed my children to join me in 
recovery. We looked at a lot of rehab centers and 
none have what this place offers - a chance for a 
whole family to find hope and a real future.” 
That’s the real gift we celebrate on Christmas 
isn’t it? Jesus Christ represents our chance to start 
children to join me 
centers and none 
whole family to 
real future. 
over, to begin a journey from death into everlasting life. As 
Christians, it’s a truth we should never forget. Through your 
prayers and support, another family has been given a precious 
gift that not only promises a better future in this world, but also 
secures one in the next. Thank you helping make this Christmas 
a special one for the Lopez family and all the families we serve!
Turkey Drive 
Feeds 
THOUSANDS! 
5 
The Mission received 615 frozen turkeys donated by our 
friends to feed the hungry this Thanksgiving. 
PRM CEO Jay Cory (right) provides service with a smile at 
the Turkey Drive event. 
After lunch, guests received a guided tour of the Mission 
facilities, including the newly remodeled shower & 
bathroom facilities. 
Our annual Frozen Turkey Sunday, November 
9th, was a gobble of a good time – complete 
with food, live music and family fun! Our 
friends at Schuff Steel provided the enormous grill we 
needed to cook up some delicious BBQ and live music 
was played by The Hallelujah Blues Band. 
By the end of the day over 200 of our supporters 
attended and donated over 615 turkeys to feed the men, 
women, and children we serve during Thanksgiving! 
The week after the 
event, the turkeys 
continued to roll in, 
helping us meet our 
goal of 700 birds. 
At an average of four 
family members each, 
these 500 turkeys will 
touch the lives of over 
We cook 200 of 
those donated 
2,000 people! 
turkeys ourselves for 
Thanksgiving dinner 
at the shelter and at the Changing Lives Center. The 
other 500 turkeys are delivered directly to families in 
need across the valley. At an average of four family 
members each, these 500 turkeys will touch the lives of 
over 2,000 people! That’s on top of the hundred who 
walk through our serving line during Thanksgiving! 
We want to thank all of our friends who donated time 
and turkeys to make this day a huge success. Together 
we helped make this upcoming Thanksgiving special 
for the families we serve! 
Did you deliver a FIll-A-Box to a family this 
Thanksgiving? Share your photos on Facebook, 
Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #Feed- 
A-Family.
Participating stores are located 
in these convenient locations 
around the valley: 
1625 E. Glendale Ave. 
Phoenix, AZ 85020 
5665 W. Bell Rd. 
Glendale, AZ 85308 
8040 N. 19th Ave. 
Phoenix, AZ 85021 
Help us 
“Bag Hunger” 
this Christmas! 
Have a shopping list a mile long this Christmas? 
Rather than check it twice, sace time shopping for 
the Phoenix Rescue Mission by grabbing and giving 
canned food for families in need. 
Phoenix Rescue Mission has 
teamed up with Sprouts 
Farmers Markets to “Bag 
Hunger” this holiday season. 
From now until December 20th, 
select Sprouts locations have 
put together grocery bags filled with food items at a 
10% discount. Most bags cost around $10. Just pick 
out one of these specially marked bags, bring it to 
the checkout with the rest of your items and leave 
it with Sprouts to deliver to the Mission – it’s that 
simple! 
It’s never been easier or less expensive to give the 
gift of a full stomach this Christmas, and in doing so, 
offering the chance at a transformed life. Thank you 
and God bless! 
The Phoenix Rescue Mission will be 
hosting a Winter Wonderland event for the 
community on the morning of Saturday, 
December 20th. This event will allow 
parents to “shop” for their children for 
Christmas. Here are some of the most 
popular items needed: 
For Parents: Children will be able 
to “shop” for a gift for their parents 
as well. Suggestions include: 
• Household Items such as: Towels, 
Dishes, Blankets, Pans, Utensils, 
Pillows, Sheets. 
• Personal care items such as: 
Perfume, Wallets, Purses,Cologne, 
Nail Care Kits, body wash, jewelry 
For Teens: 
Arts & Crafts Items 
Skate Board 
Soccer Ball 
Football/Basketball 
Hair Accessories 
MP3-Player/CD Player 
Hand Held Game 
Roller Blades 
Make-Up/Grooming Kits 
For Tykes: 
Board Games 
Remote Control Cars 
Legos Sets 
Play Cash Register 
Princess Dress Up Kit 
Leap Frog Toys 
Train Set 
Elmo 
Toy cars 
All unwrapped gifts are due to the Phoenix Rescue Mission Donation Warehouse by Friday, 
December 13, 2014, 1468 N. 26th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85009. For more information contact 
the Volunteer Hotline at 602-346-3363 or volunteer@phoenixrescuemission.org 
To mail a gift: P.O. Box 6708 ~ Phoenix, AZ 85005-6708 
For shelter & meal service: 1801 S. 35th Avenue ~ Phoenix, AZ 85009 
602-233-3000 ~ www.phoenixrescuemission.org

Phoenix Rescue Mission - Monthly Newsletter - Dec 2014

  • 1.
    December 2014 TransformingLives. Transforming Our City. PhoenixRescueMission.org INSIDE: 5Turkey Drive feeds Thousands! 2The Main Thing 6Winter Wonderland Gift Drive A Christmas of HOPE She was pregnant with nowhere to go. He was facing a prison sentence. They prayed for a miracle. Little did the Lopez Family know, the gift God gave to this world 2,000 years ago was also their HOPE. Their story begins inside on page 3
  • 2.
    keeping the mainthing, theMAINthing a message from Jay Cory, President and CEO This time of year, our Mission is consumed with events, food drives, preparing meals, meeting ever-increasing needs and celebrating Christ’s birth with our clients. To say Christmas time at the Phoenix Rescue Mission is busy is an understatement! But we do it all with joy and a thankful heart knowing our efforts have eternal significance. By God’s grace and the support of friends like you, we see lives transformed and new creations in Christ made here every day. I wanted to share the chart at the left side of the page to highlight how your friendship is continuing to meet the need at a time when Phoenix has one of the highest rates of homelessness in the nation. Together we are feeding; providing life-saving water; offering safe, nightly shelter; and witnessing to more men, women, and children in need than ever before! I want to thank you for making our mission possible. On behalf of all of us here at the Phoenix Rescue Mission, and from my heart, I want to wish you and your family a blessed and safe Christmas holiday! PHOENIX RESCUE MISSION & MUSIC SERVING THE WORD MINISTRIES PRESENT MUSIC WITH A MISSION A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY SATURDAY • DECEMBER 13, 2014 5:00PM REGISTRATION • 5:30 - 6:15PM DINNER & JAZZ 6:15PM MUSIC WITH A MISSION Hosted by NORTHERN HILLS COMMUNITY CHURCH 2740 E. UNION HILLS DR., PHOENIX 85050 RSVP required. Call or email Renee Soldanels at 602-346-3336 or rsoldanels@phoenixrescuemission.org MISSION MILEPOSTS MEALS SERVED 341,526 386,426 2012 2013 2014 BED NIGHTS OF SHELTER 294,827 49,689 58,665 79,456 2012 2013 2014 BOTTLES OF WATER DISTRIBUTED 255,048 332,695 468,258 2012 2013 2014 WOMEN AND CHILDREN SERVED (CHANGING LIVES CENTER) 22 Women 20 Children 83 Women 44 Children 169 Women 87 Children 2012 2013 2014
  • 3.
    3 uan andVeronica were both introduced to drugs at a very early age. Juan started using marijuana when he was 10, progressed to pain-killers by the time he was 14 and started to sell at 16. Veronica lost her mom to suicide at 15, a tragedy that caused her to self-medicate with methamphetamine at age 16. But it wasn’t until they met at a friend’s house and started dating that their lives took a rapid downhill turn. J “We enabled each other’s addictions,” Juan says. “I introduced Veronica to pain-killers and Veronica introduced me to meth. Once you become dependent on either you have to use it every day or you feel awful… you don’t want to move, you’re weak and your body hurts everywhere... and now we were using both at the same time.” The pain drove Juan to do things he never imagined he would be capable of to keep them both high. He began to steal from stores, friends – even his own mother. Juan admits, “At that point we were numb to any kind of remorse, we didn’t really care who we were hurting as long as we could make the pain go away.” One by one they wore out their welcome with friends and family. Before long, Juan and Veronica found themselves living next to a canal in a tent they constructed out of bed sheets. Thank God the Phoenix Rescue Mission allowed my children in recovery. We looked at a lot of rehab centers have what this place offers - a chance for a find hope and a real Veronica remembers, “It was rock bottom. We would go days without eating. When we did have food, ants and other bugs would usually get to it before we did because we were too busy getting high. We smelled because we were washing in the dirty canal water… it was terrible. We didn’t know what to do, but we knew we didn’t want to stay here. So one night we sat together and prayed to God for help. Juan called his mother the next day and mercifully, she let us move back in.”
  • 4.
    Their newfound convictionssaw Juan and Veronica find sobriety over the next two weeks... but it didn’t last. Soon after their first son, Juan IV, was born they both went back to using. Something was missing. Something they both found at the Phoenix Rescue Mission. “We started to get high again and my run-ins with the law were catching up to me. God gave us one last chance through my parole officer. He said I could either get help at the Phoenix Rescue Mission or I could serve prison time…. the choice was obvious,” said Juan. “The counselors and staff have opened my eyes. They showed me how to give my troubles over to Jesus Christ, that God had a plan for my life and part of that plan included becoming the man He designed me to be for my family. I always knew there was a God but, for the first time, I had a real relationship and real hope in recovery.” One month later a pregnant Veronica entered the Changing Lives 4 Center. Today both are sober and by God’s grace their newest child, Mariposa, was born a healthy 5 lbs, 14 ounces! Veronica admits, “If you had asked me to choose between sobriety and being with my children, I don’t think that is a choice I could make. Thank God the Phoenix Rescue Mission allowed my children to join me in recovery. We looked at a lot of rehab centers and none have what this place offers - a chance for a whole family to find hope and a real future.” That’s the real gift we celebrate on Christmas isn’t it? Jesus Christ represents our chance to start children to join me centers and none whole family to real future. over, to begin a journey from death into everlasting life. As Christians, it’s a truth we should never forget. Through your prayers and support, another family has been given a precious gift that not only promises a better future in this world, but also secures one in the next. Thank you helping make this Christmas a special one for the Lopez family and all the families we serve!
  • 5.
    Turkey Drive Feeds THOUSANDS! 5 The Mission received 615 frozen turkeys donated by our friends to feed the hungry this Thanksgiving. PRM CEO Jay Cory (right) provides service with a smile at the Turkey Drive event. After lunch, guests received a guided tour of the Mission facilities, including the newly remodeled shower & bathroom facilities. Our annual Frozen Turkey Sunday, November 9th, was a gobble of a good time – complete with food, live music and family fun! Our friends at Schuff Steel provided the enormous grill we needed to cook up some delicious BBQ and live music was played by The Hallelujah Blues Band. By the end of the day over 200 of our supporters attended and donated over 615 turkeys to feed the men, women, and children we serve during Thanksgiving! The week after the event, the turkeys continued to roll in, helping us meet our goal of 700 birds. At an average of four family members each, these 500 turkeys will touch the lives of over We cook 200 of those donated 2,000 people! turkeys ourselves for Thanksgiving dinner at the shelter and at the Changing Lives Center. The other 500 turkeys are delivered directly to families in need across the valley. At an average of four family members each, these 500 turkeys will touch the lives of over 2,000 people! That’s on top of the hundred who walk through our serving line during Thanksgiving! We want to thank all of our friends who donated time and turkeys to make this day a huge success. Together we helped make this upcoming Thanksgiving special for the families we serve! Did you deliver a FIll-A-Box to a family this Thanksgiving? Share your photos on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #Feed- A-Family.
  • 6.
    Participating stores arelocated in these convenient locations around the valley: 1625 E. Glendale Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85020 5665 W. Bell Rd. Glendale, AZ 85308 8040 N. 19th Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85021 Help us “Bag Hunger” this Christmas! Have a shopping list a mile long this Christmas? Rather than check it twice, sace time shopping for the Phoenix Rescue Mission by grabbing and giving canned food for families in need. Phoenix Rescue Mission has teamed up with Sprouts Farmers Markets to “Bag Hunger” this holiday season. From now until December 20th, select Sprouts locations have put together grocery bags filled with food items at a 10% discount. Most bags cost around $10. Just pick out one of these specially marked bags, bring it to the checkout with the rest of your items and leave it with Sprouts to deliver to the Mission – it’s that simple! It’s never been easier or less expensive to give the gift of a full stomach this Christmas, and in doing so, offering the chance at a transformed life. Thank you and God bless! The Phoenix Rescue Mission will be hosting a Winter Wonderland event for the community on the morning of Saturday, December 20th. This event will allow parents to “shop” for their children for Christmas. Here are some of the most popular items needed: For Parents: Children will be able to “shop” for a gift for their parents as well. Suggestions include: • Household Items such as: Towels, Dishes, Blankets, Pans, Utensils, Pillows, Sheets. • Personal care items such as: Perfume, Wallets, Purses,Cologne, Nail Care Kits, body wash, jewelry For Teens: Arts & Crafts Items Skate Board Soccer Ball Football/Basketball Hair Accessories MP3-Player/CD Player Hand Held Game Roller Blades Make-Up/Grooming Kits For Tykes: Board Games Remote Control Cars Legos Sets Play Cash Register Princess Dress Up Kit Leap Frog Toys Train Set Elmo Toy cars All unwrapped gifts are due to the Phoenix Rescue Mission Donation Warehouse by Friday, December 13, 2014, 1468 N. 26th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85009. For more information contact the Volunteer Hotline at 602-346-3363 or volunteer@phoenixrescuemission.org To mail a gift: P.O. Box 6708 ~ Phoenix, AZ 85005-6708 For shelter & meal service: 1801 S. 35th Avenue ~ Phoenix, AZ 85009 602-233-3000 ~ www.phoenixrescuemission.org