Waterfront Rescue Mission exists thanks to private donations. We are always searching for new avenues of fundraising and community involvement, too. But sometimes the avenue by which that funding arrives can surprise us and give us hope for the next generation of philanthropists. And it can just put a big old smile on our faces.
Claire Jimenez is 14. She has a heart for her community, and her enthusiasm is contagious. With some of her friends, she formed a group called the Volunteens. They look for opportunities to be a blessing to their not-so-blessed neighbors, to the have-nots, to the underprivileged. And in October, Claire decided they’d help Waterfront Rescue Mission.
They set up a table to collect donations in front of Apple Market, and then went door to door in Claire’s neighborhood. They asked that people help Waterfront Rescue Mission feed the homeless on Thanksgiving, that we needed turkeys, stuffing, rolls, all the fixin’s to make Thanksgiving thankful. They took time that could have gone to any of a dozen things that we all do to relax and distract ourselves, and instead they went and collected money to make lives better for others. And they raised over $1,000.
To put that in perspective, Waterfront Rescue Mission is currently experiencing a budget shortfall of $255,000. If there were 250 more people like Claire, we’d be caught up. $255,000 equates to 1,200 meals, 350 nights of shelter, and 23 men in our Recovery Program and Career Development Program.
