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Thanks For Giving

“When you interact with our homeless community,

you see what a blessing a shower is.”

— Marilyn O’Bryan , Volunteer

“Good morning, do you need a shower today? And how about any laundry— do you have laundry that needs to be cleaned?” Asked Marilyn O’Bryan, one of the volunteers who helps care for the basic needs of the residents here at Water Street. As three homeless

women stand around Marilyn with their bags of laundry, two women elect to use the showers. Taking a heavy laundry bag from one of the woman’s hands,

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Marilyn says in a motherly tone, “You can’t carry that; you’re pregnant!” At fourteen weeks, Tanya* concedes to letting Marilyn carry her bag of clothes. Together they walk to the shower and laundry rooms, where Marilyn begins loads of laundry as the women get to refresh.

“When you interact with our homeless community, you see what a blessing a shower is,” says Marilyn as she’s opening a new pack of razors and organizing shampoo and conditioner.

Everyday men and women without a home – who sometimes sleep in their car – arrive at the Community Homeless Outreach Center, the day shelter at Water Street, to get off the streets. They have access to Life Coaches who will provide them with individual options for getting help, computers, a phone, coffee, water, breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“When you put yourself in their shoes, you realize no one else is going to do this for them,” says Marilyn as she throws a load of wet clothing into the dryer. By now the first group of women is finished with their

showers. As they walk back to the day shelter looking rejuvenated, they thank Marilyn for being there. Some are wearing the same clothing they arrived in, but that’s a superfluous observation upon realizing the essential value of a hot shower when you have no place to call home.

When she first began volunteering, Marilyn recognized the towels and washcloths were old. She leaned into her church community and they collected about 400 new towels and washcloths. Today those new supplies are distributed around Water Street so all guests who come here for shelter have soft fluffy towels and washcloths.

As Marilyn folds a faded pair of jeans with holes in the pockets, she shares her perspective on how she is helping people move out of homelessness, “I think I’m helping make their lives a little easier while they’re here at the shelter. When someone struggles with their self-worth and they see someone give of their time and resources they feel valued.”

As Marilyn gives a hair dryer to a homeless woman, she says, “I feel blessed and so I want to give back.”

From all of us at Water Street, thank you to the thousands of volunteers who give their time and talents to serve the homeless. •

*Names have been changed to provide anonymity to our guests.

Water Street Client Gives back

Scott knows what it’s like to spend a Thanksgiving holiday eating a traditional turkey dinner at the Water Street dining hall. Scott came to the Mission after his struggle with alcohol landed him a DUI and 90 days in jail.

“When I showed up at Water Street my counselor gave me a huge hug, which I thought was really fake, but then I learned that people really cared about me,”

because of Donors and volunteers

homeless served since July 2014

Homeless Sheltered

1,600People given shelter

medical Care Provided

950People living in poverty received medical and dental care.

Hot meals Served

400Hot meals served daily

Scott said. As he looks back on his journey through the Mission, he said the biggest life lesson he learned is how to love others—even how to love himself. This is his motivation to give back through volunteering.

Today he finds joy in helping to serve other families in need. Every Thanksgiving season since leaving Water Street, Scott Willow has returned to help pack Thanksgiving Day boxes for families living in poverty in Lancaster City. “I join hundreds of volunteers as we sort thousands of pounds of food and then pack up boxes with ingredients to serve a Thanksgiving meal to families.“•

Lebanon Daily News • Fulton Bank Lebanon County

Occupational Athletics, Inc. • Bath Fitter

Thank You To our 2014 SponSorS

october 19 – December 20

Visit

rescuemissionFoodDrive.org

for more information.

A message from JackBy Jack Crowley

Interim President, Water Street Ministries

The impact and presence of volunteers at Water Street is impossible to calculate. We can count numbers and hours, but what Marilyn said in the cover story of this Messenger is the heartbeat of volunteer impact, “[When] they see someone give of their time and resources, they feel valued.”

The world consistently tells our guests at Water Street they are worthless, but we know in God’s eyes, they are of the greatest value. The time, service and support given by Marilyn, Scott, and our many volunteers communicate to our guests that they are genuinely valued. Your donations and gifts, which keep the doors open, tell our guests they are loved and known. When a person emerging from homelessness truly understands his or her value in the eyes of God they can develop the confidence to not only change for the better, but to help others as well. Thank you for being a part of showing our guests their value! •

Give Today $3.58MDid you know that 99% of our funding comes from individuals just like you? This holiday season give a gift that transforms a life. Will you partner with us in meeting the goal to raise $3,580,000 by December 31, 2014?

To make a donation today, use the enclosed envelope or visit wsm.org/donate. Please call Sharon at (717) 358-2028 with questions or to donate over the phone.

Thank you!

our ApologiesRecently an unnecessary mailing went out to many of our loyal givers—those who have helped fund amazing life transformation that happens for thousands of homeless men, women and children here at the Mission. That mailing was our mistake, and for that we humbly express our sincere apologies. Thank you for your grace and for being a faithful donor!

14WSM11

MARTIN H. BAER CHARITABLE TRUST

S U P P O R T O U R O R G A N I Z A T I O N D U R I N G

N O V E M B E R 2 1 E X T R A G I V E . O R G

On November 21, donate online at ExtraGive.org and your

generous gift will be stretched by $250,000 from the

Lancaster County Community Foundation and sponsors.

Plus, just by donating, you could help us win EXTRA from

the $50,000 prize pool!

We hope you’re looking forward to November 21 as much as we are! The

Extraordinary Give is a fun, inspiring, community-wide event, and we’re delighted

that you’ve decided to participate.

Our goal is to provide all the tools necessary to make the Extraordinary Give easy

for your organization and effective in meeting your awareness and fundraising

goals. You’ll find that we’ve put together a series of digital and print resources

to make the Extraordinary Give as successful as possible. All digital resources

are available at ExtraGive.org, and print resources will be mailed directly to your

organization. Additionally, you’ll find that we’ve suggested a timeline for promoting

the Extraordinary Give, sample event ideas and sample promotional language.

As always, feel free to contact the Community Foundation staff with questions or

ideas at EXTRAGIVEINFO@LANCFOUND.ORG or 717.397.1629.

T O O U R E X T R A O R D I N A R Y G I V E O R G A N I Z A T I O N S

P R I N T T O O L K I T( M A I L E D T O Y O U R O R G A N I Z A T I O N )

• Extraordinary Give Poster

• Extraordinary Give Stickers

• Extraordinary Give Brochure

• “I Gave Extraordinary” Sign

• Newsletter Materials (can be used in

an email, newsletter, website, etc.)

• Vertical - 3.75 in. x 6 in.

• Horizontal - 7.5 in. x 2.75 in.

• Extraordinary Give logos (square,

horizontal, and black & white)

• Facebook Cover Photo

• Promotional Video

• Extraordinary Give Marketing Webinar

D I G I T A L T O O L K I T( F O U N D A T E X T R A G I V E . O R G )

- T H E C O M M U N I T Y F O U N D A T I O N T E A M

MARTIN H. BAER CHARITABLE TRUST

RESOURCES AVAILABLE

N O V E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 4 E X T R A G I V E . O R G

This Thanksgiving and Christmas season we value your food and clothing donations.

Drop-off Clothing Donations:monday —Friday andfirst Sat of the month10am —2pmat the Collection Center191 Conestoga Street

Drop-off Food Donations:monday —Saturday6am —6pmat the Food Loading Dock210 South Prince Street

Holiday Giving and volunteering

Interested in volunteering during the holidays? Visit wsm.org /volunteer to get involved. •

Support Water Street during LancaSter’S one-day onLine giving event.

Great Thanksgiving Dinner On November 26, Water Street Ministries will be serving a traditional Thanksgiving meal to hundreds of homeless in the community. To donate food for this meal visit wsm.org/needs.

Stuff A buggyOn November 22, WLAN FM 97 and Water Street will be collecting groceries to serve during the holidays. Join us at Stauffers of Kissel Hill on Rohrerstown Rd. from 10am-4pm and help feed the hungry.