Back in March, the harsh realities of COVID-19 began to hit cities and communities throughout the US. As COVID-19 began to take hold, our Leadership Team was faced with tough decisions regarding program policies and how to best address homelessness during a pandemic.

With an ever-changing environment and a need to protect the health of our students and staff, our Program Directors made the difficult decision to close our Emergency Overnight Shelter for Women & Children.

This was a tough choice, but one that helped maintain the health of EVERYONE at the Rescue Mission. Through your support, God’s provision, and the hard work of our staff, we are grateful to remain COVID-free at the Mission!

After months of diligent work, we are glad to announce that our Emergency Overnight Shelter for Women & Children is now open! To meet COVID-19 guidelines, the Rescue Mission opened up additional space to allow social distancing for up to 60 women and children who will stay at the shelter overnight.

During the closure, the Mission was extremely blessed to REMODEL our Emergency Shelter Bathrooms, adding additional showers and toilets as well as changing areas for privacy to better serve our homeless! We are elated to have completed this project in such a short time and now provide a better experience for our guests.

“Showering is a private and vulnerable time for everyone, even if a person does not have a history of experiencing trauma. Our new bathrooms provide a more Trauma-Informed structure and process that promotes safety and supports the healing process,” explains Ashley Brown, Director of Nueva Vida Haven.

Thanks to your support and generous gifts from The Stewardship Foundation and Rancho Santa Fe Women’s Fund, the remodel was made possible. We are extremely grateful for this partnership to address the needs of some of the most vulnerable people in our community.