Dear Friend,

 

There is something comforting about Christmas traditions. The tree goes in its familiar place, favorite songs return and decorations appear. We know what to expect, and that familiarity is part of what makes Christmas special.

 

At the Milwaukee Rescue Mission, the men, women and children who come to us for help can count on a warm Christmas welcome! Decorations go up, carols fill the air, a special meal is prepared and wrapped gifts are shared. Our guests don’t always have these comforts before coming here, but we aim to give them a joyful Christmas experience when they walk through our doors.

 

That nurturing extends beyond the Christmas season with hot meals and shelter from the cold throughout the winter months. It also includes counseling, classes, accountability and daily encouragement as our neighbors take steps toward rebuilding their lives.

 

As we celebrate Christ’s birth and share the true meaning of Christmas, I’m reminded of the importance of welcoming our neighbors as we would welcome Christ Himself. Through God’s grace and your generosity, that welcome continues — not only at Christmas, but every day!

 

Thank you for helping make these Christmas celebrations possible. Thanks to your generosity, neighbors can count on that welcome throughout the year. May God bless you with a Christmas filled with comfort and joy!

 

Gratefully,

Patrick H. Vanderburgh, D.Min., President

 

P.S. We also have exciting news for 2027! We are preparing to expand New Journey, our Christian addiction recovery program for men. A new campus will give us room to support more men from throughout the region as they pursue lasting sobriety and their God-given purpose. There is much to do, and I look forward to sharing updates as these plans take shape.

Dear Friend,

 

There’s something about Thanksgiving that always brings me back to what matters most. It’s one of the few days when we really stop and say out loud that we are grateful. And I think it’s one of the most God-focused days we have.

 

Because gratitude has to go somewhere. It has to be directed to someone. And when I think of everything happening here at MRM, my first instinct is always: thanks to God.

 

When that vertical focus is in place, the horizontal follows naturally. Gratitude for God’s goodness spills over — into neighbors, into community and into the work we share together.

 

That’s what I see here at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission every Thanksgiving. And it is, truly, remarkable!

 

Neighbors come to us hungry and hurting. A meal, a safe place to sleep — both are real and necessary. But there’s a third dimension, and it’s the best part: the life change that begins when someone encounters God’s restoring love and says “yes” to a new life. For 133 years, we’ve seen this happen time and time again.

 

Many of our volunteers have seen it, too. They show up on Thanksgiving morning because the joy they experience from serving others keeps bringing them back.

 

This is a place filled with thankful people. We know where every good thing comes from. And I am grateful to God for your part in helping our struggling neighbors at Thanksgiving and throughout the year.

 

What God does with a willing heart — year after year — is truly remarkable!

 

Gratefully,

Patrick H. Vanderburgh, D.Min., President

Dear Friend,

 

When I think about what “love in action” really means, I think about you.

 

It’s one thing to care. It’s another to actually do something — to give, to show up, to keep showing up. That’s what friends like you do, and it’s something I’m grateful for every day.

 

Summer is a busy season, and it’s a wonderful time of year. Vacations, gatherings, long evenings. And yet, in the middle of all of it, so many of you are still thinking of our neighbors who are hurting. That encourages us more than I can say!

 

Because the need doesn’t slow down in summer, and neither does the work. Students from our Cross Trainers Academy community are coming through our doors all summer long. Some are here for City Camp — part summer day camp, part vacation Bible school — where they stay connected to teachers and friends who genuinely care. Others are in summer school, working hard to catch up and step into the next grade with confidence. The vast majority of them do just that.

 

Boys and girls find something here that goes beyond grades. They find a community that’s rooting for them and a safe place to belong.

 

I’m also grateful for those taking part in our summer match. It’s a real lifeline — and a reminder of just how many friends like you care so deeply for our struggling neighbors this time of year.

 

Scripture explains “love in action” clearly. 1 John 3:18 (ESV): “… let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”

 

That’s what you do. Thank you!

Dear Friend,

What do men, women and children expect to find when they come to the Milwaukee Rescue Mission? First, they know they’ll find a nutritious meal and safe shelter. Next, many will find an opportunity to rebuild what’s broken in their lives. But, what many don’t expect, and often find in surprising ways, is joy!

 

I remember Samuel, a participant in our New Journey program. He greatly appreciated all the care you helped provide. Every day, he grew more confident and closer to God. Then, on his birthday, we celebrated with a small cake and a card everyone signed. It didn’t take a lot of effort, but it was a very big deal to Samuel. He was 43 years old, and he told us it was the first time anybody had given him a birthday cake. You should’ve seen the smile on his face! (And I’m willing to bet he still has that card.)

 

Whether it’s recovery from addiction, finding permanent housing — or acknowledging a birthday — you give us so much to celebrate here at MRM. The hurting neighbors who come through our doors feel like they matter, often for the first time in years. By the time they graduate from one of our programs, they have found new life and grown in their love for Jesus Christ, much like Trodavous did, who you can read about in this issue of Transformed.

 

There are still many in our community who need food and shelter, support to get back into the workforce, restored relationships with their families and community … and knowledge that they are loved. Through God’s grace and your generosity, they can find all that and joy at MRM!

Dear Friend,

With God, all things are possible. I hold this truth close because Scripture tells us so — and because I see the “impossible” happen every day at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission.

I’m reminded of Ezekiel’s vision in the valley of dry bones. God asked him to speak life into what seemed lifeless, and because of his faith and obedience, the Lord raised a mighty army. What looks impossible to us is never impossible for God.

Since He could bring life from dry bones, and since He could conquer death through the cross, He can — and does — transform lives that the world may disregard. Miracles aren’t just stories from the Bible. By God’s grace, and through your faithful support, they are happening right here, right now at MRM.

You may notice neighbors in our city who are struggling with homelessness or addiction. Their journeys have been difficult, and they carry a heavy burden. But each one is deeply valued, full of potential and never beyond God’s redeeming love.

Like the bones in Ezekiel’s vision, these precious souls are ready for new life. When they experience compassion, nourishment and hear the good news of the Gospel, hope takes root. God’s grace renews them, offering new life — both now and eternally — through Christ’s resurrection. This is the true promise of Easter!

Thank you for being a vital part of this life-changing work and for helping bring hope where it’s needed most. Your kindness makes life transformation possible.

Wishing you a joyful and blessed Easter season,

Patrick H. Vanderburgh, D.Min., President

As we’re now a few weeks into the new year, I miss the light the holidays usher in. My mother-in-law actually still has her Christmas tree up. In fact, she leaves it up all year because she loves Christmas so much. Every now and then, she goes into the room to look at it and enjoy a little cheer. It reminds her of the joy of celebrating Jesus’ birth.

 

I understand how she feels, especially at this time of year. The holidays are behind us, the lights and decorations are all down for most of us. The days are short, and the nights are long, and winter is here in full force.

 

We all could use a little warmth and light right now — especially the men, women and children who come to the Milwaukee Rescue Mission for help. Thank you for helping to make this past holiday season a special time of comfort and joy for our neighbors who were hungry, hurting or homeless. You provided compassion when they really needed it!

 

The need is still great as we begin this new year, and we serve our most vulnerable neighbors. I hope they can count on your continued generosity today and in the months ahead. With God’s grace, you can help those who are struggling find shelter in the storms of life and rebuild what’s broken in their lives.

 

Even though Christmas is behind us, we continue to celebrate the arrival of Jesus Christ among us because He is the light of the world — a light that always shines in the hearts where He dwells. God bless you and yours in this new year!

Dr. Patrick H. Vanderburgh, President

There’s a Christmas song that begins, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” For many of us, it is. But it can be a depressing time for men, women and children struggling with hunger and homelessness. When a neighbor in need comes to the Milwaukee Rescue Mission at Christmas time, big holiday meals and presents under the tree are often just a wish or distant memory.

Thanks to you, they can make new memories that are joyful in their own way.

I’ll never forget one family staying in Joy House, our shelter for women and children. Right before Christmas, the kids came down with chickenpox. Of course, we had to quarantine mom and the kids in their room. On Christmas Day, we were still able to provide the family a delicious Christmas dinner and gifts, and in spite of the quarantine, the mom smiled and told staff, “This is the best Christmas I can remember.”

What a great reminder that is for all of us this Christmas season. We might think being in a homeless shelter, quarantined with sick kids, is a disaster. But for this mom, MRM was probably the safest, most peaceful place she’d been in a long time. That peace was God’s good and perfect gift to her right then.

Peace isn’t the only gift our neighbors find at MRM. There’s hope. Many can’t see beyond the next five minutes when they come here, but soon they’re looking five years into a bright future.

And most of all, they hear about the best and most perfect gift God ever gave us, His Son Jesus Christ. You provide a place for hurting neighbors to be transformed by His love and mercy. That’s a gift for all of us, to see and be a part of those stories.

I wish you a very merry Christmas!

Dr. Patrick H. Vanderburgh, President

Dear Friend,

It’s easy to feel thankful when life is going well. But to those facing job loss, addiction, abuse or homelessness, reasons for gratitude can feel hard to come by.

That’s why what happens at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission is so powerful — and it begins with you.

 Your support gives hurting people a place to heal. Your kindness offers them dignity and hope. Your generosity sets them on a journey to a new life.

For many, that journey starts with a warm welcome and a hot meal. A simple meal can mean so much to someone who hasn’t experienced genuine care in a long time. In the midst of their trials, they find something to be thankful for. Many of our program graduates consider that moment of gratitude to be the turning point in their transformation.

And there’s no better time to highlight that moment than the Thanksgiving season.

After nearly 40 Thanksgivings at MRM, I’ve seen countless people come together on this day to celebrate and give thanks, even in the midst of their struggles. I’ve also seen countless lives change in the months following that first meal — a meal you helped provide.

As our hurting neighbors make their way back to stability, thankfulness becomes second nature – and they’re thankful for you. They know your prayers and continued support keep them on a pathway to lasting change.

All of us here at MRM are grateful for you, not just on Thanksgiving, but every day of the year.

Thank you, and may God bless you and your loved ones this season and always.

Dr. Patrick H. Vanderburgh, President