Code Blue!

WINTER WEATHER ALERT

11 degrees Friday night,
11 degrees Saturday night,

and 13 degrees Sunday night!

Click Here to Watch the Video

It's CODE BLUE COLD! NO ONE should be turned away in these conditions! The Open Door Mission must expand its capacity for extra beds! Extra beds means extra meals, lights, heat, staff, extra everything! Please consider a financial gift to cover these extra costs! Thank you for ensuring NO ONE suffers from Hypothermia this week.           We are very grateful for your support. Thank You!

Code Blue

Click Here to Watch the Video

• It's CODE BLUE COLD!
• NO ONE should be turned away in these conditions!
• The Open Door Mission must expand its capacity for extra beds!
• Extra beds means extra meals, lights, heat, staff, extra everything!
• Please consider a financial gift to cover these extra costs!
• Thank you for ensuring NO ONE suffers from Hypothermia this week.

          We are very grateful for your support. Thank You!

Treated with Dignity

Volunteer with Open Door Mission to join in their work.
http://www.opendoormission.com/volunteer

If you're reading this via email, click here to watch the video.

Code Red

"CODE RED"         WEATHER ALERT Extremely hot weather conditions are expected now through Thursday, which means many of our homeless neighbors are  vulnerable to the dangers of heat stroke, dehydration and second degree sunburn.      Please consider a gift that will help provide the care that's needed to keep them healthy and safe.

"CODE RED" Personal Care Items Back Pack Deodorant Cold Pack Shampoo Bottled Water Disposable Razors Sunscreen (50 SPF) Hand Towel Shaving Cream Bar Soap Toothpaste & Toothbrush Please donate these items to the Mission Caring Center located at 156 North Plymouth Avenue or simply make a gift that will help provide the vital care that's needed.   We are very grateful for your support. Thank YOU!

“I KNOCKED AND THEY OPENED THE DOOR.”

Manuel was homeless for five years before he finally came to the Mission.

“It was about two o’clock in the morning. I was cold and hungry and I had prayed for help for days. So I knocked on the door and they opened it.”

That first night, Manuel slept on a mattress on the floor. “I was lucky,” he remembers. “There was only one mattress left!”

It was the beginning of a new way of life for a man who had been homeless for five years.

“They gave me somewhere to sleep, food and clean clothes.”

“My life was changed, little by little.”

Once he had a place to stay, Manuel started attending day classes for substance abuse at the Restart Rehabilitation Center. Today, he’s celebrating his sobriety after 25 years of drinking!

Through the Mission, Manuel eventually found a small place of his own, but he returns to the Mission to eat meals and shower. And, he volunteers here 19 hours a week.

“The Mission gave me hope,” Manuel says. “It is a great place to change your life. Today, my plan is to keep following the Lord and volunteer here whenever they need me!”

This story and more can be found at Open Door Mission's Website.

Food Truck Rodeo

Enjoy delicious food and live music while     helping the homeless and local farmers!    (Every Last Wednesday of the Month)

Visit the Open Door Mission display tent to buy and donate a $5.00 Public Market token for the Mission. We'll use your $5.00 token(s) to buy fresh  produce from Public Market farmers to feed less fortunate men, women and children in Rochester.               Buy (4) tokens and get a FREE and super cool "Open Door Mission" T-shirt!                    Buy Tokens Online!

Collect Items Together

Do you lead a community group looking for a way to serve on your regular group night? Does your group have young kids? If so (and even if not), consider collecting items together for those in need. You can put care packages together for Supports on the Streets and Streets for Christ (email our rep. Dave for details via info@northridgeserves.com). Open Door Mission collects many items from food to linen to health supplies. You can even help stock Mission:Share's pantry or fill Youth for Christ's baby boutique. So get collecting for a greater purpose!

A Life Changed at Open Door Mission

After two years of homelessness, Kenny was moments from taking his own life 

when God intervened, and the Open Door Mission responded with its 

Christian Life Recovery Program.

Kenny became a program graduate and he now serves as Assistant Supervisor of ODM's 

Samaritan House Rescue and Shelter Center. “I’m there, telling people the great things 

the Lord has done for me,” he says. “The word of God says, ‘He will give you 

more than you can ever imagine.’ I am extremely blessed.

Help Fill the Pantry!

This time of year, there are still extra people to feed. And that can cause a real strain on our kitchen and pantry – not to mention our food budget! Supplies have run low this winter, and we need to restock the shelves and refill the pantry. Here’s how you can help: 1. Next time you go grocery shopping, please buy one or more of the items on this list and drop them off at the Mission at 156 N. Plymouth Ave., Rochester. OR 2. Click here to make a gift today. Once there’s enough food, your gift will be used to provide shelter and care for neighbors in need now and on into the coming year.

One Way to Have a Serving Party

Step 1:

Pick an organization to serve with. (Open Door Mission)

Step 2:

Pick a project to help with. (providing Christmas boxes filled with hygiene items and winter accessories)

Step 3:

Meet at a group member's house and start filling boxes with whatever was brought in (while eating snacks).

Step 4:

Take your children and go shopping for the rest of the needed supplies (split up into teams to divide and conquer).

Step 5:

Have your packing guru get everything organized.

Step 6:

Wrap the shoe boxes.

Step 7:

Label the boxes to be dropped off at Open Door Mission.

Step 8:

Eat cake! (celebrating a group member's birthday)

Ricky's Story

Ricky started using drugs when he was just 17. “It began with marijuana and acid, then grew to cocaine. ­Then, over the past couple years....heroin,” he says. “What really spiked my addiction was losing my father two years ago.”

Ricky’s addiction was taking a heavy toll on his life, costing him jobs, and alienating him from his family, especially his mother. “I started stealing from her and it broke her heart, so she kicked me out of the house,” Ricky says.

Ricky finally had enough and told his family so. “I finally realized that I just couldn’t do it anymore. I realized that I had a problem,” Ricky says. “I admitted myself and was sent to St. Mary’s for a night, and St. Mary’s told me about the Samaritan House.”

The first night at our shelter, Ricky learned about the Open Door Mission’s Christian Life Recovery Program and decided it was for him, but his first two weeks were rocky.

“I was doing a lot of complaining about the Bible studies until one of my brothers in the program put me in my place,” Ricky says. “­That’s when I changed. I took the mask off that day and now I just soak everything in.”

Ricky had never read the Bible before coming to the Mission, but he now finds guidance and encouragement in the scriptures.

“My favorite is James 1:2 about when troubles, trials, and tribulations come your way. If you overcome them it will bring you great joy,” he says. “I’ve had a couple tests in my life, and because of that I’ve had happiness and more endurance for the Lord. Every day I pray because it says that if you ask for wisdom and knowledge, God will give it to you.”

Ricky has been clean ever since he came to the Mission. “­That’s big for me,” he says. “Over the last 10 years, there wasn’t a day I didn’t go out without at least smoking pot or something. I really can’t tell you how much this place has saved my life.”

Ricky’s relationships with his family are being restored, as well. “Mom visits every Sunday. We talk, and I tell her the truth which I never used to do. That’s how I know it’s working,” Ricky says. “It’s a great thing to see.”

Ricky plans to complete the program and continue seeking God’s guidance in the days ahead. “It helps me out just focusing on the Lord, keeping on this narrow path that He’s provided for me – the path of righteousness,” he says. “What I’m experiencing right now is a blessing.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Volunteer with Open Door Mission and help more lives to be changed by the Gospel!

Christmas Shoe Box Gifts for ODM

Help the Mission Provide a Christmas Gift to a Neighbor in Crisis! Here’s What You Do.... Take any size shoe box and fill it with travel size personal hygiene items such as deodorant, toothpaste, tooth brush, mouth wash, bar soap, disposable razors, shaving cream, facial tissues, shampoo, hand lotion, foot powder, etc. In addition, you may want to include a new pair of tube socks, underwear, gloves, hat and scarf. Customize the items in the shoe box to fit the needs of either a man, women or child then gift wrap the box and label the outside accordingly.

Please deliver them to the Mission Caring Center located at 156 North Plymouth Avenue by December 20th.

Thank You for Caring!

ODM Proposes Opening a Women & Children Residential Care Facility

Click here to learn more.

Please be praying for Open Door Mission as they pursue this new area of ministry.

We served pie at the Open Door Mission!

A few months ago, the men in my community group served at the Open Door Mission's Samaritan House (If you want to read more about ODM and another group's experience serving, check out this post). The experience was a great opportunity for us to spend time together, while still contributing to a ministry seeking to meet spiritual and physical needs in our city.

When we arrived, we were greeted at the door by a staff member. He gave us a plan for the evening and laid out the roles we would be playing, from doing the final food prep to serving to cleaning. The food was in the final stage or prep when we walked in and was ready to serve! We were never on our own or without direction -- which alleviated any anxiety we had about how we could be most effectively utilized.

The dinner for the evening was turkey and gravy with all the fixings (potatoes, cornbread/rolls, etc). Some of our team of guys plated the food while others brought the food to the tables and served it to the guests. And the dessert we served matched the theme as well -- apple pie! We wiped down the tables prior to dinner and washed dishes at its conclusion. The entire prep, meal, and clean-up time lasted about 2 hours.

Colin plating some butter for those rolls!

Our main role for the evening was to handle the manual labor of the meal service to allow the staff of the mission to focus on engaging directly with the guests. It was an excellent introductory opportunity to serving, but the mission does have lots of other ways to serve, some of which would allow you to invest more directly in the lives of those who use the available services.

The guys from our group loved the experience and we look forward to serving this way again at least monthly throughout the year!

You can learn more about the Open Door Mission by going to their website and signing up to serve is as simple as reading through the available opportunities and filling out a brief online form. If you do serve, please let Northridge Serves know by emailing them at agencyrep.northridge@gmail.com -- they would love to hear about your experience!

Food Truck Rodeo

Enjoy delicious food and live music while helping the homeless and local farmers!    (Every Last Wednesday of the Month) NEXT EVENT IS JUNE 24th

Visit the Open Door Mission display tent to buy and donate a $5.00 Public Market token for the Mission. We'll use your $5.00 token(s) to buy fresh  produce from Public Market farmers to feed less fortunate men, women and children in Rochester.                     Buy (4) tokens and get a FREE and super cool

Buy Tokens Online!

Open Door Mission / Samaritan House - Dinner is Served!

Northridge Church has partnered with several local agencies dedicated to helping those in need in ways that “help without hurting.”  One of those agencies is The Open Door Mission, a downtown Christian organization formed in 1952 whose mission is “to provide for the spiritual and physical needs of the impoverished and homeless men, women and children of Rochester, NY by restoring hope and changing lives.”  The mission offers numerous programs for men women and children, including:

-          -  Men’s Emergency Housing

-         -   Community Meals Program

-         -   Christian Life Recovery Program

-         -   Clothing Distribution Program

The Mission’s Samaritan House Shelter on West Main Street provides meals year-round for those in need, including breakfast several times a week, and dinner served seven nights a week.  As you can imagine it takes a fair amount of resources to make that happen.  A small group of folks from the Simmonds-Rathbun community group recently volunteered to help with serving a dinner, and saw first-hand how organized and effective The Mission is at what they do.

The main course is prepared in advance at the Plymouth Ave. facility then brought to the Main Street kitchen for final prep and serving.  We were given brief instructions, jobs were delegated and in no time we had an assembly line set up for filling plates with hot and cold food.  “Runners” set up drinks at each table, and delivered the prepared plates.  The patrons were very appreciative and courteous.  Cleanup took only a few minutes, and the meal was followed by music provided by a wonderful band that frequently provides excellent worship music at the facility.

The entire event took only about two hours, which included a tour of the facility’s upstairs bunkhouse and a description of how things operate and what is expected of those who take advantage of the services.

Numerous volunteer opportunities exist at The Mission, and Northridge Serves can help you get connected if you would like to find out more about how you or your community group can serve and support this important local ministry.  Contact us any time at agencyrep.northridge@gmail.com. (Please note, ODM is currently in transition in regards to volunteer coordination staff. This means setting up a time to volunteer may be more difficult and take more time than usual. Thanks for your patience!)

Coat Blue

Due to the long and harsh winter weather our supply of coats in our women and children's clothing room is almost down to nothing. Help us re-stock our inventory by donating a new or gently used winter coat for a woman or child. 

Please bring them to the Mission Caring Center, 156 North Plymouth Avenue. 

Hours are Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and Sunday 12:00-5:00 p.m.

New Volunteer Opportunities!

NorthridgeServes.com has been updated with new volunteer opportunities, like:

  

 Gardening with Mission:Share

PB&J Factories with Open Door Mission

Renovating Youth for Christ's Baby and Women's Boutiques





And many more... Check them out!

***Now new opportunities are listed with a "Who" section that tells you whether it's good for groups or individuals and whether it's kid-friendly!

Volunteer for Stuff-a-Bus

16th ANNUAL  SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22th

Volunteer Today! Thanks to our supporting partners, Open Door Mission is gearing up for it's 16th Annual Stuff-A-Bus, but we'll need your help to be successful. Please let us know what day, time slot and location you can help donors unload their donations from their vehicles and place them in the school buses.  WALGREEN'S - PERINTON/FAIRPORT (6707 Pittsford Palmyra Road) 8:00-11:00am 11:00am-2:00pm 2:00-5:00pm    MOZZERONI'S PIZZA & PASTA - GREECE (3400 W. Ridge Road) 8:00-11:00am 11:00am-2:00pm 2:00-5:00pm  HEGEDORNS - WEBSTER  (Corner of Hard & Ridge Road) 8:00-11:00am 11:00am-2:00pm 2:00-5:00pm    GRO-MOORE FARMS - HENRIETTA  (East Henrietta @ Calkins Road) 8:00-11:00am 11:00am-2:00pm 2:00-5:00pm   THE GARDEN FACTORY - GATES  (2126 Buffalo Road at Pixley Road) 8:00-11:00am 11:00am-2:00pm 2:00-5:00pm  CLOVER LEISURE HOME - IRONDEQUOIT (960 East Ridge Road) 8:00-11:00am 11:00am-2:00pm 2:00-5:00pm At the end of this day we'll need 10-12 volunteers to help us unload all six school buses at our West Main Street warehouse facility from 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Help Serve an Evening Meal

Individuals or groups can volunteer at Open Door's Samaritan House Rescue Shelter to serve an evening meal.

Volunteer Hours: Monday - Sunday 6:00pm – 8:00pm

Responsibilities: Setting the tables and final preparation of meal (i.e. salad, rolls in baskets, cutting desserts, etc.). The meal is served at 6:45 pm. Some may serve food onto the plates, others may serve the guests and help with clean up. Chapel service follows the meal at approximately 7:45pm.

Email agencyrep.northridge@gmail.com to get involved.