San Diego Rescue Mission

Organization Spotlight

By Christina Orlovsky

Every night, as your head hits the pillow, nearly 10,000 men, women and children in San Diego are hitting the pavement, settling in for a night that may or may not bring sleep. The San Diego Rescue Mission, a nonprofit organization that provides meals, shelter, training and spiritual encouragement for San Diego’s homeless residents, aims to change all that.

Serving roughly 400 people at any given time, the San Diego Rescue Mission also meets a great need for life-changing guidance for the homeless population.

“We run a very unique program, as 85 percent of our clients commit to a yearlong sobriety program to improve their lives,” explains Herb Johnson, president and chief executive officer of San Diego Rescue Mission. “Our clients participate in substance-abuse counseling, anger-management counseling and a host of other professionally administered counseling programs. Upon graduation, our clients receive job placement services and transitional housing to assist in improving their lives and ensuring a successful transition.”

In addition, Johnson continues, the organization meets the safety and family needs of a specialized homeless population: women and children.

“The San Diego Rescue Mission is the only crisis shelter for women and children in the county; over 40 percent of those clients are victims of domestic violence,” Johnson adds. “I’m proud to say that when our women and children come in, or are brought here by law enforcement, the family unit is always kept together in private quarters. Likewise with transitional housing, our family units stay together and are assisted in their own apartments.”

Volunteers are needed to successfully run a variety of programs and services at San Diego Rescue Mission. Volunteer opportunities include preparing meals, providing child care and sorting donations. Monetary and in-kind donations are also welcome.

For more information, call 619-687-3720 or visit www.sdrescue.org.