About Us - Business Plan

Executive Summary

The Bay Area Rescue Mission is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Christian organization serving the homeless and desperately poor in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Through a collaboration of staff, hundreds of volunteers and thousands of donors, the Mission provides short-term emergency help, long-term recovery programs and most importantly, hope to homeless men, women and children who often have no where else to go.

Originally founded in 1965 to provide food and shelter to homeless men, Mission services now include addiction recovery programs, job skills training, adult education, and transitional living facilities for graduates of its long-term recovery programs. Additionally, the Mission also serves the local community through outreach programs for at-risk inner-city youth, public education services, and resource distribution (food, clothing, furniture and household items), to both the needy and other service agencies. Above all, the Mission seeks to share the transforming message of hope found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone they serve. Read More Describing the Mission >>

During 2002, the Bay Area Rescue Mission provided beds to more than 350 people each night – 45% were men, 25% women and 30% children. Additionally, it served 451,870 meals, distributed emergency food bags to more than 3,200 families, and shared more than 300,000 pounds of food with other nonprofit service agencies serving Northern California. More than 10,000 individuals from throughout the Bay Area received emergency services from the Mission.

The issue of homelessness is large. A recent study by the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation revealed that in 2002, approximately 100,000 men women and children were homeless in the San Francisco Bay Area. On any given night, the homeless outnumber available shelter beds by more than five to one. Although the Bay Area Rescue Mission is one of the largest homeless shelters in Northern California, it turned away more than 8,000 men, women and children in 2002 because of limited capacity. In 2002, 200 homeless people died on the streets of the Bay Area last year due primarily to a lack of facilities for the homeless. Read More on the Great Need >>

To meet this great and growing need, the Bay Area Rescue Mission has developed a comprehensive plan to help even more. Led through the vision of its strong leadership joined by a group of compassionate community business leaders the Mission has launched this plan to build a Women and Family Center. The Center will make 400 more beds available to the fastest growing segments of the homeless population: single women, women with children, and families. In conjunction with the development, the Rescue Mission’s business offices will be relocated to the new Center making its current office facility available for an expanded youth development program, and more than double the Mission’s capacity to reach and rescue at-risk inner-city children. Read More on the Vision >>

With the addition Bridge of Hope Women & Family Center, the Mission can provide food and shelter to more than 725 homeless people every night, and offer even more comprehensive recovery, treatment, education, and transition programs. Read More Describing the Center >>

Making the vision a reality requires the commitment and generosity of both existing and new supporters. Construction of the 100,000 square-foot Women & Family Center will cost approximately $14.7 million—funds that will be raised through a special three-phase capital campaign. Read More on the Construction Action Plan >>

Providing expanded services to 400 additional homeless individuals each night will increase annual operating expenses in the next five years from the current $3.1 million to $5.4 million. Full-time staff will increase from 51 to 99. To fund these increased operating expenses, the Rescue Mission will need to dramatically expand its base of support by aggressively marketing to the nine Bay Area counties. Read More on the Financial Records >>

The Bay Area’s homeless are in great need. Thousands of men, women, and children go without food and basic shelter each day, and hundreds die on our streets every year. The Bay Area Rescue Mission efficiently and effectively helps desperately needy people turn their lives around. History has proven the success of the Mission's finely-tuned, comprehensive and integrated services and programs. Its graduates are now having a positive impact on others and on their communities. What a change they have experienced!

Through the Bridge of Hope Women & Family Center 400 more women, children and families will discover not only a place of peace in which to renew and revitalize their lives, they will learn the critical skills needed to break the cycle of homelessness. They will rediscover the hope that is innate at birth. They will move from homelessness, hopelessness and helplessness to confidence, security, freedom, purpose and hope.

Through the years, as staff and volunteers have worked side-by-side, they've seen a restored since of community in once-homeless people as they become filled with hope for the future. And they envision even more individuals who, for the first time in years, are clean clothed, fed and healthy. They have money saved for housing. They have a new job, and most importantly, they have a new life and hope for tomorrow.

Imagine the powerful impact we will have together through the years as we create a brighter tomorrow for hundreds, and even thousands of women, children and families!

Business Plan continues - General Description of Services - Read More >>