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In This Issue

PG 2 Letter From Our CEO, Giving Thanks

PG 3 Feature Story: Honor Her

PG 4 Honor Her cont.

“We don't honor just to get a reward; we

honor because it is the heart of God, and it is

our delight."

John Bevere

HopeJune 2017 Newsletter

so far this year!

A PUBLICATION OF THE NEW YORK CITY RESCUE MISSION

IT IS OUR

TO HONOR HER DELIGHT

GIVING THANKS

Honor Her was made possible with the generosity of our major partners, supporters, and event caterers. The NYCRM is incredibly grateful for their committment to creating an unforgettable, joy-filled day for hundreds of women and children in-crisis:

Walmart FoundationChobani

Rescuing Leftover CuisineSprinklesDig Inn

Re-PlateCity Harvest

AIGAdobe Foundation

Sy Syms FoundationDeloitte

Jane CosmeticsStarbright Floral Design

FROM THE CEO

Dear Friends,

It's no secret that the New York City Rescue Mission's (NYCRM) founder, Jerry McAuley, was a broken man—a con man, a river thief, and a drunkard. What is lesser-known, is that his wife, Maria, was Jerry's greatest source of strength and courage, aside from God. Maria was a driving force behind the founding of the Helping Hand for Men (the original inception of the NYCRM) back in 1872. She was the mother of the house.

In his book, 'Jerry McAuley and His Mission', Arthur Bonner observed that however difficult it was for Jerry to seek a new life among respectable folk, and pursue his vision of caring for the homeless and hopeless, "how much more difficult was it for Maria? Religious society in the last century did not easily forgive a fallen woman. If she followed McAuley she would be an easy target for scorn and condescension...yet she passed through this time of trial and emerged stronger than ever. Through courage she found faith, and through faith she found strength and triumph." Without Maria by Jerry's side, the NYCRM—and the three hundred missions across the United States that can trace their ancestry back to us—might never have existed, or flourished.

Just like Maria, the women we serve at the Mission today, are subject to harrowing hardship and stigma. Just like Maria, the women we serve demonstrate incredible heart and fortitude on a daily basis. On Mother's Day weekend, we had the great joy of celebrating the courageousness of women in-crisis, at our Honor Her event. Our house was filled with music, laughter, and tears of delight. Struggling to provide for their families amidst unbelievable adversity, many of the women I had the privilege of meeting at Honor Her, said they hadn't felt like a human being in so long. To be waited on, and cared for, made them feel valued during a period of their life more often characterized by shame and distress. I wish that they could feel loved and cherished every day. I urge you to think about the women in your life who bring you joy, encouragement, and love. Honor them, today and every day.

With a heart full of gratitude,

Craig A. Mayes, Ph.D.CEO

Page 2

Dr. Vanita Boswell, Founder & CEO of The VALO Group, and NYCRM Chief of Advancement, opening the Honor Her press conference.

FEATURE STORY: Honor Her

Paper lace placemats. The aroma of elegantly-plated prime rib, asparagus, and basmati rice on chinaware. Exquisite floral arrangements. Jubilant laughter from lips that have had little reason to even smile in recent years.

Welcome to Honor Her.

Despite unabating rain throughout the entire day, the hundreds of women in-crisis the New York City Rescue Mission (NYCRM) served at Honor Her, could not be dispirited. Their determination to savor the day was illustrative of the posture of steadfast courage that many of our guests had been compelled to adopt throughout years of neglect, abuse, poverty, and trauma.

For our guests, the beautiful banquet hall was more than just shelter from the rain, and the feast was more than just plates of food. They were symbols of hope—reminders that the promise of light shines out from darkness, when life is embraced again.

Each seating was welcomed and opened in prayer by NYCRM CEO, Dr. Craig Mayes. He expressed hope that Honor Her would be the first of many opportunities for each guest to feel renewed excitement for the future, as they began to envision life beyond their current circumstances. Each seating was closed by a musical performance from a young male guest participating in the Mission's THRIVE Program—far away from his own mother, he cherished the opportunity to honor the women present with soaring, heartfelt songs.

During the course of the morning, the NYCRM's Chief of Advancement, Dr. Vanita Boswell, introduced a gathering of special guests and corporate sponsors to Russina, a former guest of the Mission, who recounted the agonizing circumstances that brought her through the Mission's doors, "My mother passed away, and I didn’t have any support. I had to fend for myself. I made a lot of mistakes, and made a lot of wrong choices—for years, I would take two steps forward and three steps back. Then I ended up here. I didn’t know what was going on. I thought, why is this happening to me?"

Broken, humiliated, and haunted by incessant feelings of failure, Russina's time at the Mission provided a safe haven where she could finally begin healing, "I felt ashamed, and I was scared. This whole experience humbled me, but it also made me stronger. I’ve come a long way. The Mission took me under their wing and provided for me, instilling wisdom, life, and light in me. Now I can see hope and a future, and not feel ashamed about myself. Now I can be uplifted."

Having her hope restored, Russina reflected, was crucial to her determination to persevere—to get up every morning, and put one foot in front of the other. After years of fending for herself, starved for compassion and community, Russina had long felt alone on her journey. Embraced and encouraged by staff at the Mission, Russina no longer felt isolated or abandoned—she finally found a support structure, a source of strength and help—a family.

"The Mission took me undertheir wing and provided for me, instilling wisdom, life, and light in me. Now I can seehope and a future, and notfeel ashamed about myself.Now I can be uplifted."After dessert was served, our guests gathered their belongings and prepared to leave, but were ushered across the road to a wonderful surprise—a pop-up Beauty Boutique powered by Jane Cosmetics. Greeted with fervent applause, (continued over page)

Page 3

NYCRM CEO, Dr. Craig Mayes, opening the first Honor Her seating.

"Ending up here was a blessing in disguise, because everything happens for a reason, and I'm so grateful. I still have dreams and aspirations. They're not the same, but I still have them." - Russina, former NYCRM guest

(continued from previous) and gift bags filled with beauty products, our women received insight on the importance of nurturing their sense of inner beauty, and its tangible influence on outward appearance. The Beauty Boutique team conducted live make-up tutorials, with emphasis on sophisticated looks appropriate for the workplace, and more vibrant social situations.

As guests were pampered and delighted, passionate Chobani volunteers from the Chobani Children's Zone entertained the youngsters with coloring activities and play-time. Each child gleefully hand-picked a toy to take home, from an array of complimentary games, teddy bears, books, and educational toys.

The NYCRM feels a profound responsibility to serve women in-crisis in an impactful way. Especially at a time when a third of families with children in shelters have an employed family member, but a job no longer adequately ensures housing stability.

Honor Her is an annual celebration that the Mission has the privilege of hosting, to uplift women who have become alarmingly accustomed to feeling overlooked, unappreciated, and less than human. With the inception of our THRIVE Program, the Mission's offering of services to our women is now more comprehensive than ever. Since expanding our bed capacity to establish a women's shelter in 2014, it has been an aspiration of the Mission to launch a corresponding women's program. Creating THRIVE to be inclusive of, and equally accessible for, both the women and men we serve in our house, was a priority during the program's development. It is with great excitement that the Mission looks forward to graduating our first THRIVE Program class, including women, later this year. We cannot wait to share more stories on how the Mission is helping women in-crisis to heal, find employment situations where they have the opportunity to flourish and regain financial independence, and achieve independent housing so they can move from our house, to theirs.

90 Lafayette Street New York, NY 10013 • 212 226 6214 • NYCRESCUE.ORG Page 4

Rescuing Leftover Cuisine Co-Founder & CEO, Robert Lee, serving guests their side salad at Honor Her.

Guests dancing in delight at the surprise Honor Her pop-up Beauty Boutique, powered by Jane Cosmetics.

The Honor Her banquet room was filled with live music, delicate floral centerpieces and table settings, and the spirited laughter of our guests. Projection screens rotated through motivational quotes from female public figures.

A guest and her young son enjoying the banquet in the Honor Her dining hall.

Inside the Chobani Children's Zone, guests are interviewed by a news film crew about their Honor Her experience.