T Stands For a Visit to a Rescue Mission

I admit, I have T Tuesday posts I should be sharing from back in April and May.  I also admit I make it a point to NOT discuss religion on my blog.

So why am I sharing this today, you ask?  Because it was a fantastic meal and my neighborhood association asked me to tour the facility and write a review.

My neighborhood association was invited to provide a representative to tour the facility and share the information with our members.

The president asked me because she believes I'm a good interviewer, I take decent photos, and I write, as she put it, "for the common man."   I'm also active in the Association, even though I don't normally write about it on my blog.

So off I went that hot, windy day in August.  You can see how the grasses are bending with the winds.  When I got there, I saw the new Administration building which had recently been completed.

The old part, originally a nursing home, was connected to the new part via an enclosed walkway.

Originally I didn't bring my camera inside, but once I was there and felt comfortable, I asked if I could as long as I didn't show any individuals.

The various tables had already been set and water and iced tea were already poured and in glasses.  The fruit salad which consisted of fresh strawberries and cantaloupe looked appealing.

Since I'm so short, I parked my body at one of the front tables

directly in front of the screen.  This was NOT a sales pitch or a request for money.  It WAS a way of introducing the community to this little known Rescue Mission that's been around since 1958.

While a film was shown that told the history of the Mission, our plates were collected and returned full.  Had I been given a choice, I would have left the meat (roast beef?) off the plate and doubled up on the homemade bread.  While we ate, we were introduced to the CEO, the head chef, their programs and services, one of their volunteers, and what their new facilities were like.  It was definitely a faith based facility.

I failed to get a photo of the dessert they served.  It was a molded chocolate half circle in which a large scoop of chocolate chip ice cream was placed, along with three of the tiniest Oreo cookies I have ever seen.  Think dime size for those of you who live in the states.

After we ate, it was time to tour the facility.  While I was fumbling with my camera strap, which got mixed up with my purse strap, we had crossed from the new area to the area that had once been a nursing home.  Consequently, I missed taking photos of the kitchen area.  

I managed to get the straps untangled in time to take photos of this brand new facility in the old area that provided emergency care and check-ups.

This was a new service (and equipment) that was provided, partly out of need due to the increased number of homeless men who have been beaten by gangs that targeted them.  Medications were also dispensed from this area, too.  In case I failed to mention, this is for homeless men only.

Next I walked down a hall and saw another media room.

Then I peeked into a classroom that was empty at the moment.

Next it was back to the lobby where we all gathered for a Q and A session.

This was where prayer services were held daily.

I was unable to take photos of their latest enterprise, which was their New Leaf Book Program because it was far too crowded with others on the tour.  Books are donated to the Mission, which are then either sold on Amazon or used in other projects.  They showed how some were turned into boxes.  They promised no books ever go to the landfill.   I took the above image from their web site and assure you, the book room was filled with shelf after shelf of similar looking books.

We were told we could go into the area where the men slept, but I felt uncomfortable with that, so ended my trip there just as one of the ladies was being taken to her car via the little cart you can barely see in the background.  I was sure I now had enough information to write a review of the facility for our newsletter.  The buildings in the background on the left were also part of the Union Mission.  One of the buildings was where the books were kept.

It's now time to share your own drink related post this week.  It can be photos, a place you visited, movies, postcards, books, sketches, mixed media, drawings, paintings, tags, ATCs, scrapbooking, or other art that is digital, hybrid, or traditional, as long as it in some way relates back to a drink, any drink.  Regardless, please share below and Bleubeard and I, along with the rest of the T gang will be by to visit.   Please link only your T post and not your blog in general.  Old photos are acceptable because they may be taken any time, not just on Tuesday, and not just this year.