Mak

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ission

Volume 17Issue 9

OCTOBER2016

MISSION BellTHE

Proud “Certified Excellent” member of the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions, accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, and recognized as a “Four Star Charity” by Charity Navigator.

774 Hazel Street Macon, Georgia 31201

T: 478.743.5445

www.RescueMissionGA.com

EXECUTIVE BOARDCharlie Cantrell CHAIRMANStewart Vernon VICE-CHAIRBeverly Olson SECRETARY Susan Collins TREASURERMartin Willingham MEMBER-AT-LARGE

BOARD OF DIRECTORSDr. Bill ArgoMartie BanksBobby CramerKathy Hawkins Frank MalloyLaura McConnellRobby RedmondChris R. Sheridan Blake SullivanLouis Frank Tompkins Jeff ThompsonWimberly Treadwell

ADVISORY BOARDOliver Bateman III Martha BlueSenator Saxby ChamblissAshley CopelanCarolyn CraytonSheriff David Davis Ed DeforeJimmy FainMichael KetterbaughTommy MixonMayor Robert Reichert

PRESIDENT/CEOErin M. Reimers, CPA

Giving BackLet me tell you a story about a little girl from Jersey City who said to herself, “when I grow up I want to be just like my mom, a traffic guard.” The little girl watched her mother raise her three brothers, one sister, another family member and two dogs by herself. Her mother showed amazing mental, physical, and emotional strength. I did not follow in my mother’s footsteps career wise because I chose a career in “fashion”. I met my husband while I was in college pursuing a degree in fashion. Unfortunately I didn’t keep all of my mother’s strength in my marriage. I wish I did. Living “Happily Ever After” is what you see at the end of a nice story, I wish I had one.

I’ve been married for many years to what I thought to be “Prince Charming” but as years went by, he went from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde- more of the Hyde. My children and I have suffered the repercussions of domestic violence. I went through the physical abuse, but my children witnessed it. Our home was filled with pain, anger, sadness and disappointment. We felt unsafe surrounded by a lack of respect and considerable fear.

On one occasion when our dryer broke, my husband decided to take only his clothes to the laundromat. He neglected the needs of our children and my needs. I had to wash mine and the children’s clothes at home. I had to put our wet clothes in trash bags and roll them across the kitchen floor, down the staircase and drag them through my garage. I then had to lift up those heavy bags into my truck to take them to the laundromat to dry them. I did this each week, for about six months and had to hide this from my husband. He controlled all of the finances and neglected our needs on a regular basis. He would always get in my face and verbally assault me in front of my children. These threats scared me. I was scared for my life.

If I wanted or needed something for myself, I would have to ask or beg for it, so I stopped asking because most of the time he would just say no. When it came to my children, I had to beg. There were a lot of incidents, but this was one of the worst ones. On August 9, 2015 I begged him to buy school clothing and supplies because my children were starting school on August 10th. I said

“can I please have some money to buy clothes for them from Goodwill?” He looked at me, looked away and said “I don’t have any

continued on page 3

I would like to take this opportunity to share with you the awesome staff God has placed in the Women’s Division. It takes special people to work in social services on a daily basis. We are so very blessed to be able to not only serve others but do it in a place that we can follow God’s direction in all decisions we make. We are thankful that we can pray at any given time with anyone that comes here for help. We can share our faith, our stories of how God has blessed us and we can glorify the name of Jesus Christ each day. God is our foundation and I am blessed to be a part of this place.

Women’s Assistant Director – Becky Hataway I can’t imagine working without my friend and sidekick Becky. She brings so much love into this building each and every day. She exudes the love of God and when I am around her I can feel His love flowing through her. The men, women, children and staff are all beneficiaries of this love. She is a true example of a friend and someone that is trustworthy. She loves others unconditionally and God has placed her exactly where she is supposed to be. He uses her as a vessel for His kingdom. The Mission is better because she is here. I am a better person because of what God is doing in her life. I could not do what God has called me to do without her love and support. From the bottom of my heart, I thank God for bringing her into my life and to the Mission.

Women’s Night Supervisor – Vernice Chappell Ms. Vernice is one of the strongest women I know. She is dedicated to the women and children residing here and has lovingly served for over 8 years. She brings with her a depth of life knowledge and struggles that she freely shares with the women. She is respected by those that know her and she has a strong faith that God will always provide a way. She is the most dependable person and sets a good “work ethic” example for others. I know when Ms. Vernice is working the women and children are safe and in good hands. I love her dearly and appreciate what she does to serve the women and children here. The kids refer to her as Ms. Berneece and they absolutely love her. She is always available for any task (babysitting, doing laundry, helping the women/kids when sick, or rocking a baby to help a tired mom).

Women’s Counselor – Laura Price This is the newest position in the women’s division. We have prayed about God bringing a professional counselor on staff that can aide our women and children with weekly counseling. Laura has been such an asset to our program. She teaches parenting classes and I have seen such growth in the women since counseling began. Counseling is such a HUGE part of the women’s recovery and I am so happy God has brought her here. She loves the women and children and is the missing piece to our puzzle. Laura has a sweet personality and is so welcoming to each woman and child. She is providing life-long skills for these women to overcome their abuse and become the women God intended for them to be. The women’s division in now complete and I am so thankful for her and what she brings to our department.

The Bond – Working in this field can certainly be daunting. The Women’s Division staff has such a strong bond of love, friendship, respect and faith that I am in awe of our God. He knows each of us intimately and he knows what we need to be able to do His work. We need each other and I am so thankful I have them in my life each day. I truly treasure our relationships and have a forever bond with each of them. Please continue to pray for all of us as we seek God’s direction each day. Thank you for supporting the work He is doing here.

Women’s Program NOTESSTAFFErin M. Reimers, CPAPRESIDENT/CEO

Tina HicksOFFICE MANAGER

Artecia KnightLOGISTICS COORDINATOR

Greg Brooks FOOD SERVICE & MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR

PROGRAMSPat ChastainVICE PRESIDENT OF PROGRAMS & CHAPLAIN

Jason BeckMEN’S PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Dawn BurnsWOMEN’S PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Becky HatawayWOMEN’S ASSISTANT PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Laura Price, LAPCWOMEN’S DIVISION COUNSELOR

Vernice ChappellWOMEN’S EVENING SUPERVISOR

Darrell AllenMEN’S PROGRAM RESIDENT SUPERVISOR

DEVELOPMENTRob SchneckDEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Niki CollisDEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR

Jaime Kaplan SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR

Dawn BurnsWomen’s Program Director

Mission Needs

The Rescue Mission is currently in need

of the following items for our Dinning Hall:

Commercial Grade Cups

Forks

Spoons

Giving Back continued from cover

money.” He then left the house for many hours to celebrate his new job that started August 10th. When he came back, he brought 3 notebooks, markers, erasers, pencils. That was it, no clothing! Two weeks later he purchased two brand new outfits from head to toe for himself, while our children went to school wearing one and two year old clothing and sneakers that didn’t fit them properly anymore. Their clothes were too small and I felt helpless as they started yet another year of school without the basic supplies and clothes. He just laughed. He thought it was funny that he had things and we did not. He also thought it was funny to criticize my dinner that I cooked every night. There is only so much I could do in my kitchen. I could only cook using the microwave, which had to be replaced because I cooked so much in it, the crockpot and on top of the stove, because our oven stopped working a year and a half ago. I endured so much abuse with him. He neglected our family needs and he physically harmed me. He placed his hands around my neck, threw me up against a wall and threatened to kill me. At this point I knew he meant it for real and I had to get out. That house was hell!!

In 2015 I fought back for me and for my children. I had called different places but the Rescue Mission is who rescued us. Since we have been here, God has opened up many windows and poured out many blessings. We are blessed with love gifts from donors and receive emotional, mental, physical and spiritual support by the Woman’s Division staff. They have

been and still are blessing us each and every day. They are amazing! Mrs. Price (the counselor) let me know that fear is not final! As a family we have grown closer to the Lord. There have been some challenges but we have overcome those because, “No Weapons Formed Against Me Shall Prosper.” Isaiah 54:17. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I Know, The Plans I Have For You”. As long as I (We) stay in God’s will, we will see it through. This is a great place and I love everybody here. Like I said at my graduation “My name is Kimberly and I am a Domestic Violence Survivor.”

The women featured in these photos are no longer in danger of their abuser. The privacy and security of the women in our program is of our utmost concern.

In the past 12 months The Rescue Mission of Middle Georgia has:

Domestic Violence STATISTICSreceived 449 crisis calls from women in need of help

served 14,657 meals to the women and children in our program

provided 19,542 nights of safe shelter to women and children.

Georgia Domestic Violence statistics for 2014

61,415 crisis calls to Georgia’s certified domestic violence agencies.

7,741 victims and children were provided refuge in a Georgia domestic violence shelter.

Georgia has the 8th highest HOMICIDE RATE in the nation for men killing women in domestic violence situations.

5,879 victims that made a request for shelter but request was not met due to lack of space.

Statistics provide by: Criminal Justice Coordinating Council. For more information: Georgia Commission on Family Violence www.gcfv.org

Scenes from Around the Mission

The Rescue Mission would like to thank Dunlap Memorial Fund for their donation to provide back to school clothing to the children in our Women’s Division. The ladies had an afternoon outing to Old Navy on September 20th. They found fall and winter clothing to prepare the children for the cold weather. In addition to shopping, the ladies were able to use their budgeting skills to make sure they maximized each dollar spent. Next the ladies had lunch at

Chic-Fil-A, due to a grant provided by Carling Memorial Foundation Fund of the Community Foundation of Central Georgia. They have generously donated funding for outings such as this. The photos show everyone laughing and having a joyous time being together. Thank you to both Carling Memorial and Dunlap Memorial Fund for continuing to provide grants to help the Mission and specifically our Women’s Division.

The women featured in these photos are no longer in danger of their abuser. The privacy and security of the women in our program is of our utmost concern.

This newsletter and everything contained within are made possible through your generosity and continued support. Thank you!

It was a privilege for the Rescue Mission of Middle Georgia to be a part of the Domestic Violence Awareness Symposium hosted by Greater Little Rock Church on September 24, 2016.

This years symposium was titled, “DV! It can’t be me!” and the focus was on informing the community that domestic violence can happen to anyone. Many agencies came together to share their programs and resources. Becky Hataway, our Women’s Division Assistant Program Director, was invited to sit on a panel that answered questions from the community concerning domestic violence. The women from our program attended and supported this great cause. We were able to hear other survivor’s stories which encouraged and strengthened our women: stories such as “A Survivor’s Plea”, and “What am I to do? Is there hope for me?”.

“Our children were able to participate in a fire prevention skills and demonstrated by our local fire department, and our teens were able to participate in classes that empowered them to be strong, future-leaders of tomorrow” said Hataway after the symposium. “It was an honor to be recognized as a community partner that is willing to assist and shelter victims of domestic violence.”

The women featured in these photos are no longer in danger of their abuser. The privacy and security of the women in our program is of our utmost concern.

Domestic Violence Symposium

Safety Plan Women’s NeedsCold Medicines

for adults and children

Toilet Paper

Laundry Detergent (HE)

Paper Towels

Baby Wipes

Body Lotion

Advil

Clorox Wipes

Lysol Spray

for Domestic Violence MonthSafety planning is imperative to keeping women and children safe while preparing to leave an abuser. Below is a basic safety plan along with a list of important documents most victims need. Statistics show abusers become more violent when victims attempt to leave therefore following a safety plan plays a vital role in keeping women and children safe. Please share this with anyone you know who might need this information.

Safety during an Explosive Incident:• If an argument is unavoidable, stay in an area where you

have access to an exit.• Practice getting out of your home safely.• Keep a packed bag at a trusted relative’s or friend’s home.• Tell trustworthy neighbors about the violence. Ask them to

call the police if they hear or see any disturbance.• Devise a code word or signal to use with your children,

family, friends, and trustworthy neighbors when you need the police.

• Plan where you will go if you have to leave.• Trust your instincts and judgment. You have the right to

protect yourself until you are out of danger.

Safety When Preparing to Leave• Establish your independence. Open savings and credit card

accounts in your name only.• Leave money, extra keys, and copies of important

documents, extra medicine and clothes with someone you trust so you can leave quickly.

• Determine safe people you can stay with or borrow money from.

• Keep hotline phone numbers and change, a calling card, or a safety cell phone on you at all times for emergency phone calls. Most crisis lines do accept collect calls and 911 is free.

• Review and rehearse your safety plan.

Safety with a Restraining Order• Keep your protective order on you at all times, and give a

copy to a trusted neighbor, friend or family member.• Call the police if your abuser violates the protective order.• Think of alternative ways to keep safe if the police do not

respond right away.• Inform family, friends, neighbors and health care providers

that you have a restraining order in effect.

Internet and Computer SafetyRemember that all computer and online activity may be monitored. Abusers may monitor your emails and internet activity. This may include more than just websites; if you are planning to flee to a particular location, don’t look at classified ads for jobs and apartments, bus tickets, etc. for

that place. It is safer to use a computer in a public library, at a trusted friend’s house, at an internet cafe, or any other public terminals. Abusers may also track your activity and whereabouts through your cell phone; if you think there a chance this may be happening, take your phone into your provider and have it thoroughly checked.

Checklist: What You Should Take When You Leave• Restraining order/stalking order• Car registration• Health and life insurance cards• Divorce / custody papers• House and car keys• Medications• Phone card/safety cell phone• Clothes, blankets, small toys for children• Clothes, hygiene necessities, etc. for yourself• Identification• Driver’s license• Children’s birth certificates• Social security card• Money and/or credit cards• Bankbooks• Checkbooks and/or ATM cards

Details of this safety plan provided by: Domestic Violence Resource Center (http://www.dvrc-or.org/safety-planning/)

Basic Safety Planning

Did you know?Our largest source of recurring revenue comes from sales at our Bargain Center.

This money goes directly to supporting our life recovery programs.

Every dollar you spend and every item you donate helps us help those in our community who need it most.

The Bargain Center is located at:3375 Napier AvenueMacon, GA 31204

BARGAIN CENTER STAFFBill Barnes VICE PRESIDENT OF RETAIL DIVISION

Niger Brown STORE MANAGER

Tina Stovall ASSISTANT MANAGER

Shameka Davis PRODUCTION MANAGER

Barbara Tyler SALES ASSOCIATE

Fanta Washington SALES ASSOCIATE

Peronica Jackson SALES ASSOCIATE

Sheena Parker SALES ASSOCIATE

DRIVERSArt EllisCurtis RoundtreeTony Travick

To Donate: Go to our website www.rescuemissionga.com, call us at 478-743-5445 ext. 311 or Email us - donate@rescuemissionga.com

Bring this newsletter with you the next time you shop at our Bargain Center and get $5 off your purchase of $5 or more. Thank you!

Bargain CenterShopping

The Women’s Division visited the Bargain Center on September 20th to finish out their afternoon of fall shopping. As you can see they had a great time trying on various items and being fabulous. The Rescue Mission of Middle Georgia Thrift Ministry helps not only because every dollar earned goes back into the Mission’s life changing programs, but it also provides clothing to the Mission residents and others in need in this community. Your donations help us fund our current ministry as well as enable us to continue serving the local community in the years ahead.

The women featured in these photos are no longer in danger of their abuser. The privacy and security of the women in our program is of our utmost concern.

P.O. Box 749 | Macon, GA 31202

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Non ProfitU.S. Postage

PAIDPermit # 232Macon, GA

Non ProfitU.S. Postage

PAIDPermit # 232Macon, GA

Non ProfitU.S. Postage

PAIDPermit # 232Macon, GA

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GIVE YEAR-ROUNDConsider becoming a monthly giver and have a lasting impact throughout the year! Find out how at rescuemissionga.com

BARGAIN CENTERShop at 3375 Napier Avenue or donate items to a great cause. For large pickups call 743-5445.

In 2015, with the help of more than 75 volunteers, we served over 1,100 meals overall to those in need for Thanksgiving. Volunteers also helped hand deliver approximately 600 meals to the homebound elderly, disabled and Hospice patients. It is our goal at the Rescue Mission for anyone who is hungry to receive a meal and enjoy love and fellowship especially at during the holiday season. Achieving our goals would not be possible without the love, compassion and support of the Middle Georgia area.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

1. Send a donation today in the envelope provided.

2. Include any of the items below on your shopping list and deliver them to the Mission by November 17.

3. Call Niki Collis at 478-743-5445 Ext: 403 to volunteer for food preparation, deliver meals or serve meals on Thanksgiving. Preparation takes place the week of Thanksgiving.

Help Feed the HungryTHIS THANKSGIVING

ITEMS NEEDED: Turkeys, Ham, Pepperidge Farm Cornbread, Pepperidge Farm Stuffing Mix, Cream of Mushroom Soup, French Fried Onions, Green Beans, desserts and Kroger Gift Cards.

Help Feed the Hungry