For many, the line between stability and homelessness is getting thinner every day. 59% of Americans are one paycheck away from being homeless. At Gospel Rescue Mission, we see the devastating effects of this daily. Job loss, rent hikes, and rising living costs can swiftly turn a secure life into uncertainty and homelessness.
This was the case for Lanetta.
As a successful hairstylist, Lanetta wanted to pay it forward. When she heard about our Blessings to Go events, she volunteered this past Easter to give free haircuts to anyone who needed one.
“I didn’t think then that I would be in the same place as the people I met at that event.”
Yet, a few months later, her life took a dramatic turn. Pregnant with her sixth child, her husband filed for a divorce. Suddenly, Lanetta found herself overwhelmed with stress and grief, unable to keep up with all of the bills on one income. The following months were the hardest of her life as she struggled to find the strength to provide for her kids. Trying to give them her best. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t keep up with her business expenses, vehicle payments, or rent. Lanetta slowly lost everything.
With nowhere to go, Lanetta and her five kids bounced from one hotel to another until her savings ran out.
“I felt so defeated and depleted every day. I said to God, ‘I don’t know if I can do this!’”
Amid her despair, and with four dollars to her name, she remembered Gospel Rescue Mission and the Easter event where she had volunteered and hoped she could also find the help she needed. So she packed everything she had left and came to GRM with her five kids.
And, in this place, God met her.
She prayed for a reliable vehicle to help her secure a job. Her friends and family came together and helped her purchase one large enough for her growing family. Lanetta entered our Workforce Development Program and secured employment within her area of expertise in a relatively short time.
During this difficult and trying season, Lanetta saw God’s faithfulness – He had a plan for her and her family, and because of your support, she could move forward and rebuild her life. Through our Housing Program, Lanetta found an apartment for her family and connected with a ministry that helped her with her first and last month’s rent when she was ready to move in.
Because of the generous community donations we receive, our Donation Center provided her with household goods, furniture, dressers for the kids, beds, kitchen appliances, and everything else her family needed. It was installed while Lanetta was at work.
When she entered her new apartment and found it fully stocked and furnished, she was shocked and overwhelmed with tears of joy and relief. Her reaction was priceless.
Given the current state of the economy, it is evident that its impact has been profound, affecting everyone – especially those living on the brink of poverty. Rising inflation and the cost of rent have truly harmed the most vulnerable – those earning minimum wage and living paycheck to paycheck. Rental rates have increased by over 40% since 2017 in Tucson, which has led to a widening poverty gap and record-high rates of eviction. For people living on the brink of poverty – like Lanetta – it doesn’t take much for them to become homeless.
While we know over 2,000 people are living on the streets in Pima County, this data does not reflect the thousands more who are living on the brink of homelessness like Lanetta – bouncing from hotel to hotel or couch to couch, relying on friends until they finally end up on the streets, with no hope of returning to the life they once had.
Your generosity and compassion show people like Lanetta that they are not alone – that there is someone out there who sees them, loves them and wants to see them restored. It demonstrates that God has already provided for their needs, caring for them in their vulnerability when they need it the most.
Please give generously. At GRM, we rely on the continued support of our donors, and summer is always a challenging season. With rising inflation and a troubled economy, we need your support to continue serving people like Lanetta, who have lost everything.
Your generosity, love, and compassion are providing transformation. Thank you for being a part of the rescue team.
Thanking God for you,
Lisa Chastain
Chief Executive Officer
P.S. Your donation today immediately impacts the lives of those in need. Thank you for helping us rescue people who need practical support, compassion, and hope.