Congratulations to these 2009 Compassion In Action Partners who were honored at the Mission’s Restore Hope campaign fundraising banquet on October 17.

Church Compassion in Action Partner Honoree

Church of the Apostles
This enthusiastic congregation has hosted several New Life Graduation ceremonies and also fields a Mobile Kitchen volunteer team that serves meals at Trumbull Gardens every Friday night. Several of the Mission’s New Life Program students have attended Church of the Apostles, where they are welcomed and loved. Volunteers from the church have also served as Mission board members, mentors, speakers, teachers and prayer-meeting leaders.
Paul Hiller, Treasurer, accepted the award.

Corporate Compassion in Action Partner Honoree

General Electric
As the economy faltered and the needs of the hungry and homeless escalated, General Electric enacted “double” matching of all employee gifts to organizations like Bridgeport Rescue Mission. They held internal employee fundraisers to benefit the Mission and made a significant gift to the Neighbor to Neighbor Grant Program from which the Mission was awarded $30,000. Employees also funded and constructed a patio and pergola at the Mission’s Women’s Center, and in partnership with Richards Corporation, they transformed the back yard to provide a place for residents to relax in God’s peace.
Eileen Cavanaugh, Manager of Corporate Operations and Controllership, accepted the award.

Community Compassion in Action Partner Honoree

Greater Bridgeport Community Health Center
Greater Bridgeport Community Health Center works hand in hand with the Mission, providing mental health evaluations for participants in our New Life Program who are uninsured. As mental-health issues often fuel life-dominating challenges such as addiction and homelessness, the Center’s partnership offers a vital material resource in assessing and monitoring incoming students, many of whom come directly from situations and circumstances where they lacked proper medication.
Dr. Linda Wolf accepted the award.



Bridgeport Rescue Mission relies on local churches, corporations and community organizations for the financial and volunteer support—along with other vital resources—that makes our work possible. We bestow our Compassion in Action Partner designation on groups who consistently demonstrate these exemplary characteristics:

• A business, church and community organization willing to put hands and feet to work to serve the hungry, homeless and addicted.
• A business, church and community organization that advocates publicly for the poor and downtrodden of Fairfield County.
• A business, church and community organization that commits financial or material resources to make a significant impact on the lives of the poor.

Compassion in Action Partners receive a special logo to place on their letterhead, on their Web site, in brochures and on other materials to generate community awareness of their commitment to the hungry, homeless and poor of Fairfield County.

And each year we honor Compassion in Action Partners who have gone “above and beyond” in their efforts to care for the needy in our own backyard. Our Compassion in Action Program awards for “corporate,” “church” and “community” partnerships are presented annually at our Restore Hope banquet in the fall.

To learn more about becoming a Compassion in Action Partner—and to view list of churches, corporations and community organizations that have already been selected—click here or call Linda Casey at (203) 333-4087 or e-mail Linda. We look forward to welcoming your organization as a Compassion in Action Partner soon!

Corporate Compassion in Action

Compassionate businesses like yours can make a world of difference when they team up with Bridgeport Rescue Mission to help the homeless. Here are a few ways your company can help out:

Join us for Special Events. Sponsor a table at our annual Restore Hope Banquet. Click here for a complete list of our upcoming events.

Sponsor a Drive. We offer lots of great ideas for groups and individuals. Click here for a complete list of drives or develop your own.

Donate. There are so many inventive ways you can collect funds to help fuel our outreach to the homeless. Sponsor an event, take up a collection, match employees' gifts—the list is endless.

Come Serve. Grab your coworkers and prepare and serve lunch at the Mission. For volunteer opportunities, click here.

Donate Professional Services. If you're a doctor, lawyer, accountant or other professional, our guests and the Mission itself can use your professional skills.

Schedule a Speaker. Schedule a brown bag lunch and invite a speaker from the Mission to talk with staff members about homelessness and our services. For information about this and our Brown Bag Challenge, please contact Marion Schrade at (203) 333-4087 or e-mail Marion.

Match a Gift. Many businesses throughout Fairfield County partner with Bridgeport Rescue Mission to match employees’ financial gifts and volunteer time. If your company is interested in helping in this way, please contact Trudy Merrett-Rude at (203) 333-4087. Click here for a partial list of our partnering businesses.

Church Compassion in Action

Bridgeport Rescue Mission is an arm of the local church, so we greatly encourage local congregations to participate in our ministry to the homeless. Here are a few opportunities for your church:

Feed the Hungry. Purchase, prepare and serve a meal for our hungry guests, then clean up afterward, or donate assembled sack lunches for the weekend.

Coordinate Special Events. Assist with annual fundraisers and awareness events.

Sponsor a Drive. We have lots of fun drives you and your congregation can sponsor that will provide the Mission with essentials like food and clothing.

Schedule a Speaker. Invite one of our staff members to speak during a worship service, at a Sunday school class or during youth group.

Partnering Churches. Bridgeport Rescue Mission is excited that more and more churches throughout Fairfield County are working with us as we provide basic necessities and Christ-centered life recovery programs. For more information about church involvement, please contact Linda Casey at (203) 333-4087 or e-mail Linda. Click here for a partial list of our partnering churches.

Community Compassion in Action

Schools:
Participate in a Drive. We have lots of drives that allow students to have fun while they make a big difference in the lives of the homeless. For instance, they can collect items and assemble Welcome Packages, filled with things like personal care items, for our overnight guests or the men and women in our New Life Program. Click here for a complete list of drives or develop your own.

Collect Funds for Our Program. How about hosting a Penny War, in which different classes compete to see how much money they can raise, with the winning class getting an ice cream party? Each class donates pennies to its jar and trumps the other classes' jars by putting in "silver" change, the face value of which is deducted from the opposing class' total.

Raise Awareness about Homelessness. Write about the needs of the homeless in the school paper. Set up a booth for the Mission at your school carnival. Schedule one of our staff members to speak at a school assembly.

Come for a Visit. Schedule a class tour of the Mission so students can learn firsthand what it's like to be homeless.

For more information, please contact Marion Schrade at (203) 333-4087 or e-mail Marion.

Service Groups:
Schedule a Speaker or Tour. Help your organization's members learn more about the needs of homeless and working poor people in our community by inviting one of our staff members to speak at your next meeting. Or, come to the Mission for a tour.

Sponsor a Drive. We are in constant need of supplies like food, cleaning products, paper goods and clothing. Your group can collect these items by sponsoring one of our existing drives or creating your own.

Volunteer at the Mission. Your group can help prepare, serve and clean up after a meal in our dining room or our Mobile Kitchen. To find out more about volunteering, please click here.

Join us for Special Events. We have many special events throughout the year that help raise awareness and funds for our ministry. Please plan to join us at our annual Restore Hope Banquet.

For more information, please contact Jen Hanlon at (203) 333-4087 or e-mail Jen.