Mission:
The San Diego Rescue Mission believes in the inherent worth of every homeless man, woman, and child.
Our mission is to spread the good news of salvation through Christ by serving the needs of the poor, addicted, abused, and homeless, thus improving the quality of their lives.
Our programs provide the rehabilitation and discipleship that allow us to achieve this mission, leading to positive, lasting change – and creating better lives for those we serve, their families, and the community as a whole.
History:
Throughout its history, the San Diego Rescue Mission’s programs have adapted to meet the changing needs of San Diego’s homeless and needy populations.
The organization’s story began in 1954, when a group of San Diego church and business leaders met to address the growing plight of the community’s homeless and hungry.
Based on this vision, the City Rescue Mission was founded in 1955 and immediately began providing food, clothing and spiritual guidance to the region’s homeless. In 1958, this soup kitchen expanded its services to include short-term shelter and services for up to 85 men. Two years later the Mission made history by opening the first shelter for women and children in San Diego County.
As city redevelopment efforts intensified in the mid-1980s, the number of homeless grew to a crisis level. Once again, the Mission (now known as the San Diego Rescue Mission) responded by opening a new and much larger facility for men at 1150 J Street in 1985. Around this time the organization also took a new, innovative approach in seeking long-term solutions to homelessness. This was illustrated in 1988, with the creation of a new program providing education and vocational training to residents in its programs.
