Orange County Rescue Mission

Rewriting the Narrative of Homelessness

By Katrina McDowell on May 31, 2024 in Giving

Restoration and reconciliation for people experiencing homelessness are what happens at this Yardi-supported nonprofit.

Orange County Rescue Mission is a faith-based life transformation program that provides on-campus housing, basic needs, and comprehensive services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Founded in 1963 in Trustin, Calif, this organization is 100 percent privately funded and has nine campuses, including:

• Tustin Veterans Outpost
• Alumni Housing
• Hope Harbor
• Village of Hope- providing transitional and long-term housing and care for teens at risk of homelessness.
• Double R Ranch

In 2023, Orange County Rescue Mission introduced the Double R Ranch program, a unique initiative combining nature’s and animals’ healing effects with hands-on skill training. This horse and livestock ranch provides a unique experience for men, women, and children and serves as a weekend retreat for Village of Hope families.

“In 2024, we are looking forward to expanding our reach to more families by bringing more men to this program and running more family camps and programs for teens,” said Jeana Baltierra, donor relations manager for Orange County Rescue Mission.

Thanks to the generous funding from Yardi, the Double R Ranch program can operate and directly serve the needs of people experiencing homelessness. Watch how impactful 2023 was for Orange County Rescue Mission.

“We are so moved by the generosity of Yardi and their partnership to help people experiencing homelessness in our community,” said Baltierra.

Joey and Sierra’s Journey

Joey and Sierra were living in a downward spiral with a life of drugs and experiencing homelessness while sleeping in a church parking lot. Trying to work as hard as they could for their children, ten years of heavy drug use affected this ability. When a drunk driver struck Joey and his oldest daughter, Joey ended up in the hospital in a coma for two weeks, and his daughter was killed instantly.

“We should have noticed that as a gift from God,” Sierra explains. “But we didn’t know how to grieve, so we fell into addiction. After losing our daughter, we lost ourselves.”

Unfortunately, Joey and Sierra soon hit rock bottom. They turned to drugs, spending all their money on drugs, and they couldn’t provide a stable home for their other two children.

Joey and Sierra decided to rebuild their lives. They arrived at the Orange County Rescue Mission, where they found security, allowing them to take steps toward long-term stability.

“Joey and Sierra are finding healing via therapy, rehabilitation programs, a loving community, and a deep relationship with Jesus Christ that drugs cannot provide,” said Baltierra.

Now, they are at the final stage of their program—working seniors who are both employed and saving money and will soon move to the alumni housing program.

Learn more about Joey and Sierra’s journey.  

Volunteer Opportunities

Orange County Rescue Mission has volunteer opportunities from Monday through Sunday to help with daily operations. Visit its website for more information or contact its volunteer team at [email protected] or (714) 441-8089.

Find future non-profit profiles at https://www.yardi.com/blog/category/giving.

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