Many of us will be surrounded by family at Christmas time. We may go out of town to visit family or family may come to visit us. Our phone bills tend to go up as we make more of an effort to be in touch with family members during the holidays.

For the 220 plus guests staying with us each night in the Homeless Intervention Services Center at the Bakersfield Rescue Mission, the holidays can be a very difficult time. The holidays can be a painful reminder of life and relationships lost. We would like to make our guests' Christmas a special one. The most important gift we want to give to our guests this year is the opportunity to speak with their families on Christmas day.

Many of our guests have not been in contact with their families in some time. It is especially difficult for our guests with families out of state. A phone call home on Christmas day would be the most valuable gift our guests would receive. That one 30 minute phone call could be the catalyst many of our guests need to restore their self-worth and dignity, giving them the encouragement they need to turn their lives around.

We need your help in this incredible endeavor. Please help us provide the gift of family communication with a 30 minute phone card. The difference this one small gift could make is immeasurable. Thank you in advance for your help in providing a Christmas call home!

Phone cards can be brought to:

Administration Office at 724 E21st Street, Bakersfield CA
Or mailed to the Bakersfield Rescue Mission
Attn: Development
P.O. Box 2222
Bakersfield, CA 93303