The Dale County Rescue Mission celebrated 25 years of feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, and giving hope to those in need in 2011.  “It has been  a real privilege and joy to serve our community all of these years.  The new year presents a lot of exciting opportunities for us as a Rescue Mission, and we are committed to a continued effort of serving our community with excellence,” states Dr. Charles Gann, who has served as Executive Director of the Rescue Mission for 22 years and now serves as Chairman and CEO.

In 2011, the Dale County Rescue Mission was blessed to serve people in the following ways:

• Provided 2,285 nights of safe shelter to the homeless
• Served 9,758 meals locally through the Rescue Mission Kitchen ministry
• Gave 72,430 lbs of food to families in need (average of 3 tons per month)
• Logged 6,622 hours of volunteer service to our community
• Assisted 9 families who lost their homes to fire to refurnish, feed, and clothe their families
• Delivered 18 pallets of food and supplies (approx. 400 lbs. each) for Disaster Relief (July tornados) to Birmingham Christian Service Center
• Donated 180 books to local prison system
• Gathered a shipment of clothes and hot-weather supplies for ministsry to children in Nicaragua through a local missionary in October
• Provided 527 hours of Biblical/Pastoral counseling to individuals and families
• Gave 3,789 pieces of clothing to those in need
• Distributed Thanksgiving Food Bags to 389 families in November
• Distributed Christmas Food Bags to 332 families in December
• Provided Chapel Services for those staying at the Rescue Mission 3 days each week, and transportation to church services every Sunday morning and evening
• Recycled 541,627 lbs. of waste and raw materials (271 tons), keeping it out of our landfills and trash cans and turning it into jobs, job training, food, and other critical services
• Assisted with a host of other medical, counseling, and emergency services including over 200 referrals to other agencies to assist families in our community

“People ask us every day what is happening at the Rescue Mission, and it is just amazing to share the story of what we are able to do.  Our annual statistics only tell a
portion of the story, but give great insight into a lot of good done right here in our community.  God is doing a tremendous work through the Dale County Rescue Mission,” reflects Doug McGannon, President and COO.  “The economic value alone to our community through our recycling program, our volunteers, and our ministry programs is big.  It’s big enough for us to recognize that we couldn’t do this alone.  A very big ‘thank you’ is in order to the people of Dale County who have helped us be that place of hope for so many this past year.”

After 25 years of serving the hungry, the homeless, and those in need of hope, Dr. Gann enthusiastically reminds us, “God is good, and the best is yet to come.”

If you would like to know more about how to be involved with us at the Dale County Rescue Mission or learn more about our ministry programs, please call (334) 774-6553 or visit our website often.  As well, if you need information about where to drop off clothing, shoes, household donations, recycling goods, or to schedule a pickup, contact our Ozark store at (334) 774-6510, or our Daleville store (334) 598-8522.

On December 16, 2011, staff and volunteers of The Dale County Rescue Mission gathered at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Ozark, AL to distribute Christmas Food Boxes to families and individuals of Dale County.  In total, 330 Christmas boxes were distributed to those who signed up.  Though that was the number distributed at the “official” event, more food was prepared and given throughout the remainder of the day and on through the month, as many more came to the Rescue Mission in need.

Not a single person was turned away from the Rescue Mission throughout the Christmas season.  Even those who came to the Rescue Mission with needs that were beyond the scope of what the Rescue Mission could offer were able to be referred to or placed with other agencies and help organizations so that no need went unmet.

Thank you to all those who have supported The Dale County Rescue Mission during the holiday season, and continue to support us as we seek to serve people through the cold, winter months.

Thank you also to all of the volunteers who gave of themselves to make Christmas a little brighter for hundreds of families in Dale County.  Your time and efforts are very much appreciated and have made such a difference in the lives of those you have served.  Thank you, again!

Thank you to St. Michael’s Episcopal  Church in Ozark, AL for hosting The Dale County Rescue Mission for this very important annual ministry.  It is a blessing to lock arms with churches throughout Dale County in order to serve people and BE the love of Christ to those in need.

The Dale County Rescue Mission Christmas Box signup begins November 28th and will continue through December 9th.  You can sign up at the Rescue Mission Administration Offices located at 182 Martin Street, Ozark, AL.  Please contact us at (334) 774-6553 for more information, guidelines, and restrictions.

If you would like to make a financial donation to help the Rescue Mission with this year’s Christmas meals and boxes, please call for information as to how you can be a blessing to an individual or family in need this year.

This is our 25th year anniversary of providing food, shelter, and hope during the holiday season here in Dale County.  Thank you and we look forward to serving the people of Dale County during the Christmas holidays again this year.

Thank you to all our staff, volunteers, churches, schools, businesses, and others who helped us make Thanksgiving a time of warmth, hope, and a time to enjoy family for so many this year.  A tremendous amount of work, tears, and laughter went into gathering food for, preparing, and distributing Thanksgiving Food Boxes for nearly 400 families, and preparing well over 100 hot Thanksgiving meals for shut-ins, inmates, and homeless during this very special holiday week.

During a time when unemployment and a sense of despair is consuming so many, The Dale County Rescue Mission was blessed to be able to provide food, shelter, and hope for many, many thankful individuals and families.  Without the support of the wonderful people of our community, we would not have been able to do this.

Thank You!

On more than one occasion, people stopped staff and volunteers and said that “had it not been for you this year, my family would not have had food for Thanksgiving.”  These statements and testimonies make every bit of hard work and effort worth doing what we do.

Again, thank you for being a part of such a bright blessing to families throughout Dale County.  May God richly and warmly bless you and your family throughout this holiday season.

The Annual Community Thanksgiving Service will be held Sunday, November 20th at 6:00pm.  The annual event, sponsored by the Ozark Area Ministerial Association, will be hosted this year by Ridgecrest Baptist Church located at 1971 Deese Road, Ozark, AL.  This inter-denominational joint community worship service is a wonderful opportunity to share in this season of Thanksgiving together.

Dr. Billy Gaither will be the guest speaker, and Johnny Anderson will lead the music “featuring a combined community worship choir and guest singer, Olivia Jones,” as reported by The Southern Star newspaper in Ozark.

Those attending the service are asked to bring one or more non-perishable food items to the service.  The Dale County Rescue Mission Food Pantry will receive this offering of food to be used in this year’s Thanksgiving Food Boxes, Thanksgiving meals, and in our Food Pantry outreach.  This is a tremendous blessing as our Food Pantry is at one of its lowest stocks in many years due to the number of families we are serving each day and the significant increase in Thanksgiving Food Box signups this holiday season.  Last month alone, The Dale County Rescue Mission gave 20,800 lbs of food to those in need throughout our community.

A love offering will also be received and shared between The Dale County Recue Mission and The Salvation Army for ministering to local families during the holiday season.

Please plan on attending this joyous and very important community service.  We invite you and your family to join us during this very special event.  For more information, please contact Ridgecrest Baptist Church at (334) 774-5610, or you may contact us at (334) 774-6553.

See also “Things To Do In The Wiregrass”

For nearly 20 years, The Dale County Rescue Mission has been a leader in the recycling movement in Dale County and surrounding communities.  From the very beginning it has been about changing lives and creating another way to serve Food, Shelter, and Hope for those in need who come through our doors every day.  This week, the Recycling Ministry Team celebrated turning nearly 100,000 pounds of “trash” back into usable goods and services in our community, and into our Thanksgiving Food Box and Thanksgiving Meals outreaches.

Through our Recycling Ministry, we actively provide job training, create new jobs for the local community, and literally turn what most people throw away each week into food, clothing, safe shelter, and other emergency services.  Often our recycling program has helped other communities such as those that have been ravaged by tornados, hurricanes, and other weather disasters.  Through local missionaries, we have also been able to send goods and services to overseas locations to assist in service projects and missionary work.

Over the years, this ministry has served our community and provided a much needed service by eliminating or reducing waste and transforming it into blessings for many thousands of families and individuals.  We are excited to continue to grow this ministry and truly see the fruit of our labor on a daily basis.

The Recycling Ministry Team gladly provides pickup services for cardboard, aluminum, plastic, scrap metals, paper, and other materials from your business or residential locations.  We also have drop off locations in Ozark and Daleville to serve you better.  For more information about the range of our ministry and what materials we are able to recycle, please contact us at (334) 774-6553 or at our Ozark store at (334) 774-6510.

We look forward to continue to serve our community through this very important ministry.  At the same time, we say thank you to our community for your response to our Recycling Ministry throughout the years.  Exciting opportunities continue to grow through this ministry and we are proud to partner with you each and every day.

Here at The Dale County Rescue Mission, we would like to say a very big THANK YOU to all our veterans.  Thank you for giving of yourself, some of you the ultimate sacrifice, in order to protect and preserve the freedom we enjoy here is the USA.  You are appreciated and we are thankful for you and your service.

Please join us in prayer for our veterans, service men and women, and their families who have served and are currently serving both here at home and abroad.  God Bless You!

A very special “thank you” goes out to the staff and volunteer team at The Dale County Rescue Mission Bargain Center in Ozark for their participation in the Ozark Chamber of Commerce Holiday Open House on November 10, 2011.  The team, pictured mostly here, decorated the Ozark store, baked and prepared holiday refreshments, provided world-class customer service, and shared the ministry of the Rescue Mission from 5-8pm Thursday night with people from the community.  Pictured here, from left to right, are Karen Gann, Holly McGannon, Nathaniel McGannon, Lisa Lopez, Kathy Hammond, Virginia Mercer, Nathan Holt, and Steve Murray.  Bailey Brust is pictured with Santa to the right.  Not pictured here (but very much appreciated) is Michael McGannon who was with Bailey Brust at our downtown booth representing the Rescue Mission to the community.

Thanks to the Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce and all of our local businesses and participants for hosting and taking part in the festive city-wide event.

Three wonderful people will be announced tomorrow in our store who were chosen in a drawing tonight for door prizes.  We look forward to celebrating the winners with our team as we continue to serve the people of Dale County through this Thanksgiving season.

The Dale County Rescue Mission will participate in the annual Chamber of Commerce City-Wide Holiday Open House in Ozark, Alabama this year.  Businesses from all over Ozark will gather downtown for an evening of sharing and community.  Our Ozark Bargain Center located at 570 S. Union Ave. will, as many businesses will, have extended shopping hours and will serve refreshments from 5pm-8pm.

We look forward to sharing in the holiday spirit with the City of Ozark, its businesses and residents.  Please make plans to attend this wonderful event and take a few minutes to stop by and say hello to our friendly staff during the event.

A big thanks to the City of Ozark, the Chamber of Commerce and all the local businesses for hosting this fun event.  Please visit the Chamber of Commerce online for more information about this and other events.