Poverty Puts Rescue Mission Out on Streets

Increasing debts have forced the San Diego Rescue Mission to shut down--at least temporarily--for the first time in its 30-year history.

Its medical clinic, however, will remain open on Sunday and Wednesday nights, said James Flohr, mission executive director.

Until it closed Monday, the 5th Avenue mission served 500 to 700 meals a day and its 87 beds for the homeless were full every night, said Don Borgen, mission spokesman. It was the only place in San Diego where transients could go for shelter on a regular basis.

The mission must repay $1.45 million in loans before it can move into its new building on J Street, said David Shepersky, mission president.

The homeless “are wondering what they are going to do, because they now have no place to go,” Shepersky said.

The mission owes the Bank of San Diego $700,000 and owes $300,000 to private citizens, many from the mission’s own board, who have loaned it money to stay afloat.

Although many who have used the mission’s services may be back on the streets, none will go hungry, said Flohr.

“I don’t know where the people who stayed here will go,” he said, “but they won’t go hungry because there are other places that can feed them.”

Shepersky said $400,000 would be enough to open the mission’s doors again, adding that he hopes to be back in operation in a few days. The bank loan is not due until February, Shepersky said, and that money could be raised after the mission reopens.

“We feel that if we get $400,000 we could open up,” Flohr said.

The Gaslamp Quarter Council, San Diegans Inc., Centre City Development Corp. and Central City Assn. have begun a fund-raising effort and hope to put the mission back in operation within 30 days, Shepersky said.

The opening of the new mission will be postponed and the old mission will remain closed until bills incurred during construction of the new facility are paid off, said Flohr. He said the new site is almost ready for final inspection.

The new mission will be able to accommodate 1,000 people for meals, rather than the 350 at the old site, and will be able to house 200 men, women and children, whereas the old building was capable of housing 87 men, Flohr said. There also will be eight additional showers at the new location and a barber shop.

Flohr said the mission also needs money for furniture and equipment for the new building.

The City of San Diego had offered to aid the mission, but because the mission is considered a church and has an ordained chaplain on duty, the city was stopped by constitutional provisions requiring the separation of church and state, Shepersky said.

“Now that people know we are closing they are helping, when they didn’t before,” he said.

“A lot of people don’t realize what the Rescue Mission does . . . many lives are helped through the rescue mission.”

Besides feeding the hungry and housing the homeless, the Rescue Mission aided individuals who were looking for jobs. It also provided spiritual help, said Dale Hardy, a chaplain at the mission.

“We work spiritually with transients and street people who come our way,” Hardy said. “They can be drug addicts, alcoholics, or someone who just wants to get a new start in life. But to help spiritually, you must first help them physically--with food, clothing, shaves, showers, beds and counseling.”