Breakfast Together Outreach

Do you know the formula God uses to make the world a better place?

Tue, 01 May 2012 22:13:00 -0700

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Breakfast Together Outreach in Costa Mesa is going great! Enjoy the photos...

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 08:43:25 -0700

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Love Sometimes Comes in the Form of a Haircut and Coffee Pot

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:11:16 -0700

There is a little church that meets in a motel where people without homes live called the Breakfast Together Outreach. Most of the people there are either the working poor or they are “transitional homeless” – they’re either coming off the streets or heading back down to the streets. Many of them have lost hope and have resigned themselves to the fact that they are helpless to change their life.

Every Sunday, we serve breakfast and have a worship service. Our goal is to give them food for their bodies in the form of breakfast and food for their souls in the form of friendship while we telling them about the hope they can have in Jesus and that God has a plan for their lives. This Sunday was extra special since we were also able to impact their dignity with a free haircut provided by a local salon who setup shop at the motel!

Later that day we decided that since Starbucks was no longer willing to donate coffee that we would have to find another way to have coffee available. We decided to take an offering at the service starting next Sunday so that the people attending could have the privilege of helping to buy a coffee pot. The most we’ve ever got in any offering was $12 - we don’t pass an offering basket, we just have a small bucket near the resource table where people can give if they want to. We thought that an offering was the right way to do it even though it would take several months to raise enough money to buy a big coffeemaker.

The very next day, we had generous donation of a beautiful coffee urn. The gift was a much more beautiful coffeemaker than we would have purchased. We all got goose bumps realizing that God had orchestrated all of this. He decided that the folks in the motel not only didn’t need to buy a coffee pot, but that they deserved a really nice one!

We are so grateful. I can tell you that the people at the little church that meets at this motel in Santa Ana will be so blessed by the generosity and especially to hear the story of how God loves them enough to send them a love note in the form of a coffeemaker.

-Ron W.

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Some video testimonies of how a relational-based outreach is changing lives

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:34:00 -0700

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This week's Link's to OC JOBS

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:28:43 -0700

https://spreadsheets.google.com/a/breakfastoutreach.com/spreadsheet/pub?hl=en...

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2 things are at-war inside our souls—Compassion & Apathy. Please pray for Ben and Roberta Keenan as they battle cancer.

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 21:49:23 -0700

Ben was one of our original expansion leaders bringing the Breakfast Together Outreach to Costa Mesa over 5 years ago. He quickly used his wisdom and love to grow the small group participation into a self-sustaining outreach ministering to dozens of homeless every week. This was accomplished in half the time it took Me (Max McGhee) to fill the calendar in San Clemente. But the bigger picture was the relationships he established among the those without homes. Ben and his wife Roberta cared deeply for their neighbors with both faith and deed. This inspirational leadership carried over to the small groups and many books could be written about the life-change that has occurred in the lives of Costa Mesa's homeless. Watch this short YouTube clip to get an idea of what it was all about: http://www.youtube.com/breakfastoutreach#p/f/3/mOj2F73yU7w

Now Ben and Roberta are the ones suffering under the weight of difficult circumstances due to a long battle with cancer. Ben's health has dropped significantly and needs all of us to come to his side with prayer. Supporting him and his family while they hold on and celebrate everyday they get to spend with Ben. A caretakers life is not easy and I believe Roberta can truly use all the help we could give her, whether it be financial, prayer, visits, or signing the guestbook with encouraging entries via caring bridge. (here's the link http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/benkeenan )

Please choose compassion and give what you can and be blessed!

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35 NIV

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A Poor-life is defined by a lack of LOVE not MONEY. People need a healthy community more than finances!

Sun, 01 May 2011 08:15:15 -0700

We really enjoyed the 40 Days of Love!  What a great study by Tom Holladay!!  We had great discussions and continue to grow closer as a group as we study together.

We've had a person show up needing help with his alcoholism. Rich was quick to step in and be there for him. He returned the next week, knowing we cared and were praying for him. He's found a place in a halfway home now.

We're helping a disabled person look for Section Eight housing. It's great to give her a hand up and not just a hand out.  We're helping her weigh the choices and options but having her be the driving force behind the decision. To see her take steps away from a victims roll to an independent person who is capable of making her own decisions.

One person in the group had a stroke and was hospitalized. She is now in a medical rehab home. As a group we've enjoyed sending her cards and some of us visiting her. We're her local Christian family since her sister is in WA and not in close relationship with her.

We have a new person from outside the Motel. She's from Anaheim Saddleback and was looking for a local  small group. She adds a lot to our discussion and we're thrilled to have her join us and be getting to know her.

It's a great group of people to know and study with. We all share our praises and our hurts with each other.  We care about each other, encourage each other and pray for each other.

We loved the study and are so thankful for the books that were so kindly given to us. Our small group at the motel has become a very important part of Rich and my life. God is awesome!

Tanya

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Easter Celebration at the Breakfast Together Outreach in San Clemente!

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:08:04 -0700

We had 27 Easter Baskets donated that were filled to the top with household items, candy, spiritual references and bibles and prayers over each one. It was amazing to watch our new group of volunteers, join with our friends in need, to pray over each basket before they were delivered to the residence at the Algodon Motel. What was even more special was watching those that we serve, join in to help deliver the baskets and pray with the recipients-very powerful!

We served over 25 people on Easter and there were many hugs and joyful hearts surrounding each other this day! Brian delivered a powerful message about forgiveness and bringing it to the cross. We brought a wooden cross and nails for anyone that felt led to bring it to the cross and let God take control and become filled with forgiveness and peace. VERY POWERFUL!!!!

We were able to bring 8 of our friends from the streets and living at the motel to the 1pm service. God surrounded our friends with love and and their hearts were opened wide. Tim Hill spent a lot of time with Keith that day and they had a chance to connect about what is heavy on Tim's heart. During the service, Tim took detailed notes and has asked for heavy prayers over in lack of control with drinking.

It was a joyful day!

Blessings, Amie

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Celebration of LIFE for Dan Southwick at our San Clemente Breakfast Together Outreach

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 01:21:00 -0700

Sunday was a day to remember our friend Dan who has gone home to be with the Father. He suffered greatly in his last days here on Earth from physical pain but he did not have a fear of dying because he found a new joy in the love of his friends who would sacrifice to take care of him in his last days. Dan simply just wanted to say goodbye to friends. He was a loving, compassionate man that never wanted to trouble anyone.

Blessings to all of you for that were a part of Dan's life and for creating a peaceful journey to be with his Maker. He died with dignity and the knowledge that his life had a purpose and he was loved. Many homeless people die on the streets and the community misses out on recognizing their value. Thankfully our ministry of coming together over a meal offers everyone a chance set aside our status and just be human beneath the love of our maker.

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Life is hard and gets harder when homeless; Did you see this 60 Minutes segment?

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 09:14:00 -0800

Much like what was reported in this CBS 60 Minutes segment (link posted below), Breakfast Together Outreach comes across many families living in cars and motels. It can be very hard to overcome the obstacles that confront you once you get bad credit. Fortunately, there is help! A healthy community is what's needed to get a fresh start in life. When the church opens its arms and acts as Jesus says, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest" found in Matthew 11:28 -- then, miracles are very possible!

By the time a family becomes homeless, chances are that they have exhausted the resources their family and friends might have been able to provide. That's when a church body can come alongside a family and support them spiritually while connecting them to the physical resources they need. Most Southern California resource programs are under-staffed and fail to provide the follow-through to make sure the solution gets implemented as designed. This is where an experienced outreach volunteer can make all the difference. We have seen firsthand that many families find hope that matured into help, that eventually became stability in their lives. Better yet, some of those families return to help others facing the same struggles that they overcame. Thus, love comes full circle!

If you missed the 60 minute episode, watch it via this link:

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7358670n&tag=related;photovideo

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David found an opportunity to change his life at the Breakfast Together Outreach and now is helping other do the same.

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 20:10:44 -0800

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So blessed to have a partnership with the city of Dana Point

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 19:42:00 -0800

Today we met with Kyle Butterwick, Director of Community Development and Christy Teague, Economic Development Manager. After my last meeting with Kyle, I really felt that the future of the Dana Point Breakfast Together Outreach was in jeopardy. However, once our position was plotted out, and showing what our plans were to help the homeless as well as the Dana Point community the atmosphere turned to one of compassion, understanding and agreement. It appears that we now have an open ear and open hearts for what we are doing in Dana Point. Simply the questions was asked,"where can we go"., and continue on the works God has plans for the ministry. With an open mind, and in a true nature of love and a desire to see this ministry succeed, both Kyle and Christy started to make alternate suggestions that would work for all concerned. God's had answered the prayers we have all been praying for. It is almost as though He had softened their hearts as we met. No longer wanting to brush the homeless issue under a rug or move them to another city, but to combine all efforts to meet this need head on. I am grateful to Kyle and Christy for their time, input and now their serving hearts...The ministry lives.....

Al Powell

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Hopelessness is not caused by a lack of housing, it's a lack of a loving community.

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 09:36:00 -0800

We started a small group at the Evergreen Royale Motel in Anaheim. We serve monthly at the Breakfast Together Outreach on the third Saturday of each month and wanted to offer more than a monthly meal to the residents. We wanted to share God's love for them and thought a weekly small group could help them grow healthy spiritual lives.

The small group has helped not only Rich and I but also two wonderful women at the motel that have no means to get to an outside small group. One person is on dialysis and the other one is confined to a wheelchair. Over the past six weeks we have all opened up our lives to each other and have made some real Godly connections. We have been able to serve one another outside the small group as well. We've helped with transportation, done some on-line set up and helped research medical options for the residents.

Each monthly breakfast we're meeting and personally inviting residents to join the small group. The group has a special connection. We have a safe environment that has lead to honest sharing and caring for each other. We're doing life together. Rich and I know we're blessed by the friends we've made through this motel small group. We continue to pray for all the residents and have a few more people planning to attend this week.

Thanks!

Tanya & Rich

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Today The Dana Point "Blue Flag" Breakfast Together Outreach had it's 3rd monthly gathering with over 50 in attendance.

Sun, 23 Jan 2011 19:04:55 -0800

Hopefully by the end of the year we'll have it happening every week and see God do some amazing thing to help those with no place to call home.

One of our volunteers, Don Haynes, put together great slide show of this new location. Thanks Don, Al, Craig, and everyone making HOPE a reality.

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Help for the homeless is on the way! Amazing things happening to improve our advocacy.

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 12:34:00 -0800

Our very own Russ Carter, blue shirt in the photo with Matt Bruce, has been asked to join Costa Mesa's Homeless task force, can can read more about that here: http://www.ocregister.com/news/homeless-284714-task-force.html

The timing is perfect because we are really moving forward with the "Street to Feet" program that Chris Anders started a year ago. Our hope is to see 100 volunteers get the training necessary to truly help offer hand-ups instead of hand-outs. Now with the cities like Costa Mesa forming partnerships with us, we can really change a community.

Street to feet training is this Sunday, Jan. 23 at 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

We will be holding a family-friendly gathering at our Rancho Capistrano campus that you won't want to miss. We are planning to spend the first hour or so eating and visiting with each other with a potluck. There should be about 20 to 30 people and the menu is up to you.

The second portion of the gathering will be about the "Street to Feet" training curriculum. Dave McSwain, one of the leaders at our Santa Ana location, will facilitate the meeting and Matt Bruce will present a rough draft of the training. Let me tell you a little about Matt Bruce, so you can see why, I feel that we are so blessed to have him helping us shape the next phase of our ministry.

Matt graduated from Huntington University (small Christian school in Indiana) with a B.A. in Psychology. Worked 3 1Ž2 years as a Child/Adolescent Case Manager (and later as Team Leader and Juvenile Court Liaison) for a Community Mental Health Center in Indiana providing services to children and families with mental health and behavioral problems. Earned Master of Social Work degree at Azusa Pacific University, completing internships as a Hospice Social Worker and then as a Grant Writer at the Orange County Rescue Mission. Completed several Graduate School papers and projects on the issue of homelessness. Spent several months serving as a volunteer as Union Rescue Mission on Skid Row in LA as well as developing a number of personal relationships with homeless individuals in the city of Azusa. Served as the Missions and Outreach Pastor at Foothill Church in Glendora during final year of Master’s program. Currently serving as a Community PEACE Coordinator at Saddleback Church.

Thank you for making the love of Christ tangible for those how have no place to call home!

Max McGhee

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Chris is just a few steps away from the "street, to his feet!"

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 01:13:17 -0800

Amie not only loves to sing praises with Chris, our homeless worship leader, she has been helping Chris get back on his feet. And after many visits to the DMV, he got his drivers license which allows him to get a job. Her small group also gave him a prepaid phone. Chris has earned a little money collecting cans and used it to buy clothes from a thrift store for job interviews. After countless applications and job interviews he landed a job at Walmart! Chris is still homeless and is in great need of prayer that he will be able to keep his job long enough to get into an apartment. We are happy to repot that Chris has been promoted to a manager position at Wal Mart.

Keep the Faith, Chris!

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Simple message - powerful impact; mural helps change some bad behavior

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 19:14:00 -0800

The motel experienced a makeover during the summer that included the painting of a mural in the laundry room. You see, inside the community laundry room, is where "all hell would break loose."

On Sunday, people would come together for breakfast and a worship service and get spiritually uplifted. However, nothing could take away from this new-found sense of community quicker than having your neighbor steal your clothes and/or laundry detergent from the laundry room.

Today, when I was talking with a guy from the motel about what God is doing in his life, he became excited and asked me to come see the cleaned-up laundry room ... and witness how people are no longer fighting in it.

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Can the Church & State join together to make a difference? Saddleback is teaming up with the City of Costa Mesa.

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 19:57:00 -0800

Helping the homeless is easier said than done. Various programs have been in effect for many years and yet homelessness is on the rise. Today we met with three city officials to discuss how we could work together and be more effective in helping the homeless residents of Costa Mesa get a fresh start. The PEACE Plan has been effective in other countries by combining the power of three entities: Church, Government, & Business to make an impact in social needs of the community. We’re hopeful this type of resolution can be implemented here in Orange County. The city can provide housing programs, business can provide resources, and we can provide the love of Christ through volunteers, like you and me.

I have to say, that I was impressed by the compassion these people from the city had, for those who are homeless. Each had stories of how they have personally tried help the homeless get off the streets. They had first-hand experience of the difficulties of gaining trust and the lack of emotional support the city can offer someone who is homeless. They welcomed our approach of addressing the problem by helping the homeless discover a new hope provided by faith. How when a Christian brother or sister befriends the homeless they are much more likely to succeed in a rehabilitation, knowing they have a healthy community to help overcome the fear of just doing life.

Please pray that we can continue build relationships with government agencies and business to create healthy pathways for the homeless and struggling families find a place they can call HOME. Thank you everyone who has been helping the Breakfast Together Outreach make a difference.

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RESTORING LIVES: the Thanksgiving stories keep coming in!

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 20:36:48 -0800

Thanksgiving was amazing. We fed over 50 people. Many were regulars but there were a lot of new faces, too. Some people lamented that we were no longer coming every Sunday. One guy, a rocker type with a motorcycle flame shirt, told us how much of a difference we were making. He said, "You guys are restoring lives. went on saying that he had seen a number of people who started coming to our Sunday morning breakfast and then made changes in their lives for the better."

One of the men who attended is a grandfather with a fu Manchu mustache. He has occasionally come to our breakfast outreach Sundays, but his daughter and her three sons always attend. Anyway, he came up to me and gave me a gift. It was a hand-carved wood pair of scissors. Said he carved it from a single piece of wood and just wanted to give it to me to say thank you for what we do there.

Later, I sat down with a young man who was eating at one of the tables. He asked if we had any shelter program and then explained that he had a job with Brookstone at South Coast Plaza but he won’t get paid until Dec. 6, and he’s out of money. He had to check out of the California Lodge the next day. I called around and made a few people aware of the situation so we could pray for him. I wasn’t able to locate any shelter but Janine in the leadership team said that she would check with her husband, because they have a trailer next to their house that he could probably use for awhile. She came back later and said that her husband agreed. Several of the Saddleback people had heard Jonathan’s story and offered to pay his rent at the motel, but instead I encouraged them to slip him a few $20’s for food. The day after Thanksgiving Jonathan moved into a nice trailer with water, heat and a comfy bed which he’ll be able to stay in rent free until he gets back on his feet. And he had over $100 in cash to pay for food for the next couple of weeks while waits for his next check. (We rarely would encourage giving cash but felt we had good reason to trust Jonathan would use it wisely.)

At the end we still had four whole turkeys, four pumpkin pies, mashed potatoes, gravy and stuffing which Mike Newmen took to the Salvation Army Hospitality House and they used to serve dinner that night.

Ron

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You've gotta check out this Self-sustaining homeless village.

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 08:23:00 -0800

Interview with Bradford Powell of Dignity Village by Mark Horvath

!n my years of traveling helping to change the story of homelessness I must say Dignity Village is probably the coolest community I have experienced. A self-governed community of about 60 homeless people in Portland, Oregon, too me, stands as a unique model that we can solve homelessness, and also a slap in the face to homeless services that we were not able to help these people

Started ten years ago Dignity Village is autonomous from the City of Portland and completely self-supported. Portland does provide the land where this “tent city” is located.

Even though Dignity Village is called a tent city it has evolved into so much more, as you can see by the photos I took that day here.

You can find more information on Wikipedia here (Dignity Village has 60 residents not 2000) and on their website here.

Homelessness is a result and not a cause. It’s through dignity people rebuild self-worth and start the road to healing. The main reason the current shelter system is broken is because we do not provide people the dignity needed to heal. I really wish homeless services would take a long hard look at Dignity Village and why it is a success. I also wish local governments would adopt this type solution before “bulldozing” tent communities because “moving” homelessness never solves the problem.

Post copied from:

http://hardlynormal.com/blog/2010/11/28/interview-with-bradford-powell-of-dig...

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