| About Albuquerque Rescue Mission
Mission Statement
The Albuquerque Rescue Mission exists to show the restoring love of Jesus to hopeless and homeless men, women and children resulting in spiritual and emotional healing and life long discipleship to Jesus. To do this we provide food, shelter, clothing, training, education, mentoring and Biblical counsel.
History of Albuquerque Rescue Mission
Albuquerque Rescue Mission was originally founded in 1954 as Albuquerque Gospel Mission, a Christian ministry to the poor and homeless men and women of Albuquerque. Arthur Fleischer and his wife moved from Chicago to Albuquerque specifically to start the Mission after being powerfully impacted by their involvement in the Pacific Garden Mission. A house on First Street was the original site, providing ministry, shelter, food and clothing.
A building and property on Second Street were donated to Albuquerque Rescue Mission in 1960 by Local Union Number 611 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. This site served as the primary location for everything provided through Albuquerque Rescue Mission for nearly four decades, with a separate dormitory building added in 1973.
The Board of Directors, Executive Director, community leaders, and over 70 construction companies worked together to complete the 24,000 square foot Restoration Center, which opened in September 1999. The Restoration Center provides a comprehensive range of programs to restore homeless people and near-homeless people to employment, housing and relationship with Jesus Christ.
Albuquerque Rescue Mission became a member of the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions in 1960, an association of over 300 missions in cities across the nation with the common purpose of reaching people with a message of salvation and deliverance through Jesus Christ. Albuquerque Rescue Mission is led by a volunteer governing Board of Directors drawn from the community of Albuquerque.
Arthur Fleischer served as the Executive Director of the Albuquerque Rescue Mission until 1969, followed by Seamon Krup between 1969-1981, Rev. Stanley Gourd between 1981-1989, Mark Fairchild between 1989-2004 and Pastor John Hill, the current Executive Director, began in 2004.
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