The Mission Today

The modern era of the Mission coincides with the 28 years of Clarence Jordan's stewardship. In July of 1959 Mr. Jordan received a call from a worker at the Syracuse Mission who had been associated with him in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The question he asked, "Would Clarence come to Syracuse as lodging house manager? Although not enthused by the prospect, Mr. Jordan agreed to meet with Mr. Tasker. At the time, Mr. Jordan believed he was "really blessed by God in his ministry, because I was director of the youth work and also a minister of music at the Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Trumbull, Conn." All Mr. Tasker asked of Mr. Jordan was that he "pray about it."

Pray about it

Mr. Jordan began to pray, "kinda halfheartedly, but the more I prayed it seemed the more miserable I became. It was the Holy Spirit that was speaking to my heart."

"Then I really began to seriously think about it and I, in a sense, began to argue with the Lord. I was in the process of finishing up a house I had built in my spare time. It overlooked a beautiful spot, and I was anxious to move in. Besides, I had a great ministry going with young people. At the same time, I was also working as a union carpenter, and that seemed to be going well, so I told the Lord that I didn't think He wanted me in Syracuse. Plus, I had purchased furniture for the house, which I certainly couldn't use in a two room apartment in the Rescue Mission. "

So I began to add up all the reasons why I couldn't go to Syracuse. But God continued to work on me and in my heart, and made me more miserable every day. Finally I got to the point where I felt like I had to say 'yes'.

Then the Lord began to work in some marvelous ways. I realized I had to sell the house and at that time they were very difficult to sell. So, one Saturday I'd just finished doing a few odds and ends and I was ready to move in. As I left, I thought, 'well, I'll just put up a for sale sign.

The next morning, in Sunday School a missionary said that we have to be willing to put God first and not let any outside influences keep us from making the decision to follow in the will of the Lord.

After church, reinforced in my mind that the decision was right, I took a ride up to the new house and just sat on the front porch overlooking that lake, just praying that God would make it possible for me to sell it.

As I was sitting there, a car drove by and then backed up. A man and a woman got out. They asked, 'How much?' I told them and the man almost immediately made out a check for the down payment.

That in itself was a kind of miracle. Then he told me that they had been on their way to the other side of the lake to buy a house over there, and that this was the first time they'd come this way!

I'd already put a down payment on a house load of furniture, which I'd bought on sale. It seemed improbable the store would take it back.

I went in, however, and explained to the dealer how God had called me to go to Syracuse for rescue mission work, and that I had only a two-room apartment."

The result of the plea was that the salesman graciously released Mr. Jordan from the commitment. "Any person," he said, "that would give up what you're giving up to work at a rescue mission . . . I'd like to be a part of that"

Clarence Jordan arrives in Syracuse

When Mr. Jordan arrived in Syracuse, he knew only one person there. And he was coming to town as the lodging house manager even though he admittedly didn't know how to buy food or even how to run a kitchen.

"It all," Mr. Jordan said, "came down to trusting God."

At this time, the Syracuse Missionstaff consisted of Clint Tasker, Gretchen Ramsdell, director of family services; Nanette Bustanoby, director of the Southside Mission; Margaret Wheelock, director of the Westside Mission; Ethel Sibley, the bookkeeper, Jim McClenaghan, director of boys' work, and Clarence.

In 1959 there was very little work to offer the men who came in for help. Perhaps a dozen could be used to make beds, clean and help in the kitchen. The others had to go back on the street after breakfast because the Mission didn't have anything more in the way of employment.

Mr. Jordan saw the possibility of introducing an industrial workshop program into the Syracuse Mission, similar to the one he had supervised in Bridgeport. The concept involved bailing papers and rags, collecting second-hand clothing, toys and household goods, repairing them and opening stores in suitable sites within the city.

A chance to work

The plan Mr. Jordan offered to the Trustees outlined three advantages. First, it would provide the men with work. Second, the Mission was in debt at the time, and income from the sale of items would help pay off the indebtedness. Third, through the "Helping Hand Store," low-priced goods would be provided to needy families.

It was at this time that Mr. Tasker and Donald W. Darrone met with Mr. Jordan and urged him to accept the position of Superintendent, to succeed Mr. Tasker upon his retirement.

The first job, however, was to launch the Workshop program. Next to the new Mission building at 811 East Washington Street were four tiny concrete block motel units, which were used by the Mission to store clothing and other donations.

They were cleared from the site so a building could begin. But, the Mission didn't have any money, being in debt to the United Way in addition to having a $152,000 mortgage on its headquarters.

Despite the debt, the United Way came through with a $15,000 interest-free mortgage. The Workshop was on its way to becoming a reality. The $15,000, a great deal of volunteer help from the Syracuse Building Trades Council, and construction materials from area building supply houses resulted in (1) a 3,200 square foot concrete block building; (2) two trucks; (3) a forklift; (4) a baler to package rags and scrap paper; and (5) other equipment needed to run a going business. (The Workshop itself cost $9,600. BUT when completed, it had a value of $40,000!)

The story which Mr. Jordan describes as "Kind of a Miracle," was featured in a two-page article in the National Building Trades Journal.

The Workshop program was on its way. In a matter of three years the indebtedness to the United Way was reduced and the mortgage was paid off. The $15,000 loan was paid back from the proceeds of the Workshop program and from several small legacies.

In just 36 months the three goals had been achieved:

• to provide work for the men;
• to pay off the Mission's indebtedness, and
• to provide merchandise to low-income families.

The "Helping Hand Store"

The year 1961 had special significance for the Mission. On March 16, the first "Helping Hand Store" opened at 811 East Washington Street. A month later the collection box program began, with 10 collection boxes placed throughout the city with the help of the Pepsi Cola Company.

In 1962 urban renewal acquired the Southside Mission property at 1010 South State St. Mr. Jordan remarks, "I felt very strongly that God wanted us to really set down some roots on the south side, and to build a building."

Mr. Jordan followed up by asking the Board of Trustees for permission to buy some property and construct a building for the $50,000 in urban renewal monies given for the old property.

Once again, Mr. Jordan went to the unions for building help; to the supply firms for construction materials, and took over the supervisory chores himself.

What followed was a year-long odyssey for Mr. Jordan who, in addition to building the structure during the daylight hours, was also responsible for the Mission's operation. It was a year of 18-hour days.

Several small adjoining lots on Montgomery Street were purchased and the site prepared. However, no one knew at the time there was an under-ground river running through the property. Instead of simply putting in the planned-for four-foot footings, the builders hit water. A 12-foot-deep hole emerged. Water had to be constantly pumped out. Twelve times as much concrete was poured as had been anticipated. Mr. Jordan expected a tremendous cost overrun.

But timely donations and a lot of "blood, sweat and tears" from the Mission's crew enabled the project to finish in the black.

That was the same year the old Mission property at 511 East Washington Street was sold for $57,000.

Years of Growth

A medical clinic was established at the Mission in 1962 under the direction of Doctors Bruce Chamberlain, Kenneth Wright, Kenneth Howe, Frank Furth and Louis Retz. Volunteer nurses agreed to come in once a week to check the men staying at the Mission. It was a referral type of clinic, so that when Medicaid was introduced, the clinic could be discontinued.

By 1963 the Workshop building on Washington Street had been outgrown.

The operation was moved into a warehouse at 122 Dickerson Street. Eddy O'Neil, the owner, allowed the Mission to operate the Workshop program there for a number of years without charging rent. Eventually, the Mission bought the structure for $22,000. A store was opened on the site, as well.

The Mission now had two stores in operation.

In 1964, a Schulmerich Carillon was installed in memory of B. Abbott Meech, who had served many years as president of the board.

A $9,000 addition to the apartment at 811 East Washington St. was completed to accommodate a new lodging house manager and his family.

By now the Mission had 44 collection boxes in operation. Seven trucks were on the streets. And the men's canteen was opened at the Mission.

Leon Michel, who volunteered to do the Mission's public relations worked at no cost, was responsible for placing the organizations first documentary on WNYS-TV (now WIXT), a 30-minute review of the Mission and its contribution to the community.

Meanwhile, the Rev. Leonard Erb joined the Rescue Mission staff.

The Montgomery Street Center was dedicated on October 4,1964. And despite the earlier water problem, the new building was valued at $85,000. It was built for $45,000, actually $5,000 under the projected $50,000.

Then, on July 1, 1966, Mr. Jordan was returning from an alcoholism seminar at Rutgers University. It was close to 4 p.m. as he drove along Route 81.

The Workshop burns

"As I came over a hill, I saw billows of black smoke, he recalled, "I said to myself, 'Boy, that's some fire"' Within seconds, WSYR's Fred Hillegas broke in with a radio bulletin saying there was a 3-3 alarm fire at the Rescue Mission Workshop.

Leon Michel was able to convince WSYR-TV to do a documentary in connection with the fire, pointing out that if the Workshop program was to continue, a new building had to be acquired.

In the meantime, the Mission was allowed to set up temporary quarters in an old laundry building on East Raynor Street. There was even sufficient space to open up a store.

Even though some people felt the Workshop program should be terminated, Mission officials looked at a number of buildings before deciding on the former New Process Gear Factory on North Franklin Street, with an asking price of $115,000. It was acquired with a down payment and a 10-year mortgage. The United Way gave the okay for a capital fund drive for $125,000 in renovations, including a new freight elevator and an improved sprinkler system. Again, friends of the Mission came through and the goal was achieved.

Other activities continued. A new family service center was opened at 149 Oak Street on the city's northeast side.

Camp Id-Ra-Ha-Je

As an important adjunct to the Missions youth program, Camp Id-Ra-Ha -Je was opened in Otisco, with $30,000 raised to purchase the property from Booher Lumber Company.

An 80-by-32-foot pole team was built at the camp by the staff and volunteers who helped on Saturdays. An old barn was converted into dressing rooms for boys and girls and for office space.

After 40 years of service to the Mission, Gretchen Ramsdell retired in 1966. Having established the family services branch of the Mission as a young woman, Miss Ramsdell served as associate superintendent and was responsible for the women's and children's activities. Over the course of her years at the Mission, she established three outreach sites for the Mission in Syracuse and instituted some of Syracuse's largest Sunday School and summer Bible School programs for children. In addition, she founded and published the Mission's first newsletter, the "Mission Reporter." Six nights a week, she could also be found playing the piano at Mission chapel services. The year prior to her retirement, she received the Post-Standard Woman of Achievement Award for Social Work. In her eyes, perhaps the greatest honor came from the Mission itself. To honor her 40 years of service, the Board of Trustees officially named the Mission chapel after her. Since 1972, it has been known as the Gretchen Ramsdell Chapel.

Another innovation, the Missions first phone-a-thon to raise money for the Annual Giving Program, was held in 1968.

That was also the year an attempt to start an alcohol detoxification unit at the Mission failed because of insufficient funding.

Improvements continued at the Camp, with the laying of a new road, and construction of six new hogans (structures which looked like Indian long-houses). A year later a water line to the pole barn was installed and a new playing field completed. Of equal importance, electricity was introduced.

Nineteen-sixty-nine was also the year the Mission began its first tutoring program at the Montgomery Street Center, while Day Care Center service began at 811 East Washington Street.

With the beginning of the Seventies, the Day Care Center was relocated from 811 East Washington Street to South Presbyterian Church.

From hot dogs to pizza

Tastes change, as well. For years the Mission conducted what it called a "hot dawg feast" on the Saturday before Thanksgiving for all the children that came to the various Rescue Mission Sunday Schools. Instead of turkey, the youngsters received their preference—all of the Thanksgiving trimmings, with hot dogs served instead of turkey.

After many years, the kids decided they'd prefer something different. In 1970 the frankfurter gave way to a pizza party prepared under the direction of Connie Museums and a group from the First Christian Assembly Church. The pizza retains its popularity to this day!

Back in the late 1960's there was a lot of talk about the public intoxication law as it existed then. People arrested for public intoxication could be given a jail sentence of from 30 days to six months. Because the men were in Jamesville for that long a period, an alcohol rehabilitation program was established.

But then the law regarding the sentence length for a public intoxication conviction was changed to a maximum of only 15 days, and could be even less, depending on the time of day they were arrested and how much time an individual got off for good behavior.

The result was a revolving door where people were moved in and out of the Public Safety Building in a constant flow. Few had the opportunity to "dry out" or receive adequate rehabilitative treatment.

The Sobering Up Unit

The Missions leadership rightly anticipated the next move would be for public intoxication (P. I.), which was now considered by many to be a medical problem, to be stricken from the penal code so that a person could no longer be arrested.

Near the close of the decade, two men froze to death one winter. There was a public outcry for something to be done to correct this situation. Clarence Jordan met with a number of church people who agreed that action was needed. Father James Carey joined in visiting a number of agencies to raise money for a sobering up unit so that unnecessary deaths could be avoided. They went to the Health Department, County Legislature, United Way and other organizations, all to little avail.

Five hundred dollars was found, so Mr. Jordan agreed to open a two-bed unit on a temporary basis at the Mission, with one of the Missions clients on duty to watch these men during the night. The $500 didn't last long, so the experiment had to be discontinued.

In the meantime, Mr. Jordan continued to pursue this problem with the New York State Department of Mental Hygiene. The department asked for a proposal.

The need was there. The proposal expressed a self-evident need for help and it was accepted. There was one catch. The money wouldn't be available until April 1 and the acceptance of the new State budget.

Mr. Jordan didn't wait. He went to the United Way, which granted money from the Urban Crisis Fund. The program could thus begin in November of 1971, with a seven-bed unit that operated from four p.m. until seven a.m. The Mission also had to go to the County Legislature for program approval since the State funding was for a three-year, 100-percent demonstration grant. After this period if the program was successful, the County of Onondaga had to provide the funds on a 50-50 matching basis with the State.

The program soon outgrew the room with its seven beds, and was moved to the manager's apartment area which was converted into a 12-bed unit. Transportation was desperately needed.

Without a van, clients either had to walk in on their own or come in police squad cars, a practice that was actually illegal.

An analysis of what it cost the taxpayers of Onondaga County to arrest, book, jail and prosecute intoxicated persons revealed that during its first full year of operation, the Sobering Up Unit saved Onondaga County close to $50,000.

In 1972, Mr. Jordan wrote a proposal to the LEAA (Safe Streets Act), asking for a grant for a van and funds to staff it. A 14-month demonstration grant was allocated. So, in August of 1972, the RM-1 program came into being. Following a second 12-month grant, the County and the State accepted a matching 50-50 share of that program, as well.

Until this time the unit operated from four in the afternoon until eight the following morning, when clients had to leave. The Mission's staff recognized this was not a good situation since some men were still intoxicated by morning and had to be discharged from the unit in that condition due to lack of staff personnel. The wisdom of this concern was seen. Funds establishing 24-hour-a-day service, seven days a week, were soon granted.

The Mission was operating the first non-medical Sobering Up Unit to be established in New York State and specialists from throughout the State and nation came to observe it in operation.

The program had to be expanded even further to provide for daytime activities. The County and State jointly agreed to provide money to operate a "Drop-In Center" which opened in 1973.

A two-bed Sobering Up Unit to serve women was established on a volunteer basis in 1976, and was soon expanded to four beds through County funding.

A new home needed

With the many new Mission services being offered, it was soon recognized that more appropriate facilities were needed. Consequently, a new building program was initiated.

In October, 1973, Samuel W. Williams was re-elected of the Missions Board of Trustees, serving for three years as the building project unfolded. It was a month later, in November, that the Mission lost its longest serving member of the Board, with the passing of John Parsons.

In 1974, Ketchum, Inc., a fund raising firm, was retained for a feasibility study for a capital fund campaign for the new Rescue Mission Building. A campaign cabinet was formed under the direction of Edmund H. Fallon. It conducted a very successful drive, meeting not only the $600,000 goal, but actually coming up with $137,000 in additional funds.

On September 11, 1975, on a sunny morning, ground was broken for the new building at 120 Gifford Street.

A state construction grant was requested, requiring a written narrative detailing the whole program, its goals, the Missions history and the changing of its bylaws, among other items. Margaret Daly, Dede Snyder and Clarence Jordan worked for months on the 173-page document. It succeeded in convincing State officials of the need, which resulted in the approval of a maximum grant of $300,000.

The Missions bylaws were amended in 1975.

That February, the Mission received a $1.2 million settlement from the city for its building at 811 East Washington.

Prior to construction, several specific prayer requests were made: first, that the goal of $600,000 would be reached; second, that the construction budget would NOT be exceeded; third, that the Mission could move into the building by November, 1976, to avoid paying a month's rent for use of the old property; and fourth, that no mortgage would be needed.

An answer to prayer

Mr. Jordan points out, "The first answer to prayer was in regard to our capital fund drive—we went way over the top; secondly, we were able to build the building and come in below our construction estimates; thirdly, even though we had an eight-week sheet metal strike, we were still able to move in only one day late and lastly, we were able to dedicate the building without a mortgage of any kind. Truly this was another miracle from God."

A decade of significant growth

In succeeding years, many further steps advanced the cause of the Mission and its services to others.

One of Clarence Jordan's visions for the Mission was to establish a program which would actively disciple the men and women who had become involved in the rehabilitation process. He saw this program as a logical extension of Jesus' final command on earth to . . . go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."

In early 1979, Mr. Jordan visited two programs, one in Mississippi and the other in Illinois, that utilized certain features which might be incorporated in the Missions Discipleship Program. From these visits, he gained confidence that the Mission could build a Discipleship program that would achieve the following objectives: help each person establish a personal walk with Jesus Christ, develop Christian character, learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday living, become involved with a local church, prepare for gainful employment and learn to share their faith with others.

Based on the statement found in II Corinthians 5:17, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the Missions Discipleship Program was founded in the fall of 1979. Its primary aim was to help students establish a dynamic relationship and fellowship with God. In its first five years of operation, 33 men entered the program with a substantial number completing it and leading productive Christian lives as a result.

Comprised of three phases, the Discipleship Program began with Phase I which was six months in duration and focused on formal instruction and counseling on an individual and group basis. Included in Phase I were seminars, workshops, one-on-one counseling, group discussion and interaction, Bible studies, fellowship, church involvement and an ongoing 20-hour weekly work assignment or outside employment. Time was also set aside each day for interaction with the Lord through devotions, Scripture study and memorization.

The second six months were less structured than the first to help the individual become more self-reliant and responsible. The development of Christian character and each person's individual gifts and skills were emphasized. As a person who had come to Christ, the disciple was now committed to going out for Christ, spreading His word and offering His Kingdom to those who chose to embrace it. Additional goals for this period included: preparing the disciple to live independently and productively, providing ministry skills and experience, helping to establish Biblically-based convictions and planning a positive career or educational program.

A third phase was added to the Discipleship Program whereby each disciple lived in a Christian home for four to six months in order to experience positive role modeling and intense personal development.

As an outreach of the Discipleship Program, the men took part in a ministering team which visited local churches and organizations to sing and give testimony of the Lord.

An era ends

After retiring in 1966, Gretchen Ramsdell enjoyed a more leisurely life but still maintained her interest in the Mission's people and programs. Some of Clarence Jordan's favorite memories of his early years at the Mission center on Miss Ramsdell. He remembers, "She was amazing to me because of her persistence and spunk. Nothing ever got past Gretchen. She was always aware of what was going on and would tell you exactly what she thought. I appreciated that in her and had tremendous respect for her opinion."

In the early summer of 1982, Mr. Jordan and his staff organized a "Mission Kids' Reunion." It was to serve as a reunion for children, now adults, who had attended Miss Ramsdell's Sunday School classes and neighborhood outreach programs at the old Mission family centers. Unfortunately, ill health prevented her from attending. However, she taped a message to be played at the reunion which encouraged her "kids" to live up to the principles they had reamed in those early years. There were few dry eyes in the room that evening.

After being hospitalized for several weeks, Miss Ramsdell died on July 22nd and was buried in her hometown of Dickinson Center, New York.

A controversial begging

Nothing could have prepared Clarence Jordan for the furor that would accompany his trying to establish a women's Discipleship program in the Valley section of Syracuse.

Thanks to a very generous financial donation by a couple who cared deeply about women and their needs, the Mission was able to realize a dream of locating the female counterpart to the men's Discipleship Program away from the Gifford Street facility. Keith Hawkins, owner of Green Hills Farm, offered to sell his eight bedroom home, formerly known as the Willis Carrier estate, for a very modest amount of money. Located in a pastoral setting on the far end of Valley Drive, it was an ideal place for women to be nurtured back to health and wholeness. The only obstacle was receiving permission to waive the zoning restrictions for the area. That proved to be more difficult than anticipated.

The residents of the Valley were concerned the Mission's venture would threaten the neighborhood and bring down property values. In January of 1983, a very volatile public hearing was held on the Mission's desire to establish the women's Discipleship Center on Valley Drive. Mr. Jordan outlined the Mission's thinking and plans for the project and then came the barrage. Resident after resident spoke on the need to protect the community. What really was at issue here was the whole question of bringing women with drinking, drug or emotional problems into the neighborhood.

There was a counterbalance. Several people spoke in support of the Mission, one woman, who was a recent widow, offering to take the property tax deduction her husband was entitled to as a veteran and donate it to the city to make up for the amount the city would lose if the Carrier estate was taken off the tax rolls. Another speaker, the Rev. John Finnegan of St. James Roman Catholic Church in the Valley, spoke quite eloquently on the need for services of this type. He asked the crowd, many of whom were his parishioners, "Can you tell me what the difference is between this proposed structure and our own convent at St. James? These women will be studying just like our sisters, reaming the word of God and someday, teaching others. I don't see how, in good conscience, you can turn these women away just because they might have had some problems. Where is your Christian charity?"

The evening was stressful but Mr. Jordan and the Trustees resolved to see the battle through because they felt it was in God's plan to establish this program for future generations of women.

One of the Trustees, attorney John Benjamin Carroll, felt that the Mission had a right under the First Amendment of the Constitution guaranteeing religious freedom, to open the home without a zoning variance because the zoning law allowed churches, convents and places of religious teaching to operate in neighborhoods zoned for single-family residences. In a Post-Standard article, whose headline read, "God Before Zoning," Mr. Carroll was quoted as saying, "If the appeals board interprets the ordinance to leave us out, we would interpret their decision to be unconstitutional."

Amidst a barrage of newspaper articles, letters to the editor and personal contacts with friends and supporters, Mr. Jordan and the Mission Trustees took the City of Syracuse to court, saying it was illegal for them to deny a building permit for the Center because it interfered with the Missions religious freedom. The City decided not to defend its zoning ordinance, saying, through Corporation Counsel David Garber, that they were originally wrong in denying the permit and that the Mission had the right to use the building.

The Lydia Center at 2570 Valley Drive was dedicated in an atmosphere of calm acceptance on Sunday, May 22,1983. Many of the more than 600 visitors to the dedication and open house were former opponents of the project who now offered their support and friendship.

The Center's name came from the 16th Chapter of Acts, verses 13 through 15 which read, "On the Sabbath, we went a little way outside the city to a river bank where we understood some people met for prayer; and we taught the Scriptures to some women who came. One of them was Lydia, a sales-woman from Thyatira, a merchant of purple cloth. She was already a worshiper of God and, as she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart and she accepted all that Paul was saying. She was baptized along with her house-hold and asked us to be her guests. 'If you agree that I am faithful to the Lord, she said, 'come and stay at my home' And she urged us until we did."

The Lydia Center is now an accepted part of the Valley community. None of the envisioned threats to the neighborhood came to pass.

Ropes course in the woods

In the spring of 1983, John Amos, a supporter and friend of the Mission, talked to Clarence Jordan about the possibility of erecting a ropes course at Camp Id-Ra-Ha-Je. Mr. Jordan's first reaction was one of skepticism. He thought, "What on earth is a ropes course?" He soon found out.

Ever the persistent advisor, Mr. Amos talked Mr. Jordan into visiting ropes courses at Houghton College, the city of Ithaca and Dartmouth College. Intrigued by the human relations possibilities, Mr. Jordan formed a Ropes Course Committee and enlisted the aid of Family Services Director Steve Tennant to study the feasibility of such a project for the Mission. After more site visits, the Committee concurred that a ropes course would prove a valuable tool in working with inner city children and victims of chronic poverty and substance abuse; in short, the very people coming to the Mission for help.

Project Adventure, a Massachusetts-based company specializing in the construction of ropes courses, installed a 33-element course in the woods of Camp Id-Ra-Ha-Je in May of 1984. Referred to as a confidence course, a ropes course is actually a system of low and high elements that challenges individual creativity, endurance and emotions. It carries tremendous potential for application in the areas of character development and leadership training. Funding for the course was provided by several individuals who preferred to remain anonymous and the Rosamond Gifford Charitable Corporation, General Electric Employee's Federated Fund, Manlius Pebble Hill School and Syracuse Savings Bank. A Mission-wide contest was held to name the new course, with Goliath's Challenge emerging as the winning entry. Youngsters attending Camp Id-Ra-Ha-Je during the summer of 1984 got first crack at the course which would eventually be well utilized by outside church and civic groups, men and women in the various rehabilitation programs and employees, themselves. Goliath's Challenge proved to be a fascinating addition to the Mission's human support network; so much so, that in 1985, a seven-element indoor course was added to the Christian Community Center.

Another first for the Mission

For years, the Mission had been dealing with the problem of providing a home for elderly, chronic alcoholic men in a haphazard way. If the Mission couldn't provide lodgings for them, they were destined to inhabit the run-down, one room flop-houses which increased their loneliness, social isolation and nutritional deficiencies. With the increased demand for beds in the Gifford Street facility, Mr. Jordan and his staff approached State offficials about the possibility of opening a certified adult home in the Mission which would provide a supervised living environment with 24 hour, seven day a week residential care.

In September of 1984, the New Hope Adult Home opened—the first of its kind in New York State. This adult home was created specifically for elderly or disabled men who qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Thirty-six beds were set aside for this purpose and it became, in time, one of the most rewarding ministry components in the Mission's array of services.

New collection system

During 1982 and 1983, the Workshop experienced some hard financial times. At one point, there was discussion of possibly closing the Workshop operation due to the sometimes overwhelming task of running this program, which actually resembled a small business. Members of the Workshop Committee and Trustees, however, decided the Workshop was too valuable a tool for work therapy and financial support of Mission programs to allow it to slide away without a fight. So, they hired a consultant from Goodwill Industries to study the entire operation and make recommendations that would increase its cost-effectiveness and productivity. One of the first things he talked about were Attended Donation Centers.

Since its inception, the Workshop had been using drop boxes to augment truck pick-ups of merchandise. These boxes could be found in shopping center and grocery store parking lots. For awhile, they worked very well. However, over the years they frequently were the target of vandals and thieves. The once attractive red and white collection boxes became eyesores in the community. Workshop staff couldn't keep up with the repair and refurbishing requests from merchants and citizens. The Mission found itself in a difficult position. They needed the boxes to collect the goods but were increasingly uncomfortable with the negative reaction they inspired. When the Goodwill consultant spoke of an alternative to the small collection boxes—using trailer-size Attended Donation Centers (ADCs) instead—Workshop officials were enthusiastically supportive. Funds were raised to purchase eight ADCs which would be located in strategic marketing areas of the county. These units, which were actually 27-foot Wells Cargo Work Wagons, were manned by an attendant who could personally accept the donation, issue a tax receipt and sort merchandise on the spot. This improved not only the collection capability of the Workshop but also its material handling procedures.

The ADCs, which were formally introduced to the community on May 1st of 1985, proved a wise and beneficial investment. With comprehensive support from the local media, word of their existence spread quickly and they were well utilized by the public from the very beginning. Introduction of the ADCs became the turn-around factor which saw the Workshop go from a deficit-producing program to one that saw a modest surplus that very same year. They not only helped salvage the Workshop program, but enabled it to flourish, in time.

Receiving a prestigious award

The Rescue Mission was particularly gratified in 1985 to receive New York State's most coveted honor for the voluntary sector, The Eleanor Roosevelt Award.

Given under the auspices of Governor Mario Cuomo and the New York Voluntary Enterprise Commission (NYVEC), the award strives to Honor all of the nominees. . .and the voluntary ethic they represent, which is the backbone of the State's service delivery system and the guardian of the State's tradition of compassion and generosity."

Chosen as one of twelve organizations to receive the award out of 500 nominees, the Mission was represented by executive director, Clarence Jordan, and his wife, Janet, at ceremonies in the State Capitol. Mrs. Matilda Cuomo presented the awards and delivered the keynote address. Mr. Jordan, in accepting the award, expressed his opinion that the honor went far beyond that accorded an organization. It was, he said, "public recognition of the significant role played by all members of the Mission family—employees, volunteers, clients, friends, donors and trustees. Perhaps most significant was the tribute it paid to citizens of the greater Syracuse area who continue to exemplify the best in social responsibility and compassion. I was proud to accept it on behalf of the community."

A new ministry area

In late 1985, the Mission received a generous donation of property which included 100 acres of land and a beautiful home in southern Onondaga county. The donors, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Hazard, hoped that a foster care ministry could be developed at that site, thus fulfilling their dream of establishing a Christian program for children in crisis.

After several weeks of investigation and preparation, the Mission opened the Hidden Falls foster care ministry on that property in late January of 1986.

Accepting children between the ages of five and fourteen years of age, Hidden Falls offers care to potentially troubled youth in a Christ-centered family environment. Program focus is on children who are at risk but are not yet displaying severe emotional and behavioral problems.

Space problems

It could not have been imagined when the Gifford Street facility opened in 1975 that within a mere ten years the need for services would soon outstrip the agency's ability to meet them. However, with the homeless population increasing at an accelerated pace, the number of people relying on the Mission for help escalated dramatically.

Statistics tell the story. The number of meals served in 1985 was up 72 percent from the previous year. The Drop-In Center admitted 1,726 individuals for a total of 21,896 visits. There were 13,316 admissions to the Sobering Up Unit, with female admissions increasing 35 percent over the previous year. Transports by the RM-1 Alcohol Outreach van were up 32 percent over the previous year.

The news in 1986 was even worse. During the month of June, which had traditionally been a slow time for services to people from the streets, the number of meals served to hungry and homeless people increased 104 percent over 1985. July saw a 133 percent increase. In addition, emergency shelter sleeping accommodations increased 65 percent over the previous year. In the first eight months of 1986, Drop-In Center visits were up 82 percent over 1985's figures and counseling sessions increased 43 percent.

These dizzying increases presented a severe challenge to the Missions operation. Bed capacity was taxed to the limit with overflow cots for emergency housing being set up in the Sobering Up Unit and lengthy waits being required for admission to some rehabilitation programs. Because of the increased client load and corresponding need for additional staff, offices and work areas were crowded to the point where staff productivity was hampered. Space for new programming was absolutely out of the question, thus hindering the Missions capacity to find new and creative solutions to the growing problems of homelessness and substance abuse, especially among the young. In response to these facts, a dramatic plan was developed to alleviate the overcrowding.

The Gaylord Building

Early in 1986, after 18 months of study and planning, the Rescue Mission acquired a vacant four-story structure located at Gifford and Granger Streets, across from the main Gifford Street facility. The building, which had been occupied by the Gaylord Publishing Company, offered approximately 65,000 square feet of additional program space pending extensive renovation. Mission planners found they could locate the following services in that building: a greatly expanded Drop-In Center, a 50-bed emergency shelter to replace the 28-bed unit, an eight-bed women's transitional living unit, a 19-bed transitional living program for men, a Thrifty Shopper store, a free Clothing Distribution Center, much needed office space and work space for the more than 350 volunteers who donate 12,000 hours of service each year.

The plan was great. The only problem was: how to pay for it?

Centennial Year Celebration and Capital Fund Drive

Clarence Jordan and his staff had been planning a celebration for the Missiond100th anniversary in 1987 for two years. Research for this book was well underway in 1985 and the basic scope of the celebration had been developed. However, the Gaylord Building project injected a new wrinkle into the proceedings. Why couldn't we celebrate our 100th anniversary with a commitment to the future?" asked Mr. Jordan. It was decided that part of the centennial celebration would be a capital fund drive to raise funds to renovate the Gaylord Building. It made good sense to Mr. Jordan and the Board of Trustees, following the Missions activist tradition. Plans called for the campaign to kick-off in January of 1987 and end with a victory announcement at the Missions 100th Anniversary Banquet in the Carrier Dome on May 27th.

An equally important component of the Centennial Celebration involved the Mission's hosting the annual International Union of Gospel Mission's (I.U.G.M.) convention in Syracuse for the first time in 56 years. Beginning on May 23rd, the convention ran for five days and culminated in the 100th Anniversary Banquet on the 27th with Joni Eareckson Tada the keynote speaker. More than 500 delegates from 252 rescue ministry organizations attended.

The stage is set for the next hundred years. Writers in 2085 will begin chronicling all that has passed in these next hundred years in anticipation of the bicentennial celebration.

Some things remain the same, however. To quote the Mission's 1985 annual report: "The Mission has changed in many ways over its ninety-eight year history to meet society's increasingly complex needs. Our message, however, remains the same. Jesus Christ proclaimed it two-thousand years ago when He said, `Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest`."