By Donna Westfall – February 22, 2017 – Submitted by Mike Justice, Executive Director –

Who we were:

Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODBM) began in 2006 from humble beginnings, with a simple idea to feed people and meet basic needs of acceptance, safety and love.  we rented our building on Harrold Street; a few year later, we survived the roof being blown off and torrential storms with flooding of the building and continued to grow.  We were under the guidance of an umbrella non-profit organization.  We served hot meals five days a week, provided clothing, hygiene items, blankets, tents when available, free life recovery counseling, job training, free hugs, emergency shelter at fairgrounds and love and acceptance to people in need.  All of this was accomplished on a shoestring budget with the help of faithful volunteers.  Very ordinary people joined together to accomplish something extraordinary.  We learned many lessons the hard way through trial and error; yet, continued to meet needs despite many obstacles.

Who we are now:

We are now our own incorporated 501(c)(3) ministry.  We are purchasing our building and have approximately three years left on our mortgage.  We serve three hot dinners a week and breakfast is served on our other two weekdays.  Our building is used for Christian 12 step group; we offer an anger management class and daily morning Bible studies, a free life recovery group that meets three days a week facilitated by a professional counselor, nightly prayer meetings for the community and a successful discipleship program.  Our goal is to break the mindset of entitlement and teach empowerment.  We have seen many lives transformed!  We also have all night movies during severe weather storms as a life sustaining gift to the community.  Our primary source of funding is our Thrift Store which is on site, as well as donations.

Where we are going:

We are using our years of learned expertise in assisting our clientele and are in the process of becoming a Rescue Mission.  We desire to work with the community to be part of the solution by sharing our experience and building. We believe a healthy community takes care of all its residents and works together, so we are asking community members to partner with us in this next phase of development.  We need monthly financial commitments to accomplish renovations to the building and sustaining income as we grow.  We will be pursuing grants during this process.

We would like to thank our on-going supporters:  Grocery Outlet, Rural Human Services and The Methodist Church; as well as Matt and Rae Fearing of Northridge Electric for their generous donation of $1,000, and Wild Rivers Foundation for their partnership.

Here is how you can help:

• Dawna Gunnerson has faithfully placed a challenge to the community to match her generous donation of $1,000 to go toward the building fund.  Her challenge is based on the belief in the generosity of our community as we work together to accomplish a goal of meeting our life saving mission.
• Make a monthly financial commitment (any amount helps).

If you are interested in partnership with us please call us at (707) 954 6775 or come by 1135 Harrold Street in Crescent City, California.  Donations are tax deductible.  Look us up on Dailybreadcc.org.

Together we can make a difference.