Author Archives: Whosoever Gospel Mission

Dear friends,

Happy Thanksgiving! As we pause to consider our blessings here at the Mission, there’s not enough room to list them all! One thing in particular strikes me – the more trials we go through, the more problems we face, the more we realize how much we’ve had to be thankful for all along.

Before the arson fire that burned us down in 2006, I didn’t feel particularly thankful for the everyday messes of Mission life. Quite the opposite – at times I complained about them in my heart. After the fire, the clean-out and rebuilding process was long and hard. For two years and nine months our dorm was closed. Our drop-in services were minimal compared to the comprehensive services we once offered. Then came Monday, November 24, 2008. We reopened our doors and invited the first 13 men into our newly rebuilt facility. As I was wiping up crumbs from the dining table after we served our first lunch, it hit me – this was a good mess, a blessed and holy one! I gave God thanks for it, and I vowed then and there to thank Him for the messes yet to come, because they are signs that life is happening here, that transformation and restoration are in process. I took the privilege of serving for granted until it was lost in the fire. But the Mission’s restoration brought sweeter joy and greater thanks than I could have known before the hardship that took it all away.

Many of our men have a similar experience when coming to the Mission. They come at a low point, having lost so much. But as different aspects of life are restored bit by bit, they begin to give thanks for things they once took for granted. It makes me think of Cody. It’s been 9 years since Cody graduated from the New Life Program, and he still routinely mails or drops off cards of encouragement for Mission staff. Just recently Cody came by to drop off some cards and he handed me an envelope. It was a cash donation for our work. On the outside he had written his name and a note that said “Thank you for saving my life. I love the Whosoever Gospel Mission.” Before Cody came to the Mission, he spent just about every day for 15 long years sitting on the front steps of a house in the neighborhood, holding a bottle in a brown paper bag. Since graduating from the Mission, Cody has never turned back. He is full of joy and life, and his heart overflows with love and thankfulness. He is grateful he’s not on a front stoop with a bottle in his hand. From time to time he’ll look at one of us as he remembers, and he’ll shake his head and say “Can you believe it?”

Another thing I’m thankful for – something I don’t want to take for granted – is you. I realize that our ability to exist and to offer our services to the men who come to us is dependent upon the generosity and support of friends like yourself. Your prayers and support are critical to the life transformation of men like Cody. You are an integral part of all our stories. And I give thanks for you. Thank you for being part of our Mission family. The Lord richly bless you and yours this year as you pause and gather to give thanks.

With thankfulness for you,

Heather L. Rice, D.Min.
Executive Director

Dear Friends,

Happy Fall! As we launch into our new fiscal year this month, so many good things are happening at the Mission. We’re about to get 59 much-needed new windows installed in our dorm building within the next month. Our beds are full, and we have a waiting list of men seeking to enter. We’re pleased, by God’s grace, to continue offering a full array of physical, spiritual, educational, social, and vocational supports and services. We rejoice with four men who just graduated and moved into their own places, and we’re excited to see what God has for us this year.

As we come to the holidays, we need your help! Please check out the enclosed handout for ways you can make a big difference in the lives of our men. The Fall also marks the beginning of workplace giving campaigns. The happy news is that through your workplace giving campaign, you can designate your gift to the Whosoever Gospel Mission.

• The United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey – donate to the Mission through United Way’s Donor Choice Option. Our Code Number is 1045.
• The Combined Federal Campaign – federal employees can choose the Mission to receive their gift through the CFC. Our Code Number is 69784.
• The City of Philadelphia Employees’ Combined Campaign – the Whosoever Gospel Mission is listed in the Contributor’s Guide under the category: Independent Charities Vetted by America’s Charities. Our Code Number is 30-0047.
• United Campaigns in other states and regions – you can still designate your gift to the Whosoever Gospel Mission even if you live and work in another state or region of the country. Check your campaign booklet or ask your workplace United Way coordinator.
• America’s Charities, Network for Good, Benevity Causes, CAF America, U of P Pennsway Campaign, and the Blackbaud Giving Fund as well as others provide a platform for several workplace giving campaigns throughout the region – check with your company’s workplace giving coordinator to find out how you can designate your gift to the Mission if your workplace uses one of these employee giving platforms.
• Matching Gift Programs – many companies will match their employees’ gifts to a non-profit dollar for dollar. Check with your employer to see if they have a Matching Gift Program. You may be able to double your gift to the Mission at no additional cost to you.

Your gifts are being used every day to encourage and equip our men with the tools and resources they need – not simply to get back on their feet, but to enjoy long-term success as productive, contributing members of our community. Thank you! The Lord bless you.

Grace and peace,

Heather L. Rice, D.Min.
Executive Director

Dear friends

As we come to the end of our fiscal year here at the Mission, I look back over the past twelve months and I see so many ways that the Lord has blessed us through you! Thank you!! Because of you we’ve been able to continue the essential life-saving work that’s been going on here at 101 East Chelten Avenue for over a century. Through your generosity, we’ve been able to continue building upon the solid foundation of the New Life Program, growing our team, and strengthening our services. That translates into more of the good things we experience here every day – the building of relationships, greater freedom from addictions, stronger family bonds, vocational and educational development, increasing confidence, deepening hope in the face of daunting obstacles, and spiritual, emotional, social, and physical healing and growth.

The impact of these things ripples out to reach beyond a man’s stay in the New Life Program. I was reminded of this today when Mission graduate Joey stopped by with his young granddaughter (who was just a toddler the last time I saw her!). I told her she was growing, to which she proudly replied “That’s because I’ve been putting food in my mouth to get bigger.” While Joey and I were having a good chuckle over this, she spontaneously leaned in to give me a big hug. She adores her “Pawpaw” (and shares a bit of his southern accent!). It was delightful to see them. It struck me that this little one has the blessing of a wonderful grandfather in large part because friends like you invested in her pawpaw when he was at the Mission rebuilding his life seven years ago. He’s still doing well today.

Our beds are full and we continue to provide comprehensive services every day including classes, tutoring, counseling, chapels, vocational readiness training, addiction recovery support, and the like. It’s been our joy to continue helping our guys with 50% of their security deposit and move-in expense as they graduate and secure their own permanent housing. Lots of folks respond to special needs that we share (like making up New Home Welcome Baskets to give to men as they set up their new apartments, or dropping off fresh garden produce and homemade baked goods, or coming in to serve as a technology tutor, or responding to a needs list). We are grateful!

We’ve also been building our staff which in turn allows us to focus more on individual residents and their unique needs. That’s essential to the heart of our ministry. The New Life Program’s strength lies in the relationships that form as we seek to obey the two Great Commandments – to love God and love others. Thank you for joining us in sharing God’s love with the men He sends our way. I’m excited and grateful to head into this new fiscal year together with you! Please continue to support us with your generous gifts – we’d be most grateful. The Lord bless and keep you in His steadfast love!

Grace and peace,

Heather L. Rice, D.Min.
Executive Director

Position Open: Immediately as of 9/8/23

Organizational Background: The Whosoever Gospel Mission has provided Christ-centered rehabilitation and job readiness services to men experiencing homelessness since 1892. For 131 years, the Mission has introduced broken and hurting men to the loving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, discipled them toward maturity in Christ, provided for their basic needs, and equipped them with the skills and resources they need to achieve a fulfilling life, restored relationships with their family, a lifestyle of recovery from addiction, improved physical and mental health, a good job, a place of their own they can call home, and long-term success as productive, contributing members of our community. We do “Gospel Show and Tell” – we tell men about the love of Jesus and we show men the love of Jesus through our mercy ministry. All of our services are provided for free. The Mission is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and the Citygate Network, an association of 300 rescue missions in the United States and Canada.

Position Title: Hospitality and Food Service Assistant

Reports To: Food Service Manager

Hours of Work: Full time, 40 hours/week, alternating between WEEK 1 and WEEK 2 as listed below (includes 30-minute paid lunch breaks)

General description: We are looking for someone to assist the Food Service Manager in overseeing our food service operations for our 55 residents, to help create a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for our residents both in food service and in our dorms, and to ensure that our guests, donors and volunteers feel welcome and have what they need to serve our men well.

Job Responsibilities:

• Assist Food Service Manager in supervising the kitchen crew.
• Assist Food Service Manager in ensuring that the Mission’s food service operations run smoothly.
• Ensure anyone working in the kitchen follows proper food safety protocols at all times.
• Prepare and cook meals as needed.
• Personally receive food donations from donors – thanking them and getting a name and address of the donor to turn in to the front office. 
• Help process food donations determining if they will be used in-house by the Mission, sent to the Germantown store to be given away for free, or disposed of as trash.
• Dispose of food items that are out of date or have gone bad.  As much as possible grind up soft perishable items in the garbage disposal and throw away canned goods and harder items in the regular trash.
• Help maintain the Mission’s food pantries (main pantry in dining room, kitchen pantry and other food storage areas) – checking expiration dates, organizing food items, keeping it clean, addressing any rodent problems, & placing new non-perishable food items on pantry shelves.
• Assist Food Service Manager in maintaining necessary food and food service supplies inventory.
• Welcome and supervise visiting churches in their meal preparation for our residents.
•  Pull needed food and non-food items from stock. 
• Prepare cubicles and rooms for new guests (cleaning, sanitizing, outfitting, taking inventory of required furniture – assessing condition and need for replacement, ensuring mattress covers in good condition, etc.).
• Conducting cleaning inspections of the kitchen and the general dormitory facilities.

Necessary Skills:

• Pays close attention to detail
• Well organized
• Has a friendly, outgoing and pleasant demeanor
• Ability to supervise teams
• Ability to work independently

Other Requirements:

• A ServeSafe Certificate is required. The Mission will pay the fees to obtain this certificate. The certificate will need to be obtained within three months of hire.
• Has a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and is an active member of a Bible-believing local church. Has a heart of compassion for the poor, the homeless and those struggling with addictions. Has as a willing spirit, is flexible, and desires to do ministry. Character and professional references required.

Other Details:

• This is an hourly position for 40 hours per week with possible overtime at 1.5 times the regular rate of pay. This person will be off every Monday and alternates being off Thursday  and Saturday every other week for a second day off. It includes working Sunday afternoons from 3pm – 6:45 pm.
• This person will be off Thanksgiving Day
• This person will be required to work overtime on Christmas Day from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM at double-time pay.
• When the Food Service Manager is off on a Saturday that he is schedule to work, we will ask this person, if at all possible, to work from 9:15 AM – 5:15 PM (8 hours) at 1.5 times their hourly wage.

Salary and Benefits

Competitive salary to be discussed with fully paid health insurance, paid holidays, paid sick leave and paid vacation, thrift store discounts, company-matched pension plan, warm and enjoyable Christian work environment

If interested, please email resume and cover letter to Executive Director Heather Rice at hrice@whosoevergospel.org and copy Director of Advancement Bob Emberger at remberger@whosoevergospel.org