Happy Fall!

Hello,

Can you believe it? Summer is already wrapping up, and fall is here (which let’s be honest, really just means our lives now plan to exist surrounding the Buffalo Bills game schedule)!

We have had a rewarding summer at Saving Grace Ministries. Like many organizations, we have faced staffing tensions and donor needs, yet we have seen statistics come to life that shout of program and client improvement. Employment rates are up, with just about 20 men in our Emergency Shelter sustaining employment to date. We have transitioned nearly 15 men into transitional living and have watched others find permanent housing. Community has come to life, and it is a joy to witness. There are hard days, plenty of hard days. People who are hard to serve, conflict within staff, financial tension that exists, yet it all makes for a beautiful story of endurance and empathy. God has been so good to us, and we are honored to be entrusted with this work. Saving Grace Ministries exists to lift the lost, restore hope, and build community for men across WNY, and that is what our mission is to do each day. We want to highlight some of the great things we have been working on, and share our plans for the fall season.

Wishing you and yours a lovely fall season, full of joy and plenty of Bills wins! May God bless you.

Grace and Peace,

Jordan Purrington

Ministry Updates…

A thriving Summer at SGM!

This summer we witnessed the power of community and service. We were able to watch over 4 different local churches step in and host a time of connection for our residents at SGM. From a Luau cookout to a classic summer BBQ, there was something special about witnessing the pure sense of community in our program. It creates such joy to see bonds formed, no matter what life experience each person may have or where we have come from, the art of human connection is beautiful.

I mean, who can’t bond over some good food and a game of cornhole?

We are so thankful to the churches and volunteers who showed up to be part of this, taking their time and efforts and pouring it into our clients and even our staff.

Home Improvements

Making Houses into Homes!

In our last update we stated that a goal we had for this summer was to address some of the needed improvements in our transitional homes. Our team has been working hard this summer to transform our transitional living properties, redoing some of the interior spaces to really make these houses homes. For a person who is working to truly better themselves and their life, how great of a difference does a dignified living space make? We know this to be true and have committed to updating our properties, addressing the wear and tear that use brings, and add new furnishings for a fresh look. Pictured above is one of our properties that was recently redone with new flooring, countertops, and a whole bathroom revamp.

What’s next?

This fall our team has identified some goals that we are working hard to accomplish!

Physical Goals:

• Update one of the porches on our properties

• Remodel an entire house - both upper and lower units

  • Complete redo of bathroom

  • New flooring throughout house

  • Kitchen remodel

  • Painting

Programmatic Goals:

• Implement new weekly workshops for our residents to take part in:

  • Coping skills

  • Qualities of a Godly man

  • Financial Literacy

• Create a follow up system with past graduates of our program

• Increase job placement rates by 10%

To make these goals possible, we simply need to rely on you, our supporter and partner. The financial burden that non-profit organizations live in is real, and the burnout of staff exists. We are able to change lives only by the partnerships we have.

Financially, the cost at hand to re-model two home units and a porch is extensive. We believe deeply in our why of doing this but are taking a step of faith in setting these goals, trusting that God will provide. Where He leads, He always sustains, and we know we are being led to take this step. As we do this, we ask that you would consider helping the financial burden this creates and pray that the Lord would bless you for your generosity and faithful stewardship.

Programmatically, we know we have a village with a wealth of knowledge and love that could be shared with our residents. If you would be interested in creating a space for conversation around a topic pertaining to life skills or another topic you are passionate about, please fill out an interest form below.

Want to learn more about SGM?

We would love to hear from you!