Programs

“Turning Hunger into Hope” Meals Outreach program prepares and serves hot, nutritious meals to serve over 50 individuals and families daily. Volunteers assist with every outreach and provide valuable support and encouragement. Another important objective of the outreach is to build relationships with individuals served in an effort to gain their trust, identify needs, and to offer encouragement, information about community services and entitlement programs, and provide referrals to health care, substance abuse recovery, and mental health care. “Turning Hunger into Hope” plans to continue the outreach in the Santa Maria area, and increase its efforts to provide intervention and case management support. In addition, the Outreach plans to expand services to neighboring San Luis Obispo County, with two or three outreaches per week.

The Residential Drug and Alcohol Recovery program for men is a two-phase program. The focus of Phase One is recovery while the focus of Phase Two is transition. The Mission’s Recovery Program offers up to 12 men the opportunity to overcome addictive behaviors and destructive lifestyles. Clients participate daily in classes, training, counseling, and activities specifically designed to minister to the whole person: body, soul, and spirit. Residents meet regularly with trained, certified staff to discuss personal and recovery issues. Men who complete the recovery program develop the skills and confidence necessary to become independent and productive members of society.

Volunteers provide training on job preparation, resume development, job search assistance, networking, information on job-fairs and local employment services. Graduates of the program often return to the community advocating the Christian values and lifestyle we teach. Every client in the recovery program is court ordered. About a third of the clients are Prop 36. The Mission’s program is often the last opportunity these men have to change their lives and avoid prison. Santa Barbara County’s Probation Department prefers the Mission’s recovery program over others as graduates of the program have statistically outperformed all other programs in the area of long – term sobriety.