SHIP UPDATE – December 31, 2008
SHIP stands for Self-Help Interfaith Program. The SHIP Ministry is a single adult 120 day transitional program empowered by the Holy Spirit through congregants from 19 area churches. These include:
Our Redeemer Lutheran
Friends Church
St. Olafs Lutheran
Grace Lutheran
Garden Grove United Methodist,
Good Shepherd Presbyterian
St. Hedwigs Catholic Church
First United Methodist of Costa Mesa,
Beachpoint Church of HB/FV,
First United Methodist of Fountain Valley
St. Bonaventure Catholic Church
Community United Methodist of HB
St. Wilfred of York Episcopal Church
Sts. Simon & Jude Catholic
Anaheim United Methodist
Holy Spirit Catholic Fountain Valley
United Methodist Rancho Santa Margarita
Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist, Rancho Margarita
Juliana Catholic Church of Fullerton
Over 150 applications for SHIP enrollment were processed in 2008. Of those, 31 guests were accepted into the Program. We celebrated 6 graduations in 2008. An additional 10 guests spent time in the Program and left prior to graduation with full time employment and either permanent or transitional housing. 6 guests were unable to obtain employment for various reasons and were referred to other programs. 4 were exited from the Program due to rule violations, and 2 of the guests voluntarily left on their own.
The SHIP program accounted for 2001 bed nights in 2008. We averaged 5.5 guests in the program for the entire year. This means we operated at 92% capacity for the year with 6 guests being our maximum. This is an improvement from years past and is due partly to the addition of 7 new volunteer PA’s (personal advisors) in 2008.
3 new churches joined SHIP in 2008, Holy Spirit Catholic of Fountain Valley, St. Juliana Catholic of Fullerton, and Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church in Santa Margarita bringing our involved church count to 20.
Of the 52 weeks in 2008, 19 weeks of SHIP were at the Our Redeemer House. Friends Church, St. Simon & Jude of HB, St. Olaf, Holy Spirit, and St. Juliana’s all hosted SHIP at the Our Redeemer House.
OUR REDEEMER HOUSE 2008
In addition to the 19 weeks SHIP stayed at the Our Redeemer House, Interfaith Shelter Network (ISN) a program similar in structure to SHIP stayed 16 weeks at the house for a record total of 35 weeks in 2008. Over 1500 bed nights were provided.
Other highlights for this past year include the following:
A finance committee was established in 2008. The committee meets monthly and is involved in the annual budget, capital expense recommendations, internal audit, operating expense review, guest banking, financial procedures, and coordination with our host non-profit agency American Family Housing.
Several deferred maintenance issues regarding the SHIP house at Our Redeemer were addressed this year. A much needed new furnace was provide free of charge to SHIP by Help Plumbing. A new hot water heater was installed by volunteers from St. Bonaventure Catholic Church. Anaheim United Methodist Church provided SHIP with a new stove. Several churches donated $500 each to pay for new replacement beds and privacy curtains. The new beds will make move days go much quicker and with far less effort. The “wish list” was significantly reduced thanks to these volunteers. It is important to note that CCHD money is never used for capital expenditures. This grant money is used exclusively for routine program operating costs.
For more information on SHIP visit www.shipinoc.org
