The Day Everything Changed
When Greg got the call from the Department of Social Services, it was just a week before a baby girl was about to be born. “They said I might be the father,” he recalled. At first, he wasn’t sure what to think until he heard the words that changed everything: if no one stepped up, she would go into foster care.
"Me, being that I grew up in foster care... I sat there for a moment and I was like, ‘Nah, that’s not a place for a baby.'"
Greg Rescue Mission Client, 2025 Hope Awards Honoree
Greg didn’t hesitate long. “Me, being that I grew up in foster care… I sat there for a moment and I was like, ‘Nah, that’s not a place for a baby.’” That day, Greg chose to break the cycle. He stepped up to raise his daughter, even though he was facing challenges of his own.
That baby girl will turn 13 this December. And Greg? He says he wouldn’t change a thing. “I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world because of what it made me…the man I am today.”
Greg’s story is one of grit, love, and transformation, but it’s also one of community. After years of hardship, doing everything he could to keep his head above water, Greg found a partner in Rescue Mission Alliance.
“I stumbled upon the Rescue Mission,” he said. “And I started talking with them, putting in the work, and eventually ended up at the Auburn Rescue Mission.” Today, Greg still works with the Rescue Mission, receiving reduced rent and access to essential supplies when times get tough. “If I ever need anything, I can come over here and get help. I can’t ask for nothing better.”
"Can’t ask for nothing better. I look at it [RM] as people who truly want to help people."
Greg Rescue Mission Client, 2025 Hope Awards HonoreeBut support like this doesn’t happen without you.
Your donations empower us at the Rescue Mission to stand alongside people like Greg—individuals who are fighting to do better, be better, and create a better future for their families. We don’t just offer shelter or food. We offer dignity, hope, and the opportunity to build something lasting.
Greg’s journey is proof of that. Once a child lost in the foster system, he’s now a devoted father raising a strong, spirited daughter. “She taught me to love unconditionally. She taught me to be patient. She taught me what a real man is.”
Greg didn’t give up on his daughter. And thanks to our supporters, the Rescue Mission didn’t give up on Greg.
This is what your support makes possible: Real transformation. Real families. Real impact.
We invite you to make a gift today. Because there are more fathers like Greg. More daughters with bright futures. And more lives ready to be changed—with your help.
