AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Garden City Rescue Mission is an emergency shelter that’s been operating out of Downtown Augusta for 22 years.

“On a daily basis we house people that come in off the streets. Some are addicted to drugs and alcohol, some are just having a hard time. They’re able to come in, get a bed, a lot of fellows haven’t had a shower in a long time, they get clean clothes,” said Executive Director, Patrick Feistel.

Providing people with a hot meal and a place to eat isn’t all the Garden City Rescue Mission does.

“So everything around this place pivots around the gospel being preached and seeing god work in people’s lives. We are seeing people get saved, we are seeing lives turned around, families put back together. When you see someone open up a bible, and they start understanding that it’s God’s word to them, and seeing their life light up, there ain’t nothing that can replace that,” said Feistel.

The mission has been operating in their location for rent free but now they need help to stay.

“We had a long term lease but the original owner, he went on to Heaven and now the board of directors over their properties have decided to liquidate and it’s understandable,” said Feistel.
But all hope is not lost.

“They are giving us the sole opportunity right now to raise the funds by September 15th. We’ve got forty three thousand dollars and a long way to go and a short time to get there, and it might be a daunting task but God is well able,” said Feistel.

The goal is $495,000 dollars, and people from around the community have already been doing what they can to help.

Berean Baptist Church is hosting a yard sale on June 17th with proceeds going to the rescue mission.

“It’s vitally important. This program takes homeless men off the street, gives them a chance to start a new life, it gives them hope, and that’s something they don’t have,” said Berean Baptist Church Member, Susan Herrin.

For Berean Baptist Church Member, Susan Herrin, helping to save the rescue mission is personal.

“Once in my life I was homeless myself because of bad choices I had made, and if there were more programs like this in the city, and more funding available to start programs like this and offer this to the homeless, there would be a lot less people on the street,” said Herrin.

There’s still a long road ahead but the community’s support shows it’s not too late to rescue the Garden City Rescue Mission.