How the Las Vegas Rescue Mission Saved My Family | By Kenneth Devine III

My name is Kenneth Devine III. I am twenty-three with a wife and a one-year-old child and this is how the Las Vegas Rescue Mission saved my family.

The spread of the novel Covid-19 virus has impacted families all over the country and unfortunately, my family wasn’t spared either.  March 17, 2020, is the day that I lost my job and my family’s future evaporated into thin air. From rental assistance to public housing, we have tried everything to maintain our way of life, but nothing worked. We managed to survive for a few months with the money in our savings but quickly realized that our efforts were futile and we were only digging a deeper hole.

With our last $200, my wife and I decided to move our family to Las Vegas and start our lives anew. The decision did not feel real until we arrived at the Phoenix Sky Harbor bus station where we waited for the bus to start our new journey.

Upon arriving in Las Vegas, we managed to temporarily house ourselves in a hotel long enough to come across the Las Vegas Rescue Mission. The Las Vegas Rescue Mission, or “the mission” to its attendees, is a place of companionship and smiles. A place where you can receive an array of services to assist you from basic needs to recovery. The mission took my family in with open arms. They provided us with a roof over our heads and a sense of worth in our hearts. During the day everyone mingles and encourages each other to find another reason to strive for greatness. It was here where we have formed lasting relationships with some of the most amazing people that we have ever met. The counselors and case managers aren’t so bad either. They each come equipped with a passion to see everyone succeed but also have their own uniqueness about them. They understand that everyone’s situation is different, and offer solutions specific to the individual.

Family is the word I would use to describe how the mission made me feel. Every morning we were greeted with smiles and hellos from employees to volunteers alike. On October 10th, 2020 everyone got together during mealtime and sang a “Happy Birthday” song to my daughter and the volunteers even brought her a cake to make her feel like a princess. The following day our case manager Ashley eagerly pulled us aside to give us the exciting news! She had received a call stating that our family qualified for temporary housing and apartment assistance and the following day we found ourselves yet again on another bus to start a new adventure.

Our journey is one of many examples of the positive impacts the Las Vegas Rescue Mission has on those who are in dire need of assistance as well as the community. The point of our story is to not be afraid to ask the good people of the Las Vegas Rescue Mission for help when your life is running off the rails.