Our History

In August 1964, with a heart for the least and the lost and a vision of a refuge for those who had no hope, James Resh and a handful of believers started the Frederick Rescue Mission.  In an obscure townhouse at 200 South Market Street, ten beds and a secondhand thrift store set into motion a ministry that has touched thousands of lives.  From the beginning, Jesus Christ was introduced to all who came for a meal or to escape the grips of addiction.

In 1986, the Mission's ministry expanded with the purchase of the old Frederick County Jail building at 419 West South Street.  The process of transforming the jail into a home began with the steel bars being cut away.  Doors that once kept men locked away were removed.  Remnants of the old jail remain today.  Nubs of the cut away bars, thick concrete walls, catwalks, and the massive brick wall enclosing the exercise yard are but shadows of the past in the light of what is and is to come.  The building was appropriately named the Beacon House.

In 1990, the Bread of Life Soup Kitchen began to serve breakfast and lunch to the community five days a week and provide emergency food boxes to those in need.  In response to the increased demand in 1996, meals were made available seven days a week.

The Food Service Program serves an average of 200 meals daily.  In addition, the program serves as a food distribution center, providing food boxes and approximately 100,000 pounds of bulk food items each year to families in need and area food banks.

The Mission opened the Lindsey Learning Center in September 1997 to maximize the potential of the residents.

To instill integrity and provide an advocate for the residents' legal issues, the Mission established a new Legal Assistance Department in September 1998.