Philly mission seeks help in brightening holiday for homeless with messages of hope

Being homeless is never easy, but it can be especially hard during the holidays when feelings of isolation are particularly pronounced.

To help offset that bleak time, Philadelphia’s Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission is asking people in Philadelphia and across the country to pen personalized holiday cards that can be handed out to those who dine or sleep at the shelter the week of Christmas.

Whether purchased or homemade, it’s the message inside that’s most important.

“You need to really remind them that someone is thinking about and that someone cares,” said Rosalyn Forbes, director of development at Sunday Breakfast.

It’s a simple concept that can go a long way, she said.

“It could remind them about their family and encourage them to get back on their feet,” said Forbes.

The shelter’s third annual Holiday Cards for the Homeless Initiative runs from Dec. 1 through Dec. 20.

Cards should be mailed to Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission at P.O. Box 297, Philadelphia, Pa. 19105.

More than 300 homeless men and women sleep at Sunday Breakfast’s two locations each night. During the week of Christmas, Forbes said, up to 1,000 people might sit down for a meal.