Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission

Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission, established in 1878, opens our doors everyday with a welcoming spirit of Christian compassion, walking alongside the homeless, hungry, and hurting of Philadelphia so that they may experience the love of God by acts of mercy, dignity, and respect. More than just a safe space, warm bed, and a hot meal, we empower everyone we serve through deep, intentional engagement with compassionate programs and trauma-informed care – activating their God-given potential for life transformation.

Sunday Breakfast offers a variety of services to those we serve such as 3 meals and day, 365 days a year and 30-day emergency housing. In addition to these, we also offer a men’s transitional housing program. During a resident’s stay with us, they have access to services such as case management, spiritual care, laundry, and hot showers. This ensures we meet the practical, spiritual, and relational needs of every individual.

As the lowest barrier shelter in Philadelphia, Sunday Breakfast does not turn guests away due to criminal background, one of the many barriers of a returning citizen. We also take a very individualized approach to case management which allows us to work with someone like a returning citizen to understand what their most successful next step may be, whether that is finding a job, restoring broken relationships and rebuilding support systems, or a variety of other circumstances.

The best way to get involved and get to know Sunday Breakfast better is to sign up to serve a meal. Head to sundaybreakfast.org to sign up to volunteer, to give, or to read some of the real stories of our guests and their life transformation.

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Head inside SBRM for more information, enjoy something to eat, then check below for what's next:

Alberto Alvarez

Day One is over, but the challenge of reentry is only just beginning. You have found a place to sleep and eat for the next 30 days at Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission. You connected with medical services at Project HOME’s Hub of Hope. You know where to go when it is time to check in with your P.O., and you have looked into the vocational support offered at at JEVS and CareerLink. Now it is time to rest, because you will have to take to the city streets bright and early tomorrow morning. What do you think you should work on next?

Are you prescribed any medication, and have you been taking it since your release? Do you know where you can go to find a Primary Care provider, or how you will pay for the visit? How’s your mental health? Do you have any job leads yet? Don’t let the “to-do” list overwhelm you, but understand that you still have a lot of work to do.

As you head back to the Day One Challenge reflection at Tenth Presbyterian Church, take some time to reflect upon the following questions with your group:

What surprised you the most about the Day One Challenge today? Was anything more difficult than you anticipated?
Knowing what you know now, what do you think is the greatest challenge facing returning citizens in Philadelphia?
Redemption Housing’s vision is to provide returning citizens with transitional housing, mentoring relationships, and support as they work towards independent living. If you were a resident in one of Redemption Housing’s programs, how do you think their volunteers would have been able to help you today?

Bret Boone

Oh no! You forgot! Quick, check your pockets. When you were released, you were given an appointment card. But in all of the hustle and bustle, you never checked to see when you have to report to Philadelphia Probation and Parole. Did you miss your appointment? If not, it’s probably a good idea to walk over to their facility and get your bearings. The address should be on the card.

While you are heading there, take some time to talk through the following questions with your group:

1. Do you know what the difference is between probation and parole?
2. Are all returning citizens required to be on probation or parole?
3. What restrictions/requirements might you expect as someone on probation or parole?

Christopher Caine

As you head back to the Day One Challenge reflection at Tenth Presbyterian Church, take some time to reflect upon the following questions with your group:

Derek Dodd

As you head back to the Day One Challenge reflection at Tenth Presbyterian Church, take some time to reflect upon the following questions with your group:

Erik Elkins

What’s next? You need to get an ID but have no idea where to start. You need new clothes to wear. You want to look for work, but what phone number should you list on your resume? Where can you get a phone? With so many things to accomplish over the next few weeks, you could use some help from someone who knows how to navigate the systems. Someone handed you a flyer this morning for JEVS Human Services. If they’re open on a Saturday, maybe they can help.

If you had to prioritize housing, medical care, and employment in your first few weeks back from incarceration, what would you focus on first and why?

Frederick Foreman

You haven’t been feeling very well over the past few days and have chalked it up to anxiety and hunger. But now you have a cough. Have you been wearing a mask today? If you can find a bed, you’re going to be sleeping in a shelter tonight with maybe dozens of other men. What if they don’t let you stay because of the cough? Outreach mentioned that Project HOME gives away free COVID-19 Rapid Tests at their drop in center in the SEPTA concourse, underneath the Municipal Services Building. They might be able to help and answer a few questions, if you can find them!

While you are heading there, take some time to talk through the following questions with your group:
People experiencing homlessness and returning citizens contract COVID-19 at a higher rate than the general population.

1. What are some reasons why they might be at risk?

2. Where would you go if you knew you had COVID-19 but had nowhere to sleep tonight?

3. In what other ways do you think that COVID-19 might present challenges for returning citizens?

Gregory Gadsden

As you head back to the Day One Challenge reflection at Tenth Presbyterian Church, take some time to reflect upon the following questions with your group:

Henry Holmes

While you are heading there, take some time to talk through the following questions with your group:

Jeremiah Jones

If you had to prioritize housing, medical care, and employment in your first few weeks back from incarceration, what would you focus on first and why?

Karl Kolinski

If you had to prioritize housing, medical care, and employment in your first few weeks back from incarceration, what would you focus on first and why?

Michael Mastellone

While you are at Sunday Breakfast, you bump into a young man, Bill. Bill is wearing a white, cut-off t-shirt, and a coffee-stained Phillies cap. He asks you for a cigarette as you strike up a conversation. He has been in and out of the city’s shelters for the past three years. “Without a decent job,” he tells you, “it’s impossible to move forward.”

Returning citizens often say that a job is one of the first things that they look for when they are released. While you were incarcerated, you worked as much as you could. But it has been a long time since you had to pass out your resume or sit through an interview. Bill tells you that he’s been to a work program that helps returning citizens at Suburban Station. You don’t know where that is, but Bill says you “can’t miss it” and points you in the right direction.

While you are walking there, take some time to talk through the following questions with your group:

What challenges do you think that you are going to face in finding and keeping a job?
Do you have any ideas about what jobs are most widely available to returning citizens?

Nicholas Neary

ANicholas Neary

While you are walking there, take some time to talk through the following questions with your group:

What challenges do you think that you are going to face in finding and keeping a job?
Do you have any ideas about what jobs are most widely available to returning citizens?

Patrick Pillman

As you head back to the Day One Challenge reflection at Tenth Presbyterian Church, take some time to reflect upon the following questions with your group:

Ralph Reed

While you are heading there, take some time to talk through the following questions with your group:

Salvador Salas

1. What are some reasons why they might be at risk?

2. Where would you go if you knew you had COVID-19 but had nowhere to sleep tonight?

3. In what other ways do you think that COVID-19 might present challenges for returning citizens?

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