Our Mission
How God transformed The Mission from a humble room to a two-building shelter, with so much more to come…
Since its inception, The Mission has provided numerous opportunities to our community through
the gospel, shelter, food, clothing and caring.
- Founded by two U.S. Marine veterans
- Devoted to spreading the good news and love of Jesus Christ
- Expanded in a decade from a single room to two centers
- Dedicated to serving the homeless and working poor of St. Mary’s County.
Pictured above, in 2020 Richard and Robert Myers signing the purchase agreement for the new Mission Headquarters.
In the last 12 months:
- 12,900 meals served
- 3,000+ bags of groceries containing Gospel tracts handed out
- 400+ families aided
- 415 jackets and coats handed out – plus scarves and hats
- 216 blankets provided
- 4,000+ socks given away
- 15 tents and sleeping bags handed out
- Furniture given to poor families and individuals
- Two cars provided to those in need
- 37 people enrolled in New Beginnings Program, receiving shelter, job and education assistance, counseling, and Bible study
Our Story: How It Began
Just one room and a bathroom. A place where the homeless could take a break from the streets or the woods and find some food for the body and soul. That’s all we offered.
“We never had intentions of it being more,” said Richard Myers, one of the twin brothers who founded The Mission in 2006. “It was just a little place for people to come in. This just kind of happened. The Lord opened doors and allowed us to go from there to here.”
Richard and his brother, Robert, had first-hand experience with humble beginnings. They were the first ones in the family to go to college and buy a home. Both served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Their hearts always went out to those who were less fortunate, and they wanted to let others know about the love and salvation offered by Jesus Christ.
A Way to Share the Gospel
“It was evangelistic,” Richard said of the original plan. “It was a way to share the Gospel with the homeless and do it in a practical way. It was a place for them to come in out of the cold or heat, get a shower, food. We had a pool table. It was a homey place where they could come in and chill.”
Serving Those in Need
We opened on the first floor of a building at 21015 Great Mills Road in 2012. During the next eight years, one person came on board as paid staff- our only employee. Services expanded to include a food pantry and some assistance with job searches. Computers were added. Hot showers were provided. Clothing, tents, blankets and sleeping bags were donated and handed out. In the extreme cold of winter and stifling heat of summer, we offered a haven.
God Provided
Over time, volunteers and the employee began to give basic vocational training, financial and social counseling, computer training and addiction recovery support. The food pantry assisted the families of the working poor as well as the homeless.
Opening
Thanks to the generous donation of Renee Kessler in 2018 and to renovations made by local contractors and construction volunteers, we in 2021 opened the Steve L. Kessler Center, a temporary housing facility for those who enter our New Beginnings Program. The two 1800-square-foot, state-of-the-art dormitories, located on Great Mills Road, house up to 24 single men and women in a safe Christian environment. They receive training, counseling, biblical study, and other support. The goal is for individuals to become independent.
Needing to Expand
In 2019, we were outgrowing our original location, and the owner of that building placed the property on the market. We scrambled to find a new home and launched a GoFundMe campaign that no one expected to raise the money needed.
In November of 2019, we found an abandoned Bell Telephone switching station across the street from the Sheriff’s Station on Great Mills Road. It is more than four times the size of the space we had been renting. The 4600-square-foot, two-story facility is in the heart of one of the most impoverished areas of St. Mary’s County. It is the perfect location for us to make a dramatic, positive impact on our community.
New Headquarters Opening Soon
Individuals and businesses, contractors, and local unions have also contributed to the effort with their time, materials and skills. The lead contractor is managing the project for free. All Mechanical and Plumbing has done all the plumbing and HVAC at cost with the help of HVAC Union Local 602, whose members have volunteered their time to install the systems for free. Local professionals have also performed most of the framing free of charge.
Now undergoing extensive renovation, the building will be called the Robert E. Myers Center in memory of Richard’s brother, Robert, who passed away in November 2021. It will house a chapel, food and clothing pantry, first-aid station, dayroom, laundry and showers as well as a central business office that other faith-based organizations can share with us to establish their own operations here in St. Mary’s County.
Coming Soon in the Fall of 2023!
In addition, just a few weeks after purchasing the new facility, the adjacent four-acre lot was sold to us for $1 by Leslie Collings in the name of her father, Robert Otto. This land gives us the flexibility to grow in the future.