Contact:
Kelly Stephens/James MacGregor
Brower, Miller & Cole
(949) 509-6551
kstephens@browermillercole.com

TEMECULA MURRIETA RESCUE MISSION RECEIVES TWO ACRES OF LAND FROM KENDALL FARMS TO GROW FRESH PRODUCE FOR HOMELESS AND IMPOVERISHED FAMILIES

• Volunteers needed to help tend the land every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

• Acreage donated by Kendall Farms is certified organic and will produce potatoes, corn, zucchini, tomatoes, red onions, peppers and watermelon for homeless and impoverished families

Temecula, Calif., June 5, 2009 – The Temecula Murrieta Rescue Mission, a partnership between Rancho Community Church in Temecula, Calif. and the Orange County Rescue Mission, has gained a new ally in the fight against homelessness and hunger in the Southland. Kendall Farms, a grower of organic flowers for wholesale located in Fallbrook, Calif., has donated two acres of certified organic land to be planted with organic produce that will serve homeless and impoverished families throughout the Inland Empire and Orange County.

Every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. volunteers are needed to help tend the land by planting seeds, pulling weeds and eventually harvesting the crop for distribution.

The first crop includes organic potatoes, corn, zucchini, tomatoes, red onions, peppers and watermelon which will help feed families in crisis served by the Temecula Murrieta Rescue Mission and its partners.

“This is a tremendous gift from Kendall Farms that will have a positive impact on the lives of so many families in crisis,” said Jim Palmer, President of the Orange County Rescue Mission and the Temecula Murrieta Rescue Mission. “The recession has caused a dramatic increase in the amount of homeless and hungry in our community that need assistance in order to provide for their families.”

“We are constantly looking for new sources to contribute the food we need to help those that need it most,” added Palmer. “This land will yield fresh produce that will help meet the basic needs of those in crisis now, and for years to come.”

The Temecula Murrieta Rescue Mission remains in dire need of donations and support from the community to grow and maintain these and other assistance programs that are helping those that need it most. The Mission began distributing food boxes to hungry and homeless families on March 25, 2009.

With support from the leadership of Rancho Community Church, the Temecula Murrieta Rescue Mission has distributed food boxes each week, providing 50,350 meals to 1,007 hungry families in just two months. May 20th, 2009 marked the first time the mission had to deny a family when the food box supply ran out, making the recent contribution from Kendall Farms an essential component to meeting the ever-growing need.

In business for more than 20 years, Kendall Farms nearly lost its entire perennial crop when the farm was devastated by the Rice Canyon fire in 2007. Despite these recent challenges, the farm’s management approached the Temecula Murrieta Rescue Mission with a proposal to create a unique partnership that would make a difference.

“Kendall Farms is a member of this community and we are very aware of the daily struggle our friends and neighbors are having during this recession,” said Troy Conner, General Manager of Kendall Farms and member of Rancho Community Church. “Providing healthy land capable of producing fresh food to help families get through these difficult times is something we are very proud and honored to do.”

In addition to donating the acreage, Kendall Farms provided the techniques to prepare the land for commercial farming including tilling and fertilization of the soil, irrigation and consultation with commercial organic farmers in the region for guidance. The Temecula Murrieta Rescue Mission, supported by private donations and volunteer labor, will help with the costs of irrigation, care and harvesting of the first crop.

To make a donation or inquire about volunteer opportunities, please contact the Temecula Murrieta Rescue Mission at (951) 526-1200 or log on to www.RescueMissionTM.org.

About Rancho Community Church
Rancho Community Church just celebrated its 40th year of ministry to the Temecula Murrieta Valley. It is committed to teach God’s word and put it to practice in families, in church and in the community. This includes a focus on equipping and mobilizing meaningful and fun volunteer teams to do good together, strengthening families to practice unconditional love in our homes and providing tangible help to those in need. To inquire about the ministries of Rancho Community Church, please visit our web site: www.ranchocommunity.org.

About the Temecula Murrieta Rescue Mission
The Rescue Mission is a non-profit organization that uses Biblical principles in its programs such as relationships, finance and parenting. The Rescue Mission’s innovative facilities and programs provide food assistance and shelter at its Double R Ranch, in addition to counseling, education, job training, mental wellness, life skill training and medical services to provide a solid foundation for the transition to a self-sufficient life. To make a donation or inquire about volunteer opportunities with the Rescue Mission, please contact the Village of Hope at (951) 526-1200 or log on to www.RescueMissionTM.org.