Good Samaritan Rescue Mission
“The Mission with a Heart…In the Heart of the City”
210 S. Alameda St. at Kinney St. P.O. Box 65 Corpus Christi, Texas 78403-0065
(361) 883-6195 Main — (361) 883-9493 Labor Force — (361) 883-2121 Fax — E-Mail: GoodSamCC@aol.com
Description of ministry
Good Samaritan Rescue Mission is a 203-bed homeless shelter located at 210 S. Alameda between Six Points and City Hall in Corpus Christi, Texas. It is the largest and oldest privately funded shelter for the homeless in this region of the state. We were established in 1953 as a non-denominational, 501(c)3 tax-exempt, non-profit corporation. Our goal is to take a homeless person from the streets and return that person to society through providing food, clothing, employment, medical care, spiritual counseling, and community supportive services. To those who are open, we share the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Currently, we operate TEN ministry areas:
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· Good Sam’s Bed & Breakfast
· Good Sam’s Room & Board
· Good Sam’s Diner
· Good Sam’s Coffee House
· Good Sam’s Second-Hand Store |
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· Good Sam’s Labor Force
· Good Sam’s Support Network
· Good Sam Park & Pet Care
· Good Samaritan Chapel
· Good Sam Staff
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Good Sam’s Bed & Breakfast Good Sam has 169 emergency shelter dormitory beds and we are always full during cold or rainy weather because our policy is that no one is turned away. Anyone can stay as long as they need to if they will give us 2 to 5 hours of cleaning work daily depending on the job. If they receive a government check, or if they find employment, they pay $7 to $9 per day rent. Our shelter is open 24 hours daily every day of the year. A person can check in at any time since we do not require that they be screened by a case worker first. Good Sam is the only place in town where police can drop a person off in the middle of the night. We allow them to enter “under the influence” as long as they are not violent; but no alcohol or drugs are allowed anywhere on our property. We accept men, women, and children (if accompanied by one parent). To our knowledge, we are the only shelter who accepts individuals who have no ID.
Good Sam’s Room & Board For persons who find employment and want to upgrade from our Bed & Breakfast dormitories to a private room, there are 34 Room & Board rooms available. There is no lease to sign, and a person can pay by the week or by the month. This program is designed for people who are beginning to get on their feet but are not yet stable enough to sign a lease and put down a deposit on an apartment. This is their first step up from the emergency shelter. The cost starts at $85 per week with no contract to sign. Of course they can take advantage of the three free meals offered each day at Good Sam’s Diner. If they move out early, they receive a rent refund; if they cannot or do not pay their rent, they can move back into the Bed & Breakfast dormitories. That is a valuable “safety net” for people who have not held a steady job for quite awhile.
Good Sam’s Diner We served 181,074 meals in 2006--that’s an average of 497 meals per day; that’s 3 hot meals per day—365 days per year. There are almost 3,000 homeless in the area with approximately 450 beds available for street people...and Good Samaritan has 203 of those beds. This program is our greatest burden due to the amount of groceries needed and the tiny space we have in which to cook and serve so many meals.
Good Sam’s Coffee House An extension of Good Sam’s Diner and Good Samaritan Chapel, our coffee house opened Christmas Eve 2002 and is our newest addition. Anyone can get free coffee and pastries from 6 to 10 a.m. and 6 to 10 p.m. most days. This takes care of hungry folks who arrive after the Diner has finished serving. They can rest and enjoy a cup of coffee, pastry, and a good book from our coffee house library; or if they prefer, they can participate in one of our daily Bible studies. It also has two full baths for hardcore street people who would like to clean up, and it can sleep up to 20 people during times of overflow. It is always extremely busy during hours of operation.
Good Sam’s Second-Hand Store Good Sam’s Second-Hand Store provides four complete changes of clothing per person per month to anyone who asks. What furnishings, household items, and clothing that are not used by our own clients staying at our facility are sold to low-income families in the neighborhood at extreme discount prices. The money made from the store goes toward our utility bills.
Good Sam’s Labor Force In partnership with local businesses and individuals, our labor force program offers day labor employment for both men and women. They are provided with transportation to and from the work site along with a sack lunch, and they are paid for their labor each evening. Good Sam’s Labor Force Program provides worker’s compensation and is the cheapest day labor available. We operate the labor force because it employs the homeless. If they remain unemployed, they remain homeless. We require that every able-bodied person accept employment when we have a job available. There are no contracts and no minimum requirements. We pay the laborers daily and bill the business or individual weekly.
Good Sam’s Support Network Our membership in the Homeless Issues Partnership (HIP) coalition allows us access to 50 different social and governmental agencies. The supportive services include health and dental care, financial assistance, job training and placement, psychological and chemical abuse counseling, childcare, and life skills training. We provide free bus tokens to anyone needing transportation to an appointment to receive one of these services.
Good Sam Central Park & Pet Care For our “guests” and for the hardcore street people who refuse to stay indoors, we offer the only piece of real estate in the city where they can “hang out” or spend the day in safety without trespassing. We have park benches, a performance stage for special events, barbecue pits, and a new large storage room for storing bedding and backpacks during the day. Since so many homeless folks team up with a homeless dog for protection and companionship, our park is fenced in so they can bring their “best friends” with them. The animals receive food, water, a place to sleep, and veterinary care if needed.
Good Samaritan Chapel The spiritual side of our ministry is entirely voluntary. No one has to attend chapel to get a bed or a hot meal. Probably no one has ever received genuine spiritual help by having God or the Bible crammed down his or her throat. We at Good Sam believe that if we “practice what we preach” before people with love, patience, and a non-judgmental attitude, they will WANT to hear the good news of the Gospel. Though voluntary, it is not secondary. God has miraculously supplied all our needs through individuals, churches, businesses, and private foundations for 54 years—and we have no intention of turning a vital ministry into a mere program. Homeless people have physical needs AND spiritual needs—and we intend to meet both to the best of our ability without infringing upon any person’s religious freedom or rights.
Good Sam Staff At Good Sam, we regularly hire homeless clients to perform jobs that are performed by community volunteers in the other local shelters. We have approximately 25 clients/former clients on staff. After expressing the desire to change their lives, they are hired and paid $50-$100 per week plus a private room. Though they are not ready to move away and live on their own, the clients are able to gain confidence and self esteem through work while remaining in a familiar, family style setting. We provide special activities and counseling for them. It is our most intensive hands-on help, mostly for individuals are giving it their all to become and remain free of drugs and/or alcohol.
2006 CLIENT SERVICES
In 2006, Good Samaritan Rescue Mission provided the following services to the homeless of our community:
Service Provided |
Number of Clients Served |
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Emergency Shelter Dorm Beds |
Approximately 131 people per night = 47,815 nights of lodging |
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Room & Board Private Rooms |
Approximately 34 people per night = 12,400 nights of lodging |
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Good Sam’s Diner |
Approximately 497 meals per day = 181,074 meals served |
Thank you for considering our ministry. Please keep us in your prayers!
Gratefully— Buddy & Carole Murphrey, Directors
Donny Cooksey, Program Director/Chaplain 
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