People who live outside exposed to the harsh weather have a particular vulnerability to not making it through the night. When homeless people die they are very often forgotten by almost everyone, but not the Good News Rescue Mission. Tuesday the Mission will hold their annual homeless memorial service. It takes place in the Mission Chapel on Veda Street from 10 to 11 O’clock Tuesday morning. 10 names will be read during the ceremony. That’s how many were identified of the 16 unhoused people known to have passed away in Redding last year. In 2023 there were 23 and in 2022 there were 18. With January being the coldest month of the year, it’s an ideal season to bring awareness to the plight of the homeless. As Mission Director Jonathan Anderson says, every person had inherent worth and a story that mattered, and the memorial reminds us of the value of each life and the fragility of our shared humanity.
-Steve Gibson