BUILDING A NEW YEAR
2025 marked several generous donations from individuals and businesses towards our ministry center in Hawaiian Gardens. Our basketball courts were lit up by a friend with Carol Electric in Los Alamitos who also helped to get our 20’ cross lit up regardless of a 3-year-delay by the city. He, along with Matson Architects in Cerritos and Instant Signs of Cypress pushed us onto victory! Our friends from On The Spot Construction have also been very generous to us—most recently with a donation of all the stained lumber that volunteers put up to finish the front panels of our building.
A generous donation from Lowe’s Home Improvement Center (Store #773) in the Long Beach Towne Center ended 2025 with supplies for our 2026 remodel. The store even sent team members to install a new vanity in our Resource Center and updated lighting in our restrooms and foyer.
Renovations at The Way Out Hawaiian Gardens and The Gathering Church continue into this new year with generous donations of time and talent by church members who did some roof patching to save us from some heavy rains. An unnamed donor and his team from a contracting business beautifully renovated our interior walls and remodeled our Café. Bathrooms and new flooring is now underway! The Gathering church has also raised $10,000.00 towards these renovations!
In the midst of these blessings a donation of 120 chairs is being made available to The Way Out from The Phillips 66 Refinery in Wilmington, California! Heartfelt thanks goes out to all of these wonderful people and businesses for partnering with The Way Out Ministries so that we can continue to effectively serve people in both “deed and truth” (1 John 3:18).
JESUS LOVES THE CITIES
Years ago The Way Out began a one day February tradition called Jesus Loves HG where Christian volunteers served the city of Hawaiian Gardens through acts of kindness done in Jesus’ name. What started with a few volunteers and services has grown into many volunteers meeting many needs. This year, more than 50 volunteers will again serve Hawaiian Gardens, California—cleaning streets, washing cars, distributing food and clothing, doing laundry, praying for people, and sharing the gospel.
On Valentine’s Day, this same love will extend to Texas with Jesus Loves FW. While cold weather in Fort Worth will prevent car washes, volunteers will serve by washing laundry, creating hygiene kits, offering free doughnuts, coffee, and prayer, and taking treats to the city’s first responders.
Next year, this tradition will continue internationally in the Philippines with Jesus Loves SJ (San Jose). Jesus loves every city—we simply seek to remind the ones we are serving in each year. Thank you for helping
January 9th kicked off the grand opening of our new Resource Center in Fort Worth, Texas— directed by Rachel Perez and her assistant Cheryl Martin. The days festivities included a ribbon cutting ceremony and prayer dedication followed by snacks, tours and a ministry presentation by founders Pastor Barry and Terryl Bruce. Also offering blessings from Fort Worth were The Way Out Ministries’ Board member Pastor Hector Mora and a local Pastor from The Fountains Fellowship— Pastor Sam McKern. A letter of welcome from council member Dr. Mia Hall from district 6 was also presented.
A special friend of the ministry, Rosie Lopez, also flew out from California to offer her support for the event and to Rachel. Rosie shared with the visitors how she first came to know Jesus as a child in a kid’s program on the front lawn of the Bruce’s home—before the ministry had its first building. Rosie is now a social worker and completing her Masters degree. She is also a member of the Gathering church and volunteers with The Way Out Ministries in California. Rachel’s husband, Manny, and son, Isaiah, were also in attendance after volunteering many long hours of work themselves. Special thanks to all of those who attended the event and to all of those who could not attend, but helped make the day and kick off of the ministry such a great success. Our California work teams, fundraisers, and Texas Foundation Partners are so appreciated. Thank you for your continued love and support.
TEXAS TEAM WORK
We met Mare at our grand opening and quickly saw her heart for those experiencing homelessness through her “For the One” ministry. She serves twice weekly, offering meals, hygiene items, and compassion. We connected and began partnering to help provide resources immediately.
With an ice storm approaching, Cheryl and I joined Mare to help individuals find shelter. Food, warm clothing, and prayer were shared as the weather worsened. The Way Out was able to help in transporting several unhoused friends to safety. My husband, Manny, prayed with the team and transported Bobby and his belongings to shelter, while Mare and her team helped two others. We are grateful for this God-ordained partnership and the life-saving work being done together in Fort Worth.
Rachel
If you would like to join The Way Out Ministries in showing love to these cities then register to volunteer by contacting the California office at (562)3210844 or our Texas office at (682)224-0336
