Readers Weigh In On Our Durham Rescue Mission Reporting

Earlier this year, reporter Cy Neff did a deep dive on the Durham Rescue Mission. The sprawling enterprise that includes five thrift stores in the Triangle and three affiliated nonprofits brought in $23 million in revenue in 2022 and sold over $7.6 million in donated goods. 

Its $51 million in net assets dwarfs other Durham-based homeless services. But many former guests say the Mission exploited them at their lowest points, and had religious requirements that conflicted with their own beliefs and identities. Guests are required to perform what the group labels as “chores,” such as staffing its shelters or working in its thrift stores—for 40 hours a week at pay that starts at just $5 a week. What they are paid is billed as a “gift,” “love offering,” “benevolence,” or “stipend,” rather than a salary. 

That story received more feedback than any other we’ve written this year, with former and current guests and staff writing in to share their own experiences. Here’s a sampling.

“Your article paints a horrifying but accurate picture of what the Durham Rescue Mission is doing to exploit and control the people who live here while aggressively pushing a religious ideology and although there have been some surprisingly positive things about my time here, they are far outweighed by the negatives. 

I came here needing a place to stay for a short period of time while I looked for a job and permanent housing situation and ended up trapped.

The mission’s website and literature states that residents are required to ‘contribute to chores around the mission’ but the reality is that residents are required to work for 40 hours per week without pay for six months (other than the weekly “benevolence” stipend which starts at $5 per week and increases by $5 each week until the maximum weekly amount of $50 is reached). Any time missed from work must be made up, although this rule seems to be arbitrarily applied and there’s no time limit for ‘make up hours.’” 

– Stephanie Lind, who spent two months at the Mission after physical and mental health crises and left earlier this month

“Thank you for the amazing reporting on this organization. It has been causing harm since its inception. While I was never a ‘resident’ or client there, I did work there as a full-time employee both while I was in college and for a couple years after college … I also came out as queer and trans after I left there, and grew up attending a church that supported the Mission’s work wholeheartedly.

I was also the executive administrative assistant from 2014-16, which is when I witnessed specific anti-LGBTQ practices. As an employee at the Mission, each person was required to sign a ‘covenant’ (their word, not mine) that we would not drink alcohol, and that we would not be in any type of ‘sexual relationship’ outside of marriage. In addition to that, there was a clause about not being actively engaged in ‘homosexuality.’ So, re: the LGBTQ experience for staff, it wasn’t allowed and still isn’t to be an out queer person. I was closeted at the time, and became increasingly uncomfortable with this policy.”

– Levi, former DRM employee 

“My stay there was very productive. I was wavering in my Christian faith and the religious aspect of the Mission allowed me ample time to seek God. My best moments were in the class, at church, or doing Christian services.

… It’s true that the Mission needs people to operate these stores and other business ventures keep it functioning. Many complain about the 40-hour work week for no pay, which to me was a small price for a safe place to stay, get clean and sober and get with God. I didn’t worry about food, clothing, or shelter when I was there. I started like everyone else working for a stipend until I was hired as an assistant manager in one of their stores.

… Durham Rescue Mission was instrumental in saving my life and even if I don’t agree with all their practices, I still refuse to lodge one complaint and speak ill against them.”

– James Davis, former DRM resident and 2015 graduate of the Victory Program

“[I am] a single disabled mother with two children who have disabilities. Our family was embraced when first going through the interview process at Durham Rescue Mission. But within 24 hours after getting the extent of my sons’ allergies, [we were] told that we had 24 hours to vacate the premises with nowhere else to go. 

You are dealing with a desperate sector of society. Their male director did not even feel comfortable coming into the room with me, he had their female staff members inform me that I had to be off their premises in 24 hours. [It] is the most un-Christian-like behavior. And the public should know this, especially going into the holiday season, where you’re spending money at their thrift stores.”

– K. Carroll, who came to the Mission in June 2023

Daniel, a current resident, wrote that he’s never been paid more than $50 for his 40 hours of work a week, but sends the Mission nearly $400 a month out of his Social Security check. “They call this a program fee. They will not call it rent. They take it as soon as you walk in the door. They said I could tell them that I was on social security, or I could sit back and let them find out that I was on social security.” 

Daniel wants people who donate to the Mission to understand that their donations often don’t find the guests. “You’re not giving to us, you’re giving to the various thrift stores. We’re not allowed to have any of that, because if we do, we’re stealing.”

– Daniel, who asked to use only his first name because he is a current resident, provided documentation of his monthly payments to The Assembly