Our History

In 1964 the Ogden Rescue Mission began serving men, women, and children experiencing homelessness in Ogden and the outlying areas. The Mission began serving the homeless community with only 12 beds for men and 3 beds for women and children.

In 1999 the Mission expanded to 48 beds for men and 12 beds for women and children, as well as an overflow shelter which brings our nightly capacity to 130 people.

The Mission has services to meet the immediate needs of our homeless friends (food, shelter, clothing, and more) as well as comprehensive, life-changing programs to provide a pathway off the streets through addiction recovery, Christian education, employment, housing, and restoration of relationships.

In the early 1970s, a small group of Salt Lake-based Christian businessmen regularly drove from Salt Lake to Ogden to serve at the Ogden Rescue Mission, the only Christ-centered homeless service provider in the State of Utah. On one trip, a father and son team, Don and Dan Kramer, invited a Christian businessmen and friend, Kay Nakashima, to come along. On the return trip, Kay asked why they drove past homeless people in the Salt Lake area to head north. Kay’s question led to this small group of men along with their families to the establishment of Rescue Mission of Salt Lake in 1972.

Better Together – In 2019 God brought this story full-circle. After years of friendship and collaboration, the Ogden Rescue Mission and the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake joined together as one organization that cares for Utah’s most vulnerable populations along the Wasatch Front.

Our goal remains the same as it was back in 1964: To love God with all of our soul, to love our neighbors, and to help our homeless friends find faith and serve God with all of their beings. To end homelessness and restore lives.