Orange County Rescue Mission

The Orange County Rescue Mission (OCRM) is a faith-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on reducing homelessness.

Headquartered in Tustin, California, OCRM operates multiple programs on nine campuses throughout Orange County to help people move from homelessness to self-sufficiency.

[3][6] During its 60-years of existence, OCRM has assisted thousands of students with 85% remaining self-sufficient (stably housed, employed, and sober) after completing the roughly two-year program.

[7][8] Lewis Whitehead, a career Marine Corps Technical Sergeant and an ordained Baptist minister, founded OCRM in 1963.

Whitehead became interested in homelessness as he encountered individuals living below highway overpasses in Santa Ana, California.

While serving as a private sector broadcast executive, Crain began volunteering at OCRM delivering meals to homeless people throughout the county[10].

Crain maintained the organization's original mission “to minister the love of Jesus Christ to the least, the last, and the lost of our community through the provision of assistance in the areas of guidance, counseling, education, job training, shelter, food, clothing, health care and independent living communities”.

[4] He augmented services such as skills training for construction trades (plumbing, carpentry, electrical), medical and dental care, and legal support.