Jim Palmer 911

As President of the Orange County Rescue Mission (OCRM) since 1992, the county’s most comprehensive private homeless services provider, Jim Palmer has worked to create long-term self-sufficiency and stability among the Orange County and Southern California homeless by going beyond temporary solutions to address the underlying causes of transitional and chronic homelessness. The Rescue Mission started with nine people and has grown into the largest non-profit, faith-based organization serving more than 19,800 people throughout Orange, Riverside, and San Diego Counties by providing more than 1.7 million units of service and more than 1 million meals in 2010. Under Mr. Palmer’s visionary leadership, OCRM has received national recognition for success rates of client graduates and entrepreneurial approaches to developing self-sufficiency, including the 211th Presidential Point of Light award, Governor Schwarzenegger’s Service Award (2004), and recognition from President George W. Bush at the Faith-based Initiatives Conference in Washington, D.C. As president, Palmer established The Village of Hope on the former Tustin Marine Corps Air Base, developed the House of Hope, Hope Family Housing, HURTT Family Health Clinics, the Double R Ranch, and Operation OC, as well as creating the Temecula Murrieta Rescue and Corona Norco Rescue Missions. Palmer maximizes donor commitment by putting an average of 81 cents on every donated dollar directly toward those in need. On July 3rd, 2007 President George W. Bush nominated Mr. Palmer for the position of a Director on the Board for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). Sixty days later, the United States Senate unanimously confirmed Palmer’s nomination for his term ending 2012. CNCS is the largest grant maker in the field of civic and volunteer service. Mr. Palmer oversees a staff of 125,000 and an annual operating budget of $1.4 Billion Dollars. Mr. Palmer is the only person to have served on three levels of government simultaneously. He served as a local elected official, County Commissioner, and Federal Official from 2006 to 2010. Mr. Palmer continues to serve as a County Housing Commissioner, and a Senate Confirmed Presidential Appointee. He recently completed four years on the Tustin City Council. One of his significant achievements was authoring and implementing the most comprehensive government transparency law in California. Mr. Palmer was awarded the title of Orange County Local Elected