Experiencing L.A. at the Union Rescue Mission

Several years ago my wife and kids joined several homeschool families for a tour of the Union Rescue Mission in downtown Los Angeles. It made a huge impression on my kids and they talked about some of the things for months, really years, afterwards.

My wife and I have had the privilege of helping support the work of the Union Rescue Mission, and I've had a chance to serve there with friends from church ... but never had an opportunity to actually tour their facilities. This past Fall I was back in L.A. and made a point to head over to Skid Row - to see first hand all that the Union Rescue Mission is doing.

Last week I commented about "the least of these" - the words of Jesus referring to the neediest among us. While there are homeless in every city in America ... 

... nothing really prepares you for the situation along San Julian and San Pedro Streets ...

... ground zero of L.A.'s skid row.

I stepped outside on San Pedro Street to take this photograph but was told by the Union Rescue Mission staff not to wander up and down the streets, at least not by myself. 

photo credit: biola.edu

In addition to serving thousands of meals every day, over 900 people live in the Union Rescue Mission's massive five story 225,000 square foot facility. 

It's incredible, really.

What really amazed me was the partnerships the URM has developed with UCLA, USC, and Pepperdine Univerity.

The URM has a medical clinic through a partnership with UCLA, a dental clinic through a partnership with USC, and provides both legal and mental health services through a partnership with Pepperdine University.

photo credit: Union Rescue Mission

A friend of mine serves on the Board of Directors for the URM. He said the best time to visit is during one of their "graduation" ceremonies - to see men and women who are been part of the URM's one year mentorship program go through a graduation ceremony. 





What I love about the URM is that it is a comprehensive program to get people permanently off the streets. Many people living on the streets aren't just homeless - they're unemployable. Providing shelter and a meal is only the first step on the long and difficult road to being integrate back into mainstreet society. To be able to get - and keep - a job. 

The URM has a 66% success rate; similar programs are half that. 

There are numerous opportunities to serve - either for a couple of hours, or on a regular basis. If that's not your thing, there are opportunities to give financially. Maybe it's just me, but rather than giving a pan-handler $20, seems like it makes a whole lot more sense to give an organization working to get men and women permanently off the streets. And if not the URM, there are other excellent organizations working on skid row. 

Walking around the lobby there's a large wall recognizing major financially contributors. I'm glad to actually know of few of these people. 

One name that stuck out was none other than William Shatner. Looks like James T. Kirk likes what the Union Rescue Mission is doing. Nice. 

Out of respect for the residents, I didn't take a lot of photographs inside. Here's a couple of final pics from outside on the roof. 

The small roof-top garden is used by those in the program to grow food served to those just in off the streets. During the summer, volunteers set up a project and show movies to the kids living there.

A final view of skyline of Los Angels, looking north from the roof of the Union Rescue Mission. 

View Union Rescue Mission, Los Angeles in a larger map

Many thanks to those who serve year in and year out at the URM. Here's a link to their website. 

© 2012 www.experiencingla.com



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Keeping Hope Alive

This morning I learned that the Union Rescue Mission's Hope Gardens facility in Sylmar was able to raise the needed $2.8 million to stay open.


photo credit: www.urm.org

I wish I could claim credit for this picture, but I think it pretty much sums up the hopes and feelings of hundreds of single moms and kids who have called - and continue to call - Hope Gardens home.

The Union Rescue Mission seeks to be "the hands and feet of Jesus" to men, women, and children here in Los Angeles www.urm.org. It's an incredible ministry - one my family and I feel privileged to support and be part of.

Many thanks to URM President Andy Bales and his team for working to see this happen.

And for keeping hope alive for hundreds of families here in Los Angeles.

© 2010 www.experiencingla.com

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Splash Zone at URM

Yesterday some friends from our church spent the afternoon volunteering and helping staff the Union Rescue Mission's "Splash Zone" up on their roof.

The Union Rescue Mission is located in downtown Los Angeles skid row, and works to provide long-term solutions to homeless men, women and children. It's the largest mission of it's kind in the United States and truly a remarkable ministry.

Several of the volunteers brought their own kids to help - of course, they ended spending most of their time playing with the kids living at the URM.


A big inflatable slide is always a hit - especially when when you run a couple of hoses down it!


Friends from our church helping serve up burgers. The downtown Los Angeles skyline is clearly visible in the background. Really different feel and vibe than what I posted a couple weeks back from 15th & Arizona.

As we're moving in less than two weeks, I spent the afternoon packing boxes and missed this event. I pulled these pics off the URM site after hearing about it this morning in church.

Honestly, I wish I had gotten myself and my kids downtown to help out for a few hours. It would have been a great chance to have gotten out my little "westside bubble" - and I'm sure my kids would liked helping out - aka, running around and playing with the other kids for a couple of hours.

© 2010 www.experiencingla.com

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Providing Hope

Hope Gardens is an outreach of the Union Rescue Mission, providing shelter and long term solutions for ending homelessness for children and single moms who would otherwise would be living on the streets.

It's an outstanding ministry - and in danger of closing.

According to this article from the Los Angeles Daily News http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_15199439 Hope Gardens will have to close it's doors unless $2.8 million dollars can be raised by the end of June.

Hope Gardens will never have the glitz or glamor of Cahuenga Peak, the open space next to the Hollywood Sign recently purchased to the tune of $12.5 million http://www.experiencingla.com/2010/04/another-take-on-hollywood-sign.html

Providing more than just food and shelter, Hope Gardens is providing long term solution to end homelessness. We love that vision. And we think it's worth investing in.

Here's the link to their site: http://www.urm.org

© 2010 www.experiencingla.com

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