March 11th, 2010
We have some exciting news to share with you. Union Station Homeless Services is now providing on-site case management for the residents of Centennial Place, a permanent housing facility in Pasadena with 144 single-occupancy rooms for low-income men and women.
This means we can now bring our effective services and track record of success to almost twice the number of people we serve every day! It’s a real boost in our mission to end homelessness in Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley.
And there’s still more exciting news to share…
President Obama’s Homeless Prevention Rapid Re-Housing Program was signed into law last fall to provide housing and services for adults and families who are recently homeless or on the verge of becoming homeless. Union Station has been selected to administer this program for the Pasadena area. It’s one more way we can help adults and families receive housing support, rental assistance, life skills and job opportunities.
Whether through keeping people in their homes with the Rapid Re-Housing program, or placing single adults in permanent housing at Centennial Place, these two new programs allow us to greatly expand the number of people we reach each day. That’s truly exciting news.
Learn more about Centennial Place, or the Rapid Re-Housing program.
Photo: Los Angeles
Tags: centennial place, news, rapid re-housing
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February 17th, 2010
Last fall, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority reported a 38% decrease in homelessness in Los Angeles County. However, our own statistics tell a different story. Since July 2009, Union Station has seen an average of 110 new clients a month, an increase of 5.3% over the same time period last year.
Quickly placing clients in shelter has proved challenging for staff at our Passageways Intake Center. Our own Adult Center and Family Center facilities are operating at capacity, with open beds filled within a day. Many agencies we have worked with in the past have closed, while others are operating at a lower capacity because of decreased funding.
This means that homeless clients are often put on waiting lists. They sleep on “emergency cots” at Union Station or other agencies until space is available in a shelter. What used to take no longer than two or three days is now a four to five day process. But there is hope.
In partnership with the federal government, Union Station is providing “Rapid Re-Housing” assistance to individuals and families who have recently become homeless due to the economy. Eligible clients are moved quickly from homelessness to housing and self-sufficiency, opening up space in our shelters for more people in need. Learn more here.
Tags: adult center, family center, housing, passageways, statistics
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February 8th, 2010
How can supporting Union Station be as easy as eating a yummy fish taco?
Stop in for a taste of Baja at Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill on Wednesday, February 10, 2010 between 4 PM and 8 PM.
Rubio’s will donate 20% of your transaction to Union Station Homeless Services if you present this flyer at their Paseo Colorado location in Pasadena (this offer is only available at the Paseo Colorado Rubio’s).
Tags: Dine for Union Station, fundraising
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February 5th, 2010
Happy New Year! I am thrilled to share with you that your support enabled Union Station Homeless Services to meet our December fund raising goal! Thank you so much for your commitment and generosity.
The past couple of months have been busy and exciting at Union Station. Thanks to you we were able to:
- -Serve a combined total of 8,400 meals at our Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners-in-the-Park and distribute toys to 2,000 children at Christmas;
- -Provide 20 aspiring cooks with new skills and confidence through the beginning and advanced Culinary Arts classes at our Adult Center;
- -Begin plans for two innovative new housing programs, which will provide homeless individuals and families with the resources they need to rebuild their lives beyond our shelter walls. (Stay tuned for more details.)
Please accept our profound gratitude for your support. As a friend of Union Station, you are a vital part of the life-saving work we do.
Warmest wishes for a healthy and fulfilling 2010.
Sincerely,
Marvin M. Gross
CEO
Tags: thank you
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January 25th, 2010
Get in great shape, make new friends, and help our homeless neighbors by joining Team Union Station for the 2nd Annual Pasadena Marathon. On February 21, participate in one of the following races:
- full marathon
- half marathon
- bike tour
- 5K race
- fun run/walk
You can raise money in support of Union Station’s programs and earn prizes for your fundraising efforts. To learn more, visit http://www.unionstationhs.org/marathon.html or call (626) 240-4557.
Tags: events, fundraising
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January 11th, 2010
As you cleaned out your closets and garage for the New Year, you probably came across great stuff that you just don’t need anymore. Perhaps your next thought was to give these used items to Union Station Homeless Services. And while we are truly grateful that you thought of us, much like you, we have very little storage space.
Union Station will continue to accept donations of new toiletries, underwear, socks, shoes, and t-shirts. To see the complete list of items that we need, see the Wish List on our website.
Your gently used items will be gratefully accepted by many organizations, several of which will pick up your items by appointment. Here is a partial list:
American Cancer Society Discovery Shops
310-458-4490
American Veterans Charities
800-795-8387
Disabled Veterans Charities
800-435-7328
Foothill Unity Center – Rainbow’s End Thrift Store
626-584-7420
Goodwill Southern California
323-223-1211
626-564-0335 (local)
The Salvation Army Thrift Store
626-795-0274
Tags: donate, in-kind, wish list
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January 5th, 2010
Tomorrow, the day before their football teams do battle in the BCS Championship game, students from The University of Alabama (UA) are joining their counterparts from The University of Texas (UT) to feed homeless men, women and children here at Union Station Homeless Services.
Students from the UA and UT Student Government Associations will cook and serve approximately 300 meals on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010, at our Adult Center on Raymond Avenue.
The UA / UT SGA service project is part of our Community Meals program, which serves 186,000 meals per year to homeless and very-low income men, women and children in Pasadena. More than 150 community groups and 1,100 individuals volunteer at Union Station each year, doing everything from preparing meals to providing professional services such as legal counsel and medical screening.
Learn more about the comprehensive programs we offer at Union Station Homeless Services on our Programs page.
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December 28th, 2009
Father and Son
As we near the end of 2009, I’m writing to ask for your immediate support. During this season of celebration and giving, many of our fellow community members are hurting – hungry and homeless.
Will you help Union Station give them the gift of hope this holiday season?
With all of our shelter beds full and a dramatic increased demand for our services, we must raise an additional $60,000 by December 31st to help all the individuals and families coming to us for assistance.
Please make a year-end donation today. No gift is too small – every $5 provides a day of warm, nutritious meals to someone who is hungry and homeless. And all gifts will be put to immediate use helping our fellow community members rebuild their lives.
Thank you for your support and confidence in our work.
Sincerely,
Marvin M. Gross
CEO
PS – Please donate today – we must raise $60,000 in the next three days! Don’t forget to send your donation by 12/31 for 2009 tax benefits.
If you have already made a year end donation, please accept our warm thanks.
Tags: donate, holiday, year-end
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December 21st, 2009
There are lots of ways you can help make our Christmas Dinner-in-the-Park a huge success! Here’s how:
- Donate new unwrapped toys from now through Wed., Dec. 23rd, 7am to 5pm. (Gifts must be dropped off by noon on Dec. 23rd).
- Gather your neighbors, co-workers or your group of friends to cook hams provided by Union Station. We need groups to cook 15 or more hams prior to Christmas Day. If your group can do it, sign up by visiting the Food Needs List on our Dinner-in-the-Park page at www.unionstationhs.org.
- Donate one or more cooked hams. Prepared hams can be dropped off at Union Station’s Adult Center at 412 S. Raymond Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105 on Dec. 25th (Christmas morning), 9:30 – 11am. Pull in to the small parking lot in front of the building where our kitchen loading area is located – someone will be there with a smile to help you unload!
- Donate side dishes on Christmas morning. We need lots of side dishes, safely prepared in disposable containers, including mashed potatoes (without gravy), scalloped potatoes, gravy, peas, green beans, corn, and salad. These can be dropped off directly at Central Park between 9:30 – 11am on Christmas morning. Pull up on the Fair Oaks side of the park, just north of Del Mar Blvd., and a volunteer will be there to help you unload your delicious donation!
For lots more information on our Christmas Dinner-in-the-Park, go to our website at www.unionstationhs.org.
Tags: christmas, dinner-in-the-park, needs
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December 17th, 2009
I have some exciting news to share! Union Station Homeless Services will be featured on this evening’s edition of Marketplace, American Public Media’s nationally broadcast program on business and the economy. The segment features interviews with two of Union Station’s clients, Mark and Pauline, who talk about how the current economy has impacted them.
Tune in today, Thursday, December 17, to 89.3 KPCC at 6:30 PM to listen to the program and support Union Station. If you are unable to tune in today, you can visit the Marketplace website to download the program at a later time.
Thank you for your compassion and confidence in our work.
Sincerely,
Marvin M. Gross
CEO
Tags: economy, radio
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