It’s not too late…
Join us as we celebrate YOU at our Volunteer Appreciation Picnic.
You won’t want to miss the mouth watering BBQ lunch, fabulous guest speakers, amazing prizes and more.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
12 PM to 2 PM
Brookside Park
360 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena
RSVP today! Email rsvp@unionstationhs.org or call (626) 240-0720 with the names of those attending.
We hope to see you there.
From June 1st through June 8th, local foodies can indulge in the best of Old Pasadena’s award-winning restaurants and help Union Station’s clients at Old Pasadena’s Restaurant Week.
Enjoy three gourmet courses at one great price! Starting at just $15 for lunch and $25 for dinner, experience exquisite dishes prepared by the area’s most exciting chefs.
10% of proceeds benefit Union Station Homeless Services, the San Gabriel Valley’s largest social service agency assisting homeless men, women and children. Giving back never tasted so good. Your taste buds will thank you and so will we!
For a complete list of restaurants and menus, visit www.oldpasadena.org.
To learn more about Union Station Homeless Services, visit www.unionstationhs.org.
We want to express our deep and heart-felt thanks to you for your wonderful and generous gifts of time, energy and support as a volunteer at Union Station Homeless Services. You are an integral part of the success of every aspect of our work. Without your dedication, our many programs to help rebuild the lives of men, women and children simply would not be possible.
As an individual volunteer, or a member of one of more than eighty community Adopt-a-Meal groups, you truly have been instrumental in Union Station’s ability to serve over 170,000 meals a year, including the 8,500 meals served at our Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners-in-the-Park! Or, perhaps you are one of our volunteers who offer their professional expertise to improve the lives of our clients. Maybe you answer our phones, help with data entry or provide the person-power to produce our mass mailings. Perhaps your group has organized a food drive or donated other gifts-in-kind which offset the cost of our programs.
Whatever your role here, we are sincerely grateful for your participation as a volunteer. Your efforts are essential to the success and well-being of Union Station as we work together toward our lifesaving goal of helping our clients achieve a permanent end to their homelessness.
With warmest wishes,
Margo Kidushim
Chair, Board of Directors
Marvin M. Gross
CEO
There was a time when Johnny’s life seemed completely blessed. He had the love of his life at his side, and a happy, healthy baby boy to call his own. Life indeed seemed like a precious gift.
As the years passed the happiness began to fade amidst the fights and suspicions of infidelity that permeated his marriage. In time, the love of his life changed and left him and his son to fend for themselves. His once shining world became dull and cloudy.
Even still, Johnny kept his faith and hoped for healing. He and his son came to Passageways, Union Station Homeless Services’ intake center, seeking support for the tasks that lay ahead of them. At Passageways, Johnny received that support. He took full advantage of all the resources that were available to him and in time Johnny obtained a position with a local social services agency.
Johnny will once again tell you that his life is blessed, but it is he who is the true blessing. He gives back to the community by helping those in the same position in which he once found himself. It is really an amazing story.
Johnny is thankful for Passageways and Union Station Homeless Services and the services they provided to get him back on his feet. We are thankful for Johnny.
- Passageways Case Manager
*Names have been changed to protect client confidentiality.
According to the City of Pasadena 2010 Homeless Count, which was released earlier this month, 1,137 people are homeless in Pasadena on any given night.
While this is a decrease from the total we reported last year (1,144), it actually represents a 13% increase in homelessness because of a recent clarification from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Last year’s total of 1,144 has since been revised to 1,004 based on the clarified methodology.
This news does not come as a surprise to us at Union Station Homeless Services. We have seen increased numbers in all of our services over the last year. And, that is why we are excited to offer new innovative resources like Centennial Place and our Rapid Re-Housing program as we seek to rebuild lives and end homelessness.
For more information read the complete report at www.urban-initiatives.org.
At Union Station Homeless Services’ Family Center, we provide classes to help our clients make a successful and healthy transition from homelessness to self sufficiency. It is an important step in the process of rebuilding lives. Our classes cover everything from budgeting, parenting and substance abuse to career development and life skills. This last month, we added three new classes to our program based on our clients’ growing needs. It is our hope that these classes will help our clients maintain stability and reach success as they move into their new homes. Here are brief descriptions of our new classes.
Couples Class
Once a week Family Center couples meet with our Marriage and Family Therapy intern. She teaches them how to make marriages work and helps them focus on healthy ways to address everyday issues. One couple has already said, “I think when we get on our feet we will tie the knot.”
Smart Shopping
Another class is called Smart Shopping. Once a week a volunteer shares her time to teach the clients good shopping techniques. The course ends with a grocery shopping trip, where the clients can put their newly learned skills into practice.
Health Workshop
Lastly, we have started a health workshop with the help of students from Cal State LA‘s Nursing program. Once a week the students come to the Family Center to teach health education. It is a comprehensive class that includes everything from hand washing to taking care of your diabetes.
- Family Center Case Manager
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
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.
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).
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:
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