Union Station Homeless Services

“Put a Fork in Hunger” Food Drive

November 18th, 2009

Fork in the Road

We recently learned how some community members are taking action against hunger in Pasadena, all courtesy of a giant fork.

Saturday, November 21 and Sunday, November 22 from 8 AM to 4 PM, community members will be collecting food donations at the “Fork in the Road” art instillation at the intersection of Pasadena Avenue and St. John’s Avenue. (Just look for the giant fork!)

Union Station Homeless Services will be the beneficiary of what has been dubbed the “Largest food drive the city has ever seen.” The event, titled Put a Fork in Hunger, is sponsored by Philip Coombes, Ken Marshall and Bob Stane.

The giant fork started out as a birthday gift (read the LA Times article), and has turned into an opportunity for the community to come together to fight hunger. Questions about the Put a Fork in Hunger food drive can be sent to Phil@AgentPhil.com.

Let us know what you’re doing to fight hunger this holiday season by sending an email to giving@unionstationhs.org

UPDATE: Due to major traffic and safety concerns, people dropping off non-perishable items for the food drive MUST enter Bellefontaine off Fair Oaks and proceed West.

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A Little Cooking Brings Normalcy

November 16th, 2009

This past spring, Food Services Manager Charles Bedell started cooking classes for our Adult Center clients, as well as a separate class for children at the Family Center. The value of these classes to our homeless community members is far greater than the food preparation skills they learn. Read Charles’ take on the class below.

Every day as I walk into the Adult Center, a resident or day patron will stop me to ask when the next cooking class is. Never mind that the class is always scheduled for Wednesday and many of the people who ask don’t actually show up. Still, those who do show up are as attentive and enthusiastic as young children on their first day of school.

Amidst the disorders in their lives, for one day a week our clients find something to care about that is entirely their own choice. It is a personal interest that they get to pursue. It is neither a requirement nor an obligation, but something as simple as a hobby they enjoy.

For six weeks they learn cooking skills including basic food safety, sauces, methods of cooking meats, herbs and spices, and knife skills. We also move on to more advanced topics like international cuisine, desserts, and menu creation. Not only do participants gain knowledge needed to prepare healthy well-balanced meals for themselves, but they also learn marketable skills that they could use in future employment. In fact, many of our participants are actually aspiring to work in the restaurant business.

It is easy for our homeless residents and day patrons to be consumed with their state of homelessness. Most times, all they can think about is how to survive. The cooking class provides them a medium to enjoy the simple things that those of us who are not homeless take for granted. It brings normalcy to their lives. Besides helping our homeless clients to survive in the real world, we should also relentlessly remind them that being homeless does not mean one must abandon pursuing personal growth and happiness.

Charles Bedell
Food Services Manager

Interested in doing a little cooking of your own? Help Union Station by cooking turkeys for our Thanksgiving Dinner-in-the-Park. For more information visit our Dinner-in-the-Park webpage.

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A Family Center Halloween

November 3rd, 2009

Little Lamb

During the holiday season it is especially difficult to be without a home of your own, so the Union Station Homeless Services Family Center staff goes out of their way to plan fun-filled activities and events for everyone to enjoy. Halloween week was no exception.

The celebration began a week before Halloween when a local Girl Scout troop brought costumes for all the children. They turned the afternoon into a party complete with face painting and Halloween snacks. The week of Halloween also included a trip to the apple orchard and an afternoon of pumpkin carving.

The Halloween festivities culminated in the annual Family Center costume parade on Friday afternoon. Family Center children and their parents paraded through Union Station’s administration building, trick-or-treating at each office they passed. The parade is one of the highlights of the year for many of our administrative staff, who go all out with Halloween decorations and costumes.

Snow White

After filling their bags full of treats, and a few tricks, the families returned to the Family Center dining room where they were met with food, games and fun. The children enjoyed Pin the Tail on the Black Cat, Witches Hat Ring Toss, and several other Halloween-themed games, while the parents enjoyed the food and the sounds of their children’s delighted laughter. It was a great event and a much-needed pick-me-up for our families.

Learn more about our Family Center and the great work that goes on there.

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Homeless Shelter Clients Save For the Future

October 26th, 2009

Families and individuals in Union Station’s shelter programs are required to save 70% of their income. You may wonder, “If a homeless person has an income, why are they homeless?” In many cases, the problem isn’t so much unemployment as underemployment – the income just isn’t enough to afford rent, groceries, transportation, and other living expenses. Even those shelter residents who receive government assistance are required to save 70% of what they receive.

This is where community support helps our clients so much. Donations of toiletries, new clothing, diapers, wipes, baby formula, bus passes, and other items are provided to our clients as needed. Our clients are able to save because they do not have to purchase these items with their own money.

Union Station deposits the client’s money into a savings account for the duration of their stay. Upon leaving, clients are given the full amount they have saved (Union Station does not charge our clients any fees for services). $1,600 is about the average amount saved during a shelter stay of several months, and it is usually used for move-in costs on a room, home, or apartment rental.

And for the client, this imposed savings system results in an amazing shift. Week after week, paycheck after paycheck, they are required to save a percentage of their income. At first, it’s a struggle – saving, budgeting, and prioritizing expenses are foreign concepts. But as their account balance grows, so does their self confidence.

Upon leaving our shelter with his savings in hand, one client recently said, “I’ve never had this much money all at once, and if I had, I would’ve blown it all. At Union Station I learned how to budget my money… no one had ever taught me that before.”

Union Station gives our clients the opportunity to learn important life skills. They rejoin the community as stable and productive members. And that makes the future brighter for everyone!

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Life Can Be Peaceful Once Again

October 20th, 2009

Jessica stood shaking as she watched her husband rush towards her with rage in his eyes. Stepping on their young daughter on his way to lash out at Jessica, he had lost all control. It was unbearable for Jessica to see the man she had loved for years taken by drugs. She had witnessed the quick decline of her husband in a few short months, and fear was evident even in the eyes of her children.

The police were called that night. After a visit to a nearby hospital, Jessica and her family were referred to our Passageways Intake Center. At Passageways Jessica found that she and her daughters could be safe and that life could be peaceful once again. Jessica was made aware of the cycle of violence, and received a safety plan to share with her daughters. Jessica was then transported to a safe pick-up point where she met with the warm and encouraging staff from the shelter to which she was referred.

Homelessness begins in many ways. It may begin due to the loss of a job, drugs, or domestic violence. It is our mission to stand in the gap, and to be the bridge of safety towards better times. Whatever the cause, by providing support we can help families and individuals regain stability, safety and happiness once again.

Learn the myths and facts of homelessness on our Understanding Homelessness page.

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Killer Food and Fun at Sharky’s!

October 12th, 2009

You can enjoy KILLER FOOD with your family and friends while raising money for Union Station Homeless Services!

Eat, drink, and be merry at Sharky’s Woodfired Mexican Grill on Wednesday, October 14th from 2:30 to 8:00pm, and 15% of sales will be donated to Union Station Homeless Services. Everything on the menu is fresh and organic – it’s good and good for you! Sharky’s is located in the Pasadena Collection Building at 841 Cordova Street in Pasadena.

This flyer must be presented at time of purchase.

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Host Your Own Fundraiser

October 6th, 2009

Union Station’s supporters know how important our work is. They encourage friends, family, customers, clients and colleagues to make financial gifts to Union Station Homeless Services, and now it’s easier than ever to create your own fundraiser to benefit our life-saving programs.

Here are some of the creative ways you can raise money for Union Station while doing things you love:

Home Sweet Home Holiday Party: Help someone in need this holiday season by hosting your own “Home Sweet Home” Holiday Party. It’s easy. Pick a location. Pick a date. Invite friends, family and colleagues. And, ask your guests to make a donation to benefit Union Station’s clients. Download the Home Sweet Home Party Planning Kit and plan your party today!

Online Fundraising: Create your own fundraising page, then email family and friends to sponsor you. Visit www.firstgiving.com/unionstation for tips for online fundraising for any occasion, from marathons to birthdays.

Join our Marathon Team: Have your friends and family sponsor you for the Pasadena Marathon, or any athletic event, by asking them to send a tribute gift to Union Station in your honor. (This is a great one for an online fundraising page at www.firstgiving.com/unionstation.)

Car Wash and/or Lemonade and Cookie Stand: Organized together or separately, these are great opportunities to get the kids involved and instill the values of philanthropy at a young age.

Be creative! Inspire us by dreaming up your own creative way to help raise funds for Union Station. You’ll be surprised at how much fun it can be!

And, don’t forget you can also support Union Station Homeless Services by attending our 10th Annual An Evening for the Station jazz concert this Saturday, October 10th. Tickets are $50 for General Admission and $35 for Young Professionals. They can be purchased online or by phone until 5:00 PM on October 9, or at the door on October 10.

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Record of Success

September 28th, 2009

At the end of each fiscal year we look back at what Union Station Homeless Services and our clients have accomplished. It is my pleasure to share this update with you.

This is our 2008-2009 Record of Success.

Passageways intake center, which serves as the sole entry point to Pasadena’s homeless services network, provided 1,594 homeless adults and children with intake, assessment, medical and mental health services, and referrals to shelter, housing and substance recovery programs. This is a 32% increase over last fiscal year.

The Adult Center, our 56-bed shelter for single adults, provided shelter, meals and supportive services for 169 homeless adults, including 113 men and 56 women. 59% of exiting adults moved on to stable housing.

The Family Center, our 50-bed shelter for homeless families, provided shelter, meals and supportive services for 126 people, including 70 children, 44 mothers, and 12 fathers. 94% of exiting families moved on to stable housing.

Euclid Villa, our transitional housing apartments, provided safe residence for 53 people, including 33 children, 17 mothers and 3 fathers. 100% of exciting families moved on to permanent housing.

Sources, our career development program, provided more than 7,500 hours of career counseling and job search assistance for 110 homeless and very low-income adults. Despite the tough economic climate, 53% of program graduates secured employment within 90 days.

To learn more about Union Station Homeless Services, visit www.unionstationhs.org.

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Seeking Bluer Skies

September 21st, 2009

Kathy, a single mother with three children, moved from Nevada to California seeking bluer skies. When she and her family arrived in what was to be their new home state, she knew they had made the right decision. It was a beautiful place.

Kathy and her family planned to stay with a relative, but shortly after their arrival they were informed that they had to leave. The property manager cited Kathy’s relative for lease violation because there were too many people living in the apartment. They were going to have to find another place to stay. The news was devastating. New to the state, and with no support system in place, Kathy believed she and her children were out of options.

Kathy was referred to Union Station’s Passageways intake center by a local food bank. Our Passageways team assessed Kathy’s situation and determined that she and her family would be a good fit for our Family Center.

While at the Family Center, Kathy participated in our Sources career development program, where she learned the skills she needed to find employment. She also worked with our Housing Resource Specialist to find affordable housing.

Since her stay at Union Station, Kathy has continued to apply the hard work and perseverance she showed here. She has gone back to school and earned a B.A. in Psychology.

Grateful for the opportunities she been given, Kathy often shares the inspiring story of how Union Station Homeless Services helped her become the person she is today. We appreciate her kind words and are very proud of what she has accomplished.

To learn more about our supportive programs that help thousands of people like Kathy every year, visit www.unionstationhs.org.

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Bring Your Picnic Dinner and an Appetite for Jazz!

September 14th, 2009

An Evening for the Station

Join us for our 10th annual An Evening for the Station benefit concert, “An Evening of Jazz Under the Stars,” on Saturday, October 10, 2009.

For 10 years, the jazz community has come together for an evening of music that makes a difference. This year’s event features the thrilling vocals of the Perri Sisters, award-winning keyboardist and vocalist Bill Cantos, Brazilian guitarist and vocalist Kleber Jorge, the beautiful voice of Grammy winner Debby Boone, and special performances by Adam Arkin, Hector Elizondo, and more!

Tickets are $50 for General Admission and $35 for Young Professionals. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.

The doors open at 5:00 PM and the concert begins at 6:00 PM. Bring your picnic dinner, a low-backed beach chair and an appetite for jazz!

Reserve your tickets online today! It’s safe, fast and secure! (Note: You will be redirected to our processing partner, Events.org.)

For more information visit the An Evening for the Station webpage.

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Union Station Homeless Services

“Put a Fork in Hunger” Food Drive

A Little Cooking Brings Normalcy

A Family Center Halloween

Homeless Shelter Clients Save For the Future

Life Can Be Peaceful Once Again

Killer Food and Fun at Sharky’s!

Host Your Own Fundraiser

Record of Success

Seeking Bluer Skies

Bring Your Picnic Dinner and an Appetite for Jazz!

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