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March 25, 2009

Vancouver, BC -- Union Gospel Mission announced today that it will be closing its Youth Drop-in Centre on 1075 Seymour Street. UGM has been providing care to Vancouver's Street Youth since 2000. The Mission's spokesperson, President Bill Mollard, explains that the reason for the closure is not financial.

"We've absolutely loved our role in this capacity in the community," says Mollard. "Our youth staff have done an outstanding job building relationships, providing assistance and offering love and mentorship to these youth. However, we've come to realize that other well-respected agencies in the community are able to offer more comprehensive services in this area than we are."

Mollard explains that despite an exceptional, yet skeleton staff, Union Gospel Mission had to consider the practical limitations. While a valued and effective program, the youth drop-in centre did not offer the needed hours and emergency shelter to fully assist the youth. In contrast, however, agencies like Covenant House, located on the same block, are dedicated to specifically providing a full spectrum of care to youth.

"The decision took a hard look in the mirror," says Mollard. "We had to ask ourselves some tough questions. Is our role to try to do everything, while spreading ourselves thin? Or to concentrate on areas of need where we've consistently had proven, long-term success? Our donors rely on us as experts to define those parameters. In these tough economic times, more than ever, we have a conviction and a responsibility to ensure that every donated dollar is stretching as far as it can. It's not in our mandate to duplicate services or to just have a presence."

As a result of the closure decision, Covenant House has stepped in to work with UGM to make sure that no youth fall through the cracks. Covenant House outreach workers have therefore been spending time at the UGM Drop-in to build relationships with the youth, helping them transition to Covenant House where they will find a full continuum of care created specifically for their age-group. Covenant House also took on a significant financial responsibility to increase its meal offerings, making up for any gap that might have otherwise been left. UGM and Covenant House are both committed to making sure that the Youth receive the highest level of care during this transition period.

"Covenant House is pleased to work with our colleagues at Union Gospel Mission to ensure that we meet the needs of these vulnerable young people," says Krista Thompson, Executive Director of Covenant House. "It is through partnerships like this that we will solve homelessness, one young person at a time."

And while Union Gospel Mission is closing one service, it is not scaling back; UGM is simply refocusing its core purpose.

"For many years we've had a full continuum of care available to men, and we're rapidly expanding our existing services to women, children and families," says Mollard. "We are therefore concentrating our efforts to where we are having the greatest positive impact."

One of Union Gospel Mission's most successful initiatives is its unique abstinence-base housing program. This much-needed solution fills a gap for people moving from addiction recovery to full integration back into society.

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About Union Gospel Mission

Union Gospel Mission has been reaching the hungry, hurting and homeless for nearly 70 years. Through its 11 locations in Metro Vancouver and the city of Mission, UGM provides counseling, education, safe housing, and alcohol and drug recovery to men, women and children struggling with poverty, homelessness and addiction. The heart of the mission is to demonstrate God's transforming love, ease the suffering of the most vulnerable, rebuild the lives of the broken and offer dignity to those who feel cast aside. UGM is a proud member of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities.
www.ugm.ca

About Covenant House

Covenant House provides a "one-stop-shop" for street youth.