If you have been following Union Rescue Mission in the news, you know that we made the decision to abandon our EIMAGO Subsidiary, and withdraw completely from any government funded programs, due to the contracts never quite paying enough to carry out the programs, and not reimbursing us in a timely manner, as well as government funding moving completely away from the kind of Life Transforming Programs that URM carries out.  We made it very public that we are still owed $305,000 from the Winter Shelter program that ended March 15^th, 2011. 

We were called to a meeting with County and City Officials at the County Hall of Administration this week.  We had submitted a proposal to the County that called for their assistance in our efforts to get all children away from the dangerous streets of Skid Row, and out to safe places like our own Hope Gardens.  We had submitted this proposal just before we made the decision to pull out of all government funded programs.  I was a bit apprehensive about the meeting, but also held out some hope that the County would want to assist us in caring out a mandate that we both hold firm, to move every precious child off of Skid Row. 

My apprehension was confirmed when a County official and Mike Arnold, the CEO of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority(LAHSA) looked me in the eye and said that URM was the problem-that as long as URM welcomed families with children, their home communities would not.  We were told, and I quote,

“You need to shut your front door to families with children, and leave them on the streets in their communities, so that the communities’ social consciousness will be elevated, and they will step up and provide services to their neighbors.” 

Though we’ve cooperated in every way, moved 450 families through to housing each year, developed Life Transforming Transitional Housing for families at Hope Gardens against all odds and even County opposition, URM was described as the bump in the road for solving family homelessness in Los Angeles! 

In effect, we were told by at least one County official, and Mike Arnold, to change our Mission statement from, “We embrace people experiencing homelessness with the compassion of Christ” to

“We shut the door on people, especially children, experiencing homelessness, and leave them on the streets of their communities to elevate the consciousness of their neighbors so that they might provide services! 

Well, we are going to continue to embrace people, especially precious children experiencing homelessness with the compassion of Christ, and we are going to leave our front doors open to all who come to us in need! 

Mike Arnold of LAHSA did offer that when a family first arrives at URM, if we called him directly, he would make sure they were provided housing elsewhere that day.  We are absolutely taking him up on that offer. All of our case managers have been instructed to call Mike the moment that new families arrive at our door, and we are going to continue to work very hard to place families elsewhere and track the results. 

We were also told that if we disappeared, that it would not make a difference in family homelessness in LA.

I’ll tell you what, as I parked in my parking place this morning, and watched proud parents, all cleaned up for work, walking their nicely dressed kids on their way to school this morning, from their temporary home here at Union Rescue Mission, I knew in my heart that we are making a difference for quite a number of families experiencing homelessness, and we will continue to do what we can, for as many as we can.

My heart won’t let me, the hearts of the Board of Directors and staff of the URM, and the heart of Jesus Christ will not let us leave precious children out on the streets of our cities waiting for the consciousness of others to elevate until they provide the much needed services.  We will continue to lead by example, as an encouragement to other communities to develop those welcoming facilities that will accommodate their neighbors experiencing homelessness in their own communities. Until that happens, it is a bad time to shut any doors. 

 Matthew 12:18-20 (ESV)
¹⁸ “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
¹⁹ He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;
²⁰ a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory;

Upon the recommendation of URM/EIMAGO CEO Andy Bales, the Board of Directors of Union Rescue Mission solemnly yet unanimously voted to cease operating Government funded programs of EIMAGO, and to extricate ourselves from any capital projects.  This includes all year-round shelters, winter shelters; Project Restart II, and the Broadway Project – two offsite shelters that each serves 9 families.  

We do this with heavy hearts, as we grieve the loss of some of our valuable team members.  However, the fact that funds have become more and more uncertain in these very difficult times combined with the risks and financial hardships associated with these programs have brought us to this point:

• The funds we obtain from County/City/Federal/LAHSA resources are never sufficient to fully operate the programs, causing a drain on URM resources.

• We do not have excess reserves due to URM’s stepping up to house triple the number of families, double the number of people and serve double the number of meals since the Great Recession hit so hard in October 2008.

• We are facing late or possible non-payment of $305,000 from Emergency Food and Shelter Program funds for the work completed by EIMAGO during winter shelters, which ended March 15^th, 2011.  This has put us in a precarious position, placing URM programs in jeopardy as we struggle to close a potential deficit of $1.3 million dollars as we prepare a budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1^st. 

In addition, most government resources are moving towards permanent-supportive housing, and away from the Life Transforming educational work that is URM’s focus. 

We will continue to serve over 2500 meals a day and shelter an average of 800 precious people each night at Union Rescue Mission and Hope Gardens Family Center.  And, we will continue to cooperate, collaborate and support our city, county state and federal efforts to end homelessness, but we will in no way jeopardize our Life Transforming work by depending on these uncertain funding sources or movements to unsure strategies.

Sincerely, 

Rev. Andy Bales

CEO URM/EIMAGO

abales@urm.org

626-260-4761