It began as a street ministry. That was in 1949 when a group of Christian businessmen took to the streets of Dallas, telling the poor about a God who loved them and a Savior who died for them. Through the 1950’s, the Mission operated out of two rented buildings on Ervay Street, south of downtown. Staff was mostly volunteer, and no services other than food and clothing were offered.
That remained the extent of the ministry until 1962, when a 105-bed shelter opened at 922 Park Avenue, just a few blocks from where the “Bridge” stands now. (The building is still there.)
Park Avenue offered shelter for homeless men (75 beds) and homeless women and children (30 beds). The populations were both housed in the upstairs section of the Mission, but were segregated. In those early years, recovery meant salvation and salvation only. Shelter was just that, shelter. There was no rehabilitation program. There was no real connection between “coming in off the streets” and learning the skills necessary to live independently or being able to find affordable housing.
Over time, the need for long-term rehabilitation became apparent. When Bill Thompson became Executive Director in 1988, he formalized the faith-based rehabilitation program that has resulted in countless lives being transformed through God’s love and power. Since then, these Mission clients have been referred to as “disciples.” Thompson instituted a rehabilitation program that consists of four phases. The first two include an intense study of God’s Word. Phase three focuses on preparing for and obtaining a job. In the fourth phase, disciples live and work outside the Mission.
Moving into the early ’90s, UGM was seriously overcrowded. Many nights, every bed was full, with another 150 men sleeping on the floor. Expansion was necessary.
In 1993, a one million dollar donation allowed the purchase of what is now the men’s shelter and administrative offices at 3211 Irving Boulevard. The Mission hosted its first praise banquet at its newly opened shelter in November of 1995.
Now the search intensified for a corresponding building that could accommodate a women and children’s shelter. In the meantime, UGM bought a house in Carrollton, which became the first transitional living facility.
In 2000, HUD owned a property in the Parkland Hospital District that was cited as a brownfield facility (ecologically challenged). The mission had 17 days to submit a creative bid for the property, located at 4815 Cass Street. The bid was accepted, renovation began immediately, and the Center of Hope Women and Children’s Shelter opened in February, 2002.
In the Fall of 2010 UGM purchased a 34 unit apartment complex in the Lake Highlands area of Dallas. This facility functions as shelter and as a recovery program site for the single women without children needing services that we provide. In January, 2011 we moved our first clients and disciples to the complex. We plan on serving 50-75 new female clients this year. The purchase of the River Pointe Apartments also opens up new spaces for clients and disciples at the Center of Hope, now a facility exclusively for women with children.
In 2011 the Union Gospel Mission admitted 98 men and women into our long-term, faith-based recovery program. 16 graduated. 8 of those men and women left here with a job and transitional living support.
Last year 52 men were admitted to our Veterans Administration Per-Diem Program. 45 previously homeless vets were discharged, 37 successfully, 15 were still in the program at the end of 2011.
History is a constantly evolving subject. The constant for the Union Gospel Mission has been the presence and sovereignty of God. God has heard the prayers and requests of those serving the homeless in His name in Dallas, and He has always supplied the people and finances to support the work of the Union Gospel Mission.
