1955 to the Present
In 1958, the City Union Mission Women's Auxiliary was formed to provide volunteer services to the organization. The Mission moved from its home in the Elk's Building to the Boy's Club Building at 1601 Admiral Boulevard in 1960. This new location was equipped with large classrooms, a chapel, dozens of hotel-like rooms, a woodshop, gymnasium, game room and an Olympic-sized swimming pool! Soon, hundreds of inner city children were welcomed to the Mission's new Youth Center after school and on weekends. In addition to swimming, basketball and wood working, the Mission's staff provided classes in home economics, Bible, crafts and more.
Sunday School attendance reports record a membership of over 400 on many Sundays. The growing ministry added a medical and dental clinic supported by volunteer doctors and dentists and provided free care to the poverty-stricken community surrounding the Mission.
City Union Mission Men's Center building was once the Kansas City Dental College.
By the mid70’s, Family Services Director Beth Liebling (daughter of Maurice and Ruth) noted the growing number of homeless women and children in Kansas City. The staff began to pray for a building to shelter these new homeless and within a short period, the Mission received the gift of a three-story apartment house at 551 Forest. On August 1, 1976, Pilgrim House opened its doors to homeless women and families.
At about this time, a young staff member caught the attention of the Rev. Vanderberg and the Board of Directors. Dan Doty, who served as an evening supervisor, carried out his duties with sincerity and integrity. God was already shaping the future of City Union Mission as Dan grew to love mission work and the men he served.
As the needs of inner city families increased and the numbers of homeless families swelled, the Mission began the search for a second facility in which to house its family ministries. In 1983, the Board voted to purchase an elementary school building at 1310 Wabash and renovation began immediately. The Bulkley Family Center (now the City Union Mission Family Center) opened that year.
Two years later, City Union Mission answered the need for a homeless hotline by initiating the Hotline For the Homeless, a switchboard connected with shelters throughout metropolitan Kansas City. This service, owned and operated by City Union Mission, provides shelter information to the homeless and supplies much of the city’s statistics on homelessness.
Throughout the 1980s, Dan Doty served as Assistant Director to Maurice Vanderberg. These years provided a storehouse of knowledge and understanding about the homeless and poor, equipping Dan for the next challenge ahead.Maurice Vanderberg retired from his position as Executive Director, December 31, 1990. His successor, Rev. Daniel J. Doty began his service as Executive Director the very next day.
As Rev. Vanderberg neared retirement, he approved one final expansion -- the Vanderberg Youth Center. Groundbreaking was held in August 1992 and the project completed in 1993. Today, the youth center works with around 120 children, ages 5-17, each night after school. Tutoring, organized sports, Bible study, crafts, home economics, basic carpentry and field trips are just a part of this unique ministry.
