In a preemptive initiative to meet the rising wave of homelessness in our community, City Union Mission has established the Homeless Care Fund of Kansas City with the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation to which individuals, businesses and organizations can contribute financially to provide food, shelter and items to meet other essential needs of homeless men, women and children through the Mission.

According to the Association of Gospel Rescue Mission’s (AGRM) 20th annual Snapshot Survey of the Homeless released in November, the number of first-time homeless turning to City Union Mission for safe lodging is 40 percent—higher than the average reported by other Missions nationwide.  “As we’ve witnessed the need for emergency shelter climbing in our community—and to an even greater extent here than in other metropolitan areas—we recognized the need to put more tools in place to give donors and partners a way to help the Mission assist more people,” said Dennis Chapman, the Mission’s associate executive director of development.  “This fund is an instrument that will allow Kansas City to conveniently share with the Mission.”

Chapman says another alarming Survey statistic reveals the percentage of people under 18 the Mission cares for is at 15 percent, while the national average is nine.  “What we’re seeing daily bears this out and goes hand-in-hand with the rise in homelessness overall,” Chapman said.  “We’re welcoming children to our Family Center at younger and younger ages, as more families are displaced because of lost jobs, foreclosures, evictions and other tragic impacts of the economy.  This fund will be especially important as we do everything possible to create a safe and comfortable environment that meets the needs of children who can’t go home.”

For more information on how individuals, businesses and organizations can contribute to the Homeless Care Fund of Kansas City, click here.

Additional information on City Union Mission, results of the AGRM Snapshot Survey of the Homeless and the Homeless Care Fund of Kansas City is available by contacting Ben King at (816) 329-1459 or ben@cumission.org.