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Union Gospel Mission Transforming communities by overcoming poverty, homelessness, and addiction -- one life at a time.
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Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at UGM! 🍂 Take a look at some of the moments captured during our Thanksgiving Celebrat...
10/14/2026

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at UGM! 🍂

Take a look at some of the moments captured during our Thanksgiving Celebrations in Vancouver, New Westminster, and Victoria. 📸

We are completely blown away, and it wasn’t just the strong winds this weekend! Thanks to your generosity, we served a whopping 2,521 Thanksgiving meals to community members across our locations. 🍴

A hearty plate of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, and a slice of pumpkin pie is always welcome. But what truly makes UGM’s Thanksgiving Meal special is the connection that happens between community members, volunteers, and staff.

“I’ve starved the whole day some days and the meal does help, but also there are friendships and where you could be in that comfort zone.”
– Community member at UGM’s Thanksgiving Meal

This Thanksgiving, was especially exciting as our team, along with the team at Central Baptist Church joined together to host our first ever Thanksgiving community meal on the Island

Moments like this remind us that Thanksgiving is about more than sharing a meal. It’s about creating a space where people feel celebrated, welcomed, and cared for.

From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU. To every donor, volunteer, staff member, and supporter who made these meals possible, we are incredibly grateful. 💙🩵💚

10/08/2026

When you give a meal this Thanksgiving, you have the opportunity to leave a note on a placemat for a neighbour experiencing homelessness, poverty, and addiction. 🍴

Meet Carlos, a volunteer at UGM! During his weekly shift, Carlos helps us connect with donors to thank them for their support and assists with other administrative tasks. If you’ve given to UGM recently, you may have even received a call from Carlos!

He’s here helping unfold the placemats donors returned with their names and messages of hope, getting them ready to place on the tables at UGM’s Community Thanksgiving Meal.

Thank you so much to everyone who has already sent in their placemats! This was just the first wave of placemats we received in the mail. We are always so humbled by the outpouring of support and care for our neighbours!

This Thanksgiving weekend, neighbours will gather across UGM locations for a holiday meal and time together in community. For many neighbours, a meal is also an opportunity to connect with our outreach team and learn more about the programs and services available through UGM’s continuum of care. 💙🩵💚

It's not too late to give a meal and make sure no one goes hungry this Thanksgiving: https://bit.ly/3VegEkN

You're invited to UGM’s Annual Thanksgiving Community Meal in Vancouver and New Westminster on Friday, October 9th, 2026...
10/06/2026

You're invited to UGM’s Annual Thanksgiving Community Meal in Vancouver and New Westminster on Friday, October 9th, 2026! 🍂

Everyone is welcome to join us for a free turkey dinner, music, and community! 🍽️

💙 UGM Vancouver (601 E Hastings Street)
Doors open at 12:30PM. Meals will be served from 1PM-5:45PM.
*Priority service will be offered between 12:30PM–3PM to individuals using wheelchairs, walkers, or canes.

🩵 UGM Women & Families Centre (616 East Cordova Street)
Women and families are welcome to join us at UGM Women & Families Centre in Vancouver. Doors open at 2:15PM meal will be served from 2:30PM - 5:45PM.

💚 UGM New Westminster Resource Centre (658 Clarkson St, New Westminster)
Seatings at 3PM and 5PM.
*Please note: No lunch will be served on this day, and the Centre will be closed on Monday, October 12.

10/02/2026

We love to see what a little community support can do! 💐

Last Spring, our Greater Victoria community came together to celebrate and encourage women and mothers in recovery.

Supporters took time out of their busy days to carefully write notes of encouragement for the moms at Arrow Home, our Island recovery home where women don’t have to choose between being with their babies and getting help.

We often see how small details, like a handwritten note, can remind our neighbours that they are loved and have a community of people who care about them.

It was so encouraging to see the love and support poured out for these moms and their families. Our hope is that, through this work, even more families in our communities will experience Mother’s Days filled with celebration and the support of a caring community.

Thank you for being part of that circle of care. Your presence, encouragement, and prayers help strengthen families and nurture generations to come.

And now, as Thanksgiving approaches, we have another opportunity to keep the spirit of community going on the Island! 💙

On Monday, October 5, Union Gospel Mission and Central Baptist Church are hosting a free Thanksgiving community meal in Victoria.

📍 Central Baptist Church, 833 Pandora Street
🕛 12–2 p.m., with last call for meals at 1:30 p.m.

Know someone in Victoria who is going through hardship and may need a hot meal and connection to compassionate support? Please share this invitation with them.

Men, women, and children are all welcome. 💙💚🩵

This Thanksgiving, we’re thankful to all of you who continue to show up for our neighbours experiencing homelessness, poverty, and addiction. Thank you for being part of this community!

Tomorrow, September 30, we join people across Canada in observing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Oran...
09/30/2026

Tomorrow, September 30, we join people across Canada in observing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. This day recognizes the ongoing colonial impacts of residential schools, the healing journey for survivors, and commitment to the shared process of reconciliation.

Union Gospel Mission acknowledges with humble gratitude that our locations are situated on the unceded traditional homelands of the Coast Salish Peoples. We honour the diverse Indigenous Nations and their enduring connection to this land and are grateful for their stewardship.

At UGM, we are committed to walking alongside Indigenous community members, learning from Indigenous voices, and supporting Indigenous cultural practices. Over the past year, we have been grateful for opportunities to deepen those relationships and learn together.

Recently, members of our Outreach and Spiritual Care teams gathered to bless our newest Mobile Mission van. Elder Joanne Anderson and Elder Dr. Roberta Price led a traditional cedar brushing ceremony. Our Spiritual Care team also prayed over this new outreach vehicle as the outreach team prepares to serve people across our communities.

We have also seen staff come together through UGM’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA) Committee, which recently organized a bannock-making event where an Indigenous community member shared their recipe and traditions. Today, staff will gather together to reflect and listen to Elders during a Truth & Reconciliation ceremony. Moments like these help foster learning, connection, and a deeper appreciation for Indigenous perspectives.

As we continue our journey of truth and reconciliation, we are grateful for the Indigenous leaders, Elders and community members who guide us, challenge us, and help us grow. Reconciliation is not limited to one day of the year. It requires ongoing learning, listening, and action.

We encourage you to take part in opportunities to learn from Indigenous voices in your community, not only on September 30, but throughout the year.

09/29/2026

Meet Ted! A longtime UGM volunteer, he’s spent years serving meals and seeing firsthand how much can happen around a table.

Thanksgiving brings that to life in a special way. Every neighbour coming through our doors can experience a moment of joy and connect to life-changing programs and services – whether they’re looking for a listening ear, a night of safe shelter, or recovery support.

On the day of our Thanksgiving Community Celebration, we hope to serve over 2,300 plates of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, vegetables, and pumpkin pie. For $5.45, you can help provide a Thanksgiving meal for a neighbour. And when you give, also get the opportunity to write an uplifting message to be shared on a placemat at the table. 💙🩵💚

Give a Thanksgiving meal: https://bit.ly/3VegEkN

09/25/2026

“People can come here and feel safe”

For Gordon, the holiday meals at Union Gospel Mission mean good food and great friends. They’re an opportunity to sit down with others, feel welcomed, and be part of a community.

Gordon offers that same kindness and connection to others. When he sees someone new at a meal, he introduces himself, helps them find where they need to go, or shares a fresh cup of coffee.

This Thanksgiving, your support can help create a place at the table for neighbours to share a warm meal and feel respected. Learn more about how you can help: https://bit.ly/3VegEkN

Summer at Union Gospel Mission looked a little different everywhere!️ Here’s a little recap and a few snapshots of what ...
09/24/2026

Summer at Union Gospel Mission looked a little different everywhere!️ Here’s a little recap and a few snapshots of what it looked like across our communities:

☀️ At Cedar Haven (Langley), women in recovery learned about pottery and horsemanship, tended the garden, and spent sunny days at the beach.

☀️ Four children at UGM’s Child Care Centre (Vancouver) graduated and have taken the exciting next steps toward kindergarten.

☀️ Moms and little ones at Arrow Home (Victoria) and The Sanctuary (Vancouver) enjoyed lake and beach days, while neighbours at UGM New Westminster Resource Centre came together for FIFA watch parties, community events, and plenty of good food.

☀️ In June, Summer Connect brought more than 30 community service providers together in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, helping neighbours connect with housing, employment, health, and other supports — alongside a hot meal, haircuts, music, and community.

☀️ And between the bigger events like our Summer BBQs, there were many everyday moments that matter just as much: sharing a meal, trying something new, getting outside, building relationships, or taking time to celebrate a milestone.

As fall begins, we’re looking back with gratitude on a summer filled with joy, growth, and connection across our communities. 💙🩵💚

09/21/2026

Come spend a day with us on UGM’s Fraser Valley Mobile Mission. 🚐

Throughout the week, our Fraser Valley Mobile Mission team travels to Mission, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Maple Ridge, and Langley, meeting neighbours where they’re at. (We also have other Mobile Mission teams based out of New Westminster, Vancouver and Victoria!)

That can look like sharing food, clothing, and other essentials, helping someone with housing or ID, or simply making time to sit, listen, and catch up. And sometimes, we get to celebrate the good news too. 💙🩵💚

No two days look quite the same, but the heart of the work stays the same: building relationships and continuing to show up.

Thank you so much to everyone who supports UGM and helps make the work of our Mobile Mission team possible. Your generosity ensures we can keep showing up for neighbours across the Fraser Valley and beyond!

09/18/2026

When Stephanie first entered recovery at UGM, she was looking for every opportunity to leave. But each day, she kept taking a step forward, then another step.

Encouraged by the team at UGM’s Women’s Recovery program at Lydia Home, Steph began to think about going back to school. She registered for college and, as part of her degree, completed a summer practicum with UGM’s Fraser Valley Mobile Mission van.

She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion with a Major in Counselling Foundations, and, in January of 2025, she accepted a full-time position as a Community Outreach Worker with the Mobile Mission team.

And as she helps people through her job, Steph is grateful to be a part of a community that has meant so much to her.

“When I first got to UGM, there was nothing left of me. And then I got to experience what it felt like to be seen and valued and loved. God gave me my life back there. My start with UGM was the start of my life.”

Read Stephanie’s Story: https://bit.ly/4cFRrWk

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601 East Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC
V6A1J7

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