Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker will deliver the keynote speech when Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County dedicates its new Community Outreach Center at 9 a.m. Thursday (Oct. 12).
Expanding on its 135-year legacy of providing a new beginning for homeless men, women and families, Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County (UGM-TC) will offer additional programs and services at the new center. The center is located at 2400 N. Kentucky Ave., just west of the mission’s main campus on East Lancaster Avenue.
Aided by community partnerships, the center will help elevate unemployed and underemployed residents from poverty to economic mobility by providing them with the job training and life skills necessary to attain livable-wage employment, UGM-TC said in a news release.
“The idea for the COC was born during the early days of the pandemic when we began asking ourselves what more we could do to help individuals and families transition out of poverty and create a pathway to long-term economic security,” said Don Shisler, president and CEO of UGM-TC. “We found that many individuals were working multiple jobs simply to make ends meet. Our goal is to address the gaps in vocational training and other important skills, so these individuals can qualify for better paying jobs that will sustain themselves and their families.”
The new 27,260-square-foot building includes a state-of-the-art training facility, fulfillment center warehouse, donation center to provide household items and clothing to those in need, and the Carl R. Brumley Community Room, which will serve as both a classroom for students in the job training programs and a venue available to the community to rent for corporate or special events.
UGM-TC plans to introduce its L.A.U.N.C.H. (Leading Advancement Uniting Neighborhoods & Communities Through Hope) program at the Community Outreach Center this winter. The program will be available first to UGM-TC residents, followed by clients of community partners then residents in the broader Fort Worth community, the release said. Initially, the L.A.U.N.C.H. program will provide vocational training for certifications in apartment complex maintenance and fulfillment center logistics.
In addition to job training, L.A.U.N.C.H. participants will receive trauma-informed case management to address any barriers to success as they navigate the learning experience with challenges that may occur outside the classroom.
The $13 million Community Outreach Center was funded primarily through private donations, UGM-TC said, with significant contributors including the Amon G. Carter Foundation; Estate of Frances Hafer Chiles; GM Financial; J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation; Nicholas Martin Jr. Family Foundation; Paul E. Andrews, Jr. Foundation; Richard H. Moore, Jr.; Sid W. Richardson Foundation; and The Ryan Foundation.
“We are incredibly grateful to the generous donors who made our vision for the COC possible,” Shisler said. “This new facility is a community-wide effort, and our hope is that the COC will play a key role in creating a vibrant, thriving community by helping residents in need transition permanently out of poverty.”
More information about Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County can be found on its website.
