Union Gospel Mission
Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County will dedicate its new Community Outreach Center next Thursday, Oct. 12.
The Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County’s crusade against poverty will mark a watershed moment next week with the grand opening of its new $13 million Community Outreach Center.
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker will deliver the keynote in a dedication ceremony scheduled for 9 a.m. Oct. 12 at the 27,260-square-foot facility at 2400 N. Kentucky Ave., just west of the Union Gospel’s main campus on East Lancaster Avenue.
“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 Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County.
“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.”
Union Gospel Mission is an over 135-year-old Christian organization dedicated to providing new beginnings for homeless men, women and families in Tarrant County. It got its start in 1888 with the Bethel Mission formed by several downtown churches.
The new facility on North Kentucky was created to help elevate the unemployed and underemployed residents in and around the greater Tarrant County area, according to a press release.
Individuals who fit these criteria will be provided with job training and life skills necessary to attain employment that provides a wage to maintain a normal standard of living, with the help of community partnerships.
The new state-of-the-art training facility includes a fulfillment center warehouse, a donation center, which will provide household items and clothing to those in need, and the Carl R. Brumley Community Room. The latter will serve as both a classroom for students in the job training programs and also act as a venue which will be available to the community to rent for corporate or special events.
Union Gospel Mission also plans to introduce its L.A.U.N.C.H. program — Leading Advancement Uniting Neighborhoods & Communities Through Hope — this winter at the Community Outreach Center.
Union Gospel Mission residents will have priority access to the new initiative, followed by clients of community partners, and then residents in the broader Fort Worth area. Initially, the L.A.U.N.C.H. program will provide vocational training for certifications in apartment complex maintenance and fulfillment center logistics.
These specific jobs were chosen because of their high demand in the Fort Worth-Dallas area, as well as a starting compensation that is greater than the minimum threshold for fair wage employment in North Texas, which is $17.78 per hour, according to a study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In the past 10 years, the DFW market has added more apartments than any other region in the United States and ranks second in the nation (behind Phoenix) in industrial storage/warehouse fulfillment space available.
In addition to job training, L.A.U.N.C.H. participants will also 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.
“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,” Shisler said.