Christmas dinner last one for UGM building

Christmas came early this year at the Union Gospel Mission, as the Downtown Eastside charity held its annual holiday dinner on Saturday.

UGM has been hosting the Christmas dinner every year since its founding in 1940, but this year’s was special, as it marked the final dinner that will be served at UGM’s current Women and Families Centre at 616 East Cordova.

“This building used to be the main building of UGM,” said spokesperson Jeremy Hunka. “It’s been around for 37 years. Over that time, we’ve served more than three million meals here.”

Eventually, UGM expanded. Now the charity’s main building is at 601 East Hastings, and the Cordova location has been used primarily for families in need.

“It was a women and families centre,” Hunka explained.

“So it has a stabilization program with space for 21 — five moms and up to six babies, to keep families together, and give them 24-7 livein support. Now we’re going to expand that up to seven floors,” he added.

The building will soon be decommissioned and demolished to make way for the new women and families centre.

“The need is actually colossal,” Hunka said.

“There was a report that came out the last month that pegged the child poverty rate in the Downtown Eastside at 80 per cent. That’s an unthinkable percentage.”

Hunka said the new building projects to help thousands achieve sobriety and stability in the coming decades.

“I don’t know where I’d be without UGM or that building,” said Emily Surrette, who was on hand to serve Christmas dinners Saturday after experiencing many winters in crisis, cold, hungry and huddling in alleys.

“It was horrible,” she said. “I would hide behind the church behind a blanket just curled up trying to keep warm. I remember it would be raining and snowing and so cold, and you just had nowhere to go.”

Surrette’s life changed four years ago when she was admitted to hospital just before Christmas. She was referred to UGM’s The Sanctuary, a stabilization program for women.

“There were people who actually cared,” she said.

“It was like a spa to me because I wasn’t on the street. … I was like, ‘Holy smokes, I don’t have to worry.’ ”

“Emily’s ongoing triumph over homelessness and addiction is a path we hope thousands will follow,” said the UGM president, Bill Mollard.

“This meal could mark a turning point for others this Christmas, who will receive help this holiday, connect to our life-saving programs, and find future support as we expand.”

On Saturday, Surrette and UGM dished out more than 2,500 meals of turkey, mashed potatoes, vegetables, stuffing, gravy and pie a la mode for dessert.

In addition to meals, UGM provides emergency shelter, outreach, career development counselling, education, addiction recovery and more to those struggling with poverty, homelessness and addiction.