Union Station Homeless Services Celebrates 50 Years of “Bringing Our Neighbors Home”

Donate to the Union Station To Help Twice as Many Unhoused Neighbors Through Matching Gift Challenge

As part of the nonprofit’s 50th-anniversary celebrations, Union Station Homeless Services announced a matching gift challenge that will double every dollar donated to the non-profit for the next 50 days.

The matching challenge is until March 2, 2023.

“For the next 50 days every dollar donated will double to help support our neighbors in need up to $50,000,” a release about the matching challenge said.

Started in 1973 by a local faith group upset by the reality of people living on the streets in their community, Union Station Homeless Services (USHS) became an independent, legally constituted nonprofit organization in 1984 with its own board of directors and full-time staff.

In the early years, the organization was primarily focused on providing emergency supportive services such as meals and shelters. Today, Union Station has grown to be one of the pre-eminent homeless services agencies in the San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles County with nearly 300 staff members working to house individuals and families permanently.

“This upcoming year is a special time for Union Station Homeless Services,” Anne Miskey, USHS President and CEO, said. “We are celebrating 50 years of working in the community with volunteers, staff, donors, and clients to help house thousands of our neighbors. This is also an opportunity to look forward to a time when all our neighbors have a safe and healthy home and our communities value the humanity and dignity of everyone.”

Several events are planned throughout the year to celebrate the agency’s continuing impact in the community. The first big event is Masters of Taste, LA’s premiere food and beverage festival on the field of the Rose Bowl on April 2nd, the release said.

“100% of your ticket purchases and upgrades are used to combat homelessness and rebuild the lives of families and individuals that are experiencing homelessness,” Master of Taste LA stated on their website.

Over the last 5 years, Masters of Taste has raised over $2 million dollars to benefit USHS in Pasadena.

“Our current homelessness crisis has been generations in the making, and it will take all of us, working together, to address the systemic causes that lead thousands of people to lose their housing every year,” Jesse Torres, Chair of the USHS Board of Directors, said, “We look forward to using our milestone year to engage, activate and empower our community to take action to end homelessness.”

For more information about the 50th Anniversary Matching Gift Challenge, visit https://ushs50.funraise.org/.

To learn more about USHS, visit www.unionstationhs.org.