VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Tom Duke has been volunteering at UGM Dallas since 2001. When asked how UGM Dallas is helping the community, Mr. Duke replied,

“I was deeply impressed by the commitment of Union Gospel Mission to proclaim the gospel to homeless men, to men who had experienced tragedy and crisis. They couple the preaching of the gospel with practical, effective help. For over 20 years, I have seen first-hand, the Christ-centered commitment of Union Gospel Mission to serve the Dallas community. The one constant has been the priority the gospel and demonstrating the love of Christ.”

Mr. Duke encourages others to get involved as an opportunity “to pour out sacrificially to people as part of this Christ-centered ministry.” Volunteer opportunities at The Mission include food service, chapel services, mentoring, job skills training, and tutoring.

Project Vintage Runway Boutique

Project Vintage Runway continued to receive donations and serve clientele in 2022 as an upscale resale boutique. While proceeds from sales benefit UGM Dallas shelters, the retail store also provides a job training opportunity for Discipleship graduates. Experience gained while working at the store enables graduates to build their resume while learning valuable skills. The boutique also had the opportunity to provide professional outfits for women from the Center of Hope Women & Children’s Shelter who were interviewing for a job.

Project Vintage Runway Fashion Show

During the annual Project Vintage Fashion Show, UGM Dallas celebrated the success stories of recent program graduates who served as models.

“The Project Vintage Runway Fashion Show is always a time of celebration as we share the success stories of our graduates and all they have overcome. It gives graduates a chance to shine on the runway and display their newfound self-confidence,” noted Bruce Butler, CEO of UGM Dallas. “The designers did a great job this year of incorporating used electronics into the designs. The parallels were a beautiful reminder of the transformation that takes place in the lives of the homeless just as the old electronics are transformed into something new.”

Designers were challenged to incorporate recycled materials into their designs to help launch Recycling for the Homeless. Attendees brought used electronics to be recycled as their entry ticket to the fashion show. Project Vintage Runway boutique will serve as a collection point for used electronic devices, which includes outdated smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. A portion of the proceeds from the recovered materials goes to support the UGM Dallas homeless shelters.