MISSION NIGHT OUT Olympia Union Gospel Mission 2023 Annual Meeting Thursday, November 9, 6:30pm Westwood Baptist Church, Olympia WA Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things... Jeremiah 33:3
T
he OUGM exists as an Evangelical Christian Rescue Mission, serving Thurston County, to share the good news of life in Jesus Christ by meeting the physical, mental and spiritual needs of individuals in crisis.
The Olympia Union Gospel Mission began its work with the homeless and needy in 1995 through a street ministry outreach. Sandwiches and hot drinks were offered in an atmosphere of love and acceptance. Our goal was and still is to share God’s love in practical ways. OUGM EXECUTIVE BOARD ANDREW CHRISTENSEN, President TOM DAVIS, Vice President TIM LANGAN, Secretary JACK OLSON, Treasurer ROBIN WADSWORTH, Board OUGM STAFF Administration SKIP STEFFEN, Executive Director MINDY CRUMP, Director of Resource Development LEAH ROADMAN, Office Manager LENORE VINING, Office Manager KAREN ROBBINS, Community Liaison KRINA ALLISON, Marketing & Communications CARRIE MILLER, Database Manager VIOLET HOFMAN, Clerical Day Center STEVEN SMITH, Day Center Supervisor & Chaplain COLIN SWANEY, Food Safety Manager JACKIE SMITH, Tiny House Coordinator MARTIE AARHUS JAMES AUSTIN QUINN BEAN DAN BURMESTER JENNA CROFTON JOSHUA DEEL MICHAEL DIMARZO MARIBETH GORDON ANGELY JONES NICHOLAI MARTINSEN
Day Room & Kitchen Staff
ISABELLE MARTIN-TAFOYA CARRIE MILLER DIANE OLSEN KEVIN PERRY MONICA ROBINSON RANDY ROWLEY KAREN SCHAEFFER JOSHUA TOWLER JOHNNY VINSON
Life Transformation Program JODI YARBROUGH, Life Transformation Director & Women & Men’s Program Manager CARRIE MILLER, Women’s Counselor GREG THOMPSON, Men’s Counselor COLIN SWANEY, Jeremiah House Supervisor Short Term Women’s Shelter CARRIE MILLER, House leader Health Resources THERESA CARRILLO, Vision Clinic Manager SHELLEY CASE, Dental Clinic Manager TRACY CRON, Dental Assistant KAREN DONNELLY & JEANNIE HANSON, Dental Clinic Receptionist
MISSION NIGHT OUT 6:30 PM SOCIALIZING & DESSERT 7 PM WELCOME, OPENING PRAYER BOARD INTRODUCTIONS Andrew Christensen, Board President INTRODUCTION OF STAFF Skip Steffen, Executive Director MISSION HIGHLIGHTS SKIP STEFFEN, MINDY ROBERTS, JODI YARBROUGH MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE SHELTER EVALUATION MISSION CATERING VEGOUT - Impacting Future Generations YEAR IN REVIEW FINANCIALS SKIP STEFFEN, Executive Director CLOSING COMMENTS Skip Steffen & Andrew Christensen CLOSING PRAYER Jack Olson, Board Treasurer
OLYMPIA UNION GOSPEL MISSION ANNUAL MEETING FISCAL YEAR SEPTEMBER 2022 – AUGUST 2023 MENTAL HEALTH Rescue Missions across the Country have experienced the unintended consequences of the government investing “lavishly” in facilities to house homeless individuals. Specifically, that the percentage of mental illness in the population not housed (chronic homeless) has steadily increased. Although the barrier to entering these facilities is low and the code of behavior is not stringent, mentally ill individuals have a difficult time conforming and / or would simply prefer not to have any restrictions on their behavior and choose to remain homeless. The impact on Missions is that mentally ill individuals are increasingly being served in the Day Center. Mission staff responsible for maintaining order and safety in Day Centers are increasingly challenged with so many mentally ill present in the population they are responsible to manage. Estimates indicate that 20 to 25% of homeless individuals, and 33% of chronically homeless individuals (homeless more than one year) are burdened by severe mental illness as compared to 6% in the general population. It follows that any effort to reduce homelessness must incorporate treatment for mental illness. Our direct observation at the Olympia Union Gospel Mission is that the prevalence of mental illness among those we serve is at least 33% and likely more like 50% and has a debilitating effect on the individual. In June of 2022, Skip attended a National Rescue Mission conference where Mental Illness was the topic of several presentations. The regional Rescue Mission meeting in October of 2022 also featured Mental Illness as a focus. Jodi Yarborough, Addiction Recovery Specialist, was one of the individuals who attended the meeting. Addressing mental illness in the Mission’s Day Center became a focus and Skip sought out financial resources to help pay for implementing a program within our Day Center. The Mission received two donations totaling $125,000 specifically designated to target mental health. When Skip started the research, he was biased towards the problem being a lack of both funding and mental health providers for the low income and homeless population. The thought was that we would need to use the funds to hire one or more mental health professionals to work with our guests and clients. In general, that turns out not to be the case. All the individuals we work with are eligible for Medicaid Insurance (Apple Health). Apple Health insurance has mental health benefits. And, in Thurston County there are at least seven mental health providers that will accept payments from Apple Health insurance. As he dug deeper, he found a study published in 2022 about the barriers to seeking mental health care in the Mission District of San Francisco. The authors identified three main barriers. 1. Negative emotions and experiences with the health care system as well as feelings of shame, stigmatism and fear of seeking mental health services. 2. Competing priorities – scheduling or attending mental health appointments are a lower priority than time spent seeking income, food, and substance use. Transportation is also a barrier. At the Mission we see lives in such chaos that thinking beyond the immediate needs seems impossible. Individuals get overwhelmed and give up. 3. Lack of trust in a stable relationship with a health care provider due to staff turnover. Lived experience makes it hard for our guests to trust.
Based on the above, and our observations at the Mission, Skip and Jodi lead the design of a program to overcome the barriers. The Program centers on creating a trusting relationship between guests and specific Mission “friend building” staff who are tasked with developing and maintaining those relationships. Then leveraging the relationship to create a “warm handoff” to the mental health provider. Finally, maintaining the relationship with the guest to help them manage their illness more effectively - make sure they get any medication needed, are taking the medication as prescribed, and are going to their therapy appointments. Just listening when the individual wants to unburden themselves to someone who cares. Helping them grow closer to God. This may involve checking in with the guest multiple times a week and taking them, or arranging transportation, to their mental health appointments. In essence, becoming a trusted “friend” to the guest in order to secure improvement in their mental health status. This relationship will last as long as the guest needs support. “Friend Builders” have made a commitment to training and investing in the lives of Mission clients. They have: 1. Lived experience with addiction, homelessness, and the mental struggles associated therewith. 2. They have received training and certification as either Addiction Counselors or Peer Counselors.
God is supportive, and it is working! We launched the friend building program in July. Funds are being used
to pay for friend building staff to be in the Day Center at least four hours a day, four days a week. Their sole function is to build relationships with Mission guests. During the first two months of our fiscal year, September and October, they developed relationships with 43 guests. Thirty seven of the guests (86%) were identified as candidates for mental health interventions. Of the 37, the “friends” assisted 8 (22%) in obtaining needed medication and 28 (76%) to enter counseling. I am convinced that as trust builds, a greater percentage will get the help they need. It’s really exciting to see the change in just this short time. During this period, one moved into housing! We covet your prayers for both staff and guests as we build on what we have learned to help an increasing number fight back against the demons controlling their lives. The following is a short story about a guest “Donna” became homeless after her family moved out of state leaving her behind. She was dealing with a lot of mental health challenges and severe memory loss. She was completely overwhelmed. Jenna (friend building staff) started asking questions and talking with her. She found out she had an active housing voucher. Jenna helped her connect with her case manager and continued to work with her until she moved into a housing unit. During this process, Jenna helped her get a new mental health counselor, and got her through Zoom conference call appointments with her assigned psychiatrist to obtain medication. Jenna followed her on her mental health appointments, pharmacy, and counseling appointments to a point where she now feels confident to continue on her own as she moves into her new apartment. References 1. Marcus, L, Johnson, C and Ramirez, D. The Complex Link Between Homelessness and Mental Health. Psychology Today, May 21, 2021. 2. Thorndike, et. al. Unmet health needs and barriers to health care among people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco’s Mission District: a qualitative study. BMC Public Health, Published on-line: May 30, 2022. SHELTER SERVICE EVALUATION When the Mission’s building at 413 Franklin Street NE was remodeled in 2017 to create a Day Center capable of seating a maximum of 130 individuals for meals, the reality that during the winter of 2018 the Mission would be offering overnight shelter was not a consideration. Our entry into overnight shelter was driven by the needs of the unsheltered that materialized during the winter of 2018. Originally, we were only going to offer overnight shelter during the winter months, but experience taught us that there was a vulnerable population on the Streets that needed protection at night. Specifically – single women, the elderly, families, and single men. In another change of events, as of 2023, the Mission is the only organization in downtown Olympia offering overnight shelter available to the general homeless population. This has put additional pressure on the Mission’s shelter to accommodate more individuals. Each night after the dinner meal is served, a laborious process of converting the dining space to shelter space occurs. The tables are folded and put away, chairs stacked, and the floors cleaned with detergent that will kill bacteria and viruses. Then mats, and a few cots for the physically disabled, are put out along with clean bedding. At 8:00 PM the doors open, and clients are triaged in – first the elderly and disabled, then women and finally men. On a normal night, the Mission will shelter 20 women in the area behind the chairs and 40 men of all ages. (Please refer to the attached pictures.) By 9:00 PM it is lights out because to allow time to convert the space back to dining in the morning, the guests are awakened at 04:30 AM. Then the laborious reverse process occurs. Had the Mission not taken this step, on any given night a significant number of men, women, and an occasional family with children would remain unprotected and exposed to the elements. That is a huge plus, but some of the deficits of the current system are: 1. Mats on the cold floor are a poor substitute for an actual bed. 2. Limited hours of sleep. It is more common for a shelter to have wake up times around 6 or 7 AM. 3. The ability to offer the shelter guests programming to guide them to a better life away from the streets is limited because there is no assigned space and many shelter guests leave the Mission in the early morning. 4. Shelter guests must transport their possessions with them daily because there is no dedicated space for a bed and locker.
We have concluded that improvement and possibly expansion the Mission’s shelter is not possible given the current size and use of the building. Either a new structure will need to be constructed on Mission property or an alternate site near the Mission will need to be identified. Either option will be expensive and require a major fund-raising initiative. The Board and staff will be involved in a feasibility study in 2024.
THE MISSION CATERS In 2019 the City of Olympia contracted with the Low-Income Housing Institute (LIHI) to operate the Tiny House Village located off Plumb Street. LIHI in turn asked if the Mission would be interested in providing a dinner meal for each of the 30 to 35 residents. The Mission kitchen crew responded, and we began preparing and delivering meals to “Plumb Street Village.” The agreement is that LIHI pays all direct costs for the preparation and delivery of the meals and $1.05 per meal to cover the Mission’s overhead and profit. As LIHI has established other sites in Pierce County and Thurston County the Mission has been asked to provide a dinner meal to these sites. Currently the Mission prepares and delivers approximately 450 dinners a day to two sites in Thurston County and three sites in Pierce County. In addition to being a revenue generating operation, it has allowed the Mission to employ three individuals – two Program graduates and one other individual working to turn their life around. Other Tiny House Village operators have contacted the Mission about providing dinners to their sites as well. The current kitchen facilities are operating at maximum capacity. We will need to expand the Mission’s kitchen and secure another delivery van if more sites are going to be added.
VEGOUT The summer of 2023 marks eight years since VegOut began. What started with an abundance of produce being redistributed to kids and families in low-income neighborhoods has evolved into our very first VegOut clubhouse! The clubhouse, held in the apartment complex where the children live, is affectionately called Club Hope by all who attend. Many of these kids came home to empty apartments, hungry and without adult supervision. Now, they have snacks, help with homework, and arts and crafts activities. When the clubhouse started, it felt like a huge, over-the-top dream, but as we know, nothing is too big for our God! Each time something came up that felt insurmountable, God overcame it; whether it was finding Christian staffing, the right location, or even snacks, God has provided abundantly. For additional information about this ministry and how you can help by volunteering, providing supplies, and financial support, contact OUGM and let us know you’re interested in VegOut’s Club Hope.
FISCAL YEAR 2022 – 2023 NARRATIVE AND THE 2023-2024 BUDGET
INCOME East Street - The fiscal year saw reduced rental income due to vacancies at East Street and increased expenses for refurbishing two units. Fortunately, the rent for three bedrooms, two bath apartments is very attractive and the units were occupied shortly after the refurbishing. Reduced donations to the Street Ministry are a logistical issue rather than real lost revenue. During the Holiday Season, some supporters of the Mission used to direct donations to holiday meals rather than the general fund. As more donors give on-line the funds are not directed like they used to be. The Street Ministry is supported by the general fund and that is the designation of more digital donations. VegOut received a grant near the holidays from the “Save the Children” fund to help with Thanksgiving and Christmas meals, stockings, etc. for children and families in low-income situations. Management and Fundraising – I bolded the total amount to call attention to the fact that $125,000 of the income was restricted to fund the mental health initiative. EXPENSES Increased expenses at East Street reflect the cost of refurbishing two units. In 2021 there was a fire in a partially completed building behind the Annex. The exterior repair cost of $48,000 was expensed in this fiscal year and mostly reimbursed later by insurance. BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 - 2024 The budgeting process first involves reviewing the previous fiscal year’s income for any non-recurring revenue sources. For example, grants, estate gifts, directed donations. This income is removed from the previous fiscal year and then the net income included in the next fiscal year’s budget. Rarely will new income be included in the budget unless generated by a new service or program. Expenses are then projected based on the last fiscal year and adding the projected impact of inflation, new programs or staffing. Net revenue is budgeted flat.
OLYMPIA UNION GOSPEL MISSION FISCAL YEAR 2022-2023 ACTUAL AND 2023-2024 BUDGET
Now until November 17
OLYMPIA UNION GOSPEL MISSION PO BOX 7668, Olympia WA 98507 413 Franklin St. NE, Olympia WA 98501 360.709.9725 | OUGM.org | FACEBOOK