How to leave a legacy to UGM

A message from the President
When it comes to life on the street, Stephen, an
alumnus of UGM’s Alcohol & Drug Recovery
Program, knows the pain and suffering that
thousands of Vancouverites experience everyday
in the Downtown Eastside. He spent 30 years
addicted to crystal methamphetamine. Some
of those years he spent living in isolation under
a bridge.
Stephen grew up in a dysfunctional and violent
household. He got married young and started a family, but Stephen’s childhood memories eventually
caught up with him. When he lost his family due to
his addiction, Stephen spiraled out of control, finding
himself on the street facing brutality and loneliness.
Then a miracle happened. Stephen decided that
enough was enough, but he didn’t know where to go
or who to turn to. He sought out local resources and
was referred to Union Gospel Mission’s Alcohol &
Drug Recovery Program. In Stephen’s own words:
Going through recovery was one of the hardest things
I’ve ever done. It was very emotional
dealing with the pain of my past, but I fought
hard to recover and the results exceeded my
expectations. The hard heart I once had is healed
and now I am a kinder, softer person.
I’m happy to say my children are back in my life.
Today, I work on UGM’s Maintenance Team, which
allows me to stay connected to my sup­port system
and offer encouragement to others who are going
through recovery. I am able to shine God’s light and
use my gifts to make a difference in others’ lives.
This is just one of countless miracle stories I have the
honour and privilege of sharing. The heart of our
mission is to share God’s transforming love, whether
it’s through Alcohol & Drug Recovery, Emergency
Shelter, Outreach, Affordable Housing, Children &
Family Services, Education & Employment support,
or just a warm, nutritious meal.
The caring, compassionate and dignified support
that I witness daily is the reason I’m choosing to
spend the last years of my working life with UGM —
pursuing our vision to transform communities by
overcoming poverty, homelessness and addiction.
I want to leave a legacy that makes a difference,
and also sends a final inspirational message to my
children, to underline the importance of caring for
people in need as we are called to by the life and
teachings of Jesus Christ. That’s why I’ve now
created a will that, in addition to looking after my
family, also remembers Union Gospel Mission.
I hope you’ll consider leaving a legacy of dignity and
hope with your own bequest to UGM in your will.
Together, we can continue to bring God’s hope and
love to people who want to reach past their suffering
to make lasting change in their lives.
Thank you so much for being a loyal and devoted
friend to UGM. We could not have transformed so
many lives without your support!
Sincerely,
William B. Mollard
President, Union Gospel Mission
You’ve already helped save
my life, and with your legacy
gift, you can save another.
— Stephen
Please leave a gift to
Union Gospel Mission
in your will
I know how it feels to
be accepted. To find a place
that understands we all
stumble at times.
— Linda, volunteer, speaker, & graduate of
UGM’s Women’s Recovery Program
Transform Lives.
Demonstrating the love of Christ, UGM offers
help and hope through a comprehensive range
of life-changing services, which include Meals,
Outreach, Emergency Shelter, Alcohol & Drug
Recovery, Employment & Education, Affordable
Housing, Children & Family Programs, and more.
Together we can create brighter futures for men,
women, and children in our communities.
Through faith, family and friendship we can feed
hope and change lives in our community. Leave a
legacy of dignity and hope with a gift in your will
to Union Gospel Mission.
Meals
Three times a day, 365 days a year, people in need
know they can always come to Union Gospel Mission for a nourishing meal. At every UGM meal,
guests are given a warm welcome.
Many of our guests live on the street, so when
greeted with a kind smile and handshake by
caring outreach workers, and offered a homecooked meal, it’s the first step in restoring dignity.
Outreach
Outreach is about developing intentional relationships by going out into the community and meeting
people where they are. We initiate caring conversation with those in need, build trusting relationships,
and meet guests’ practical needs (food, emergency
shelter, and clothing) and spiritual needs (daily
worship services).
Alcohol & Drug Recovery
UGM’s Alcohol & Drug Recovery Programs are
effective, live-in recovery programs that offer
men and women freedom from addictive lifestyles
and the tools to live a healthy life long after they
complete the program. UGM counsellors have
developed and fine-tuned successful A&D Programs that give individuals their best opportunity
to succeed.
I know how it feels to just
be looking for shelter, and
find a whole new life.
— Jemal, husband, father, Reverend, UGM
Outreach Worker & graduate of UGM’s
Alcohol & Drug Recovery Program
I know how it feels to be transformed
through summer camp. To escape a
high-stress family environment and be
able to finally relax and be myself.
— Jake, completing Plumbing Apprenticeship
program, former Summer Camper,
now a Summer Camp Counsellor
Women’s Programs
UGM’s Women and Families Centre offers women
a safe place to rest, and receive care and support
from trained outreach workers and counsellors.
A range of programs such as accountability groups,
art therapy, and intimate partner violence support
provide the guidance and tools needed to help women
and their families move forward in their lives.
Children & Family Programs
UGM nurtures relationships with families who
are struggling, offers programs that give children
a safe place to do homework and play, and helps
mothers and fathers provide necessities such
as baby formula, diapers and clothing for their
children. UGM also offers afterschool programs
for children on the Downtown Eastside throughout the school year, provides camp sponsorships to
over 550 children in need throughout the summer,
and supplies hundreds of families with a bountiful
food hamper at Christmas time.
I know how it feels to come
in from the rain just
for a meal, and discover
God’s divine plan for me.
— Jennifer, mother, designer, church
member, volunteer & graduate of
UGM’s Women’s Recovery Program
I know how it feels to be in recovery.
To be clean and sober today.
And to learn to forgive.
— Alex, Nisga’a First Nation member,
advocate, speaker & graduate of UGM’s
Alcohol & Drug Recovery Program
What your legacy can do
Whether your estate is large or small, you
can have a profound impact on the future of
Union Gospel Mission and the lives that it
will transform.
• $5,000 provides 415 nights of shelter for men seeking refuge from the street.
• $20,000 offers sobriety to one man and one woman by sponsoring their residency in
UGM’s live-in Alcohol and Drug Recovery
Program.
• $50,000 provides supplies, support and care to homeless men and women in our
communities by funding a year’s worth of gas,
first aid kits, clothing and food for the Mobile
Mission, a vehicle that travels throughout the
Lower Mainland.
• $150,000 offers year-long programming
for at-risk children and youth that includes
a once-a-week evening activity, individual
mentorship program, and junior leadership
training opportunities that help youth stay
off the street.
• $500,000 helps hundreds of women and families make healthy life choices
each year by keeping the lights on and doors open
at our Women and Families Centre, where individuals have access to one-on-one counselling,
group therapy with trained UGM counsellors,
daily meals, worship services, food hampers, and
many other supportive services.
• $1,000,000 touches the lives of thousands of people each year who are experiencing
poverty, homelessness, or addiction. When guests
visit UGM’s busy drop-in centre in Vancouver’s
Downtown Eastside, caring Outreach Workers
offer God’s love with a listening ear, emotional and
practical support during crisis situations, referrals
to services and assistance in daily living. In just
one year, we will make over 65,000 connections
with guests at our Downtown centre alone!
After you have remembered your
loved ones, please consider including
Union Gospel Mission in your will
How to leave a legacy to UGM
Leaving a bequest to Union Gospel Mission is the simplest way to
leave a legacy of dignity and hope.
Writing or changing your will is not the overwhelming task that you may think. Everyone should
have a will and update it on a regular basis. To ensure that you have a valid will, we strongly
recommend that you use the services of a legal professional.
To include a bequest to Union Gospel Mission you will need to give the legal professional drafting
your will our legal name and address. It is essential that you use our correct name and address.
Union Gospel Mission, 601 E Hastings StreetVancouver, BC, V6A 1J7
Charitable # 13190 2348 RR0001
Sample Bequest Clauses:
A share of the residue (designates a percentage of the remainder of your Estate, once debts and specific
bequests have been paid)
“I give to Union Gospel Mission 601 E Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1J7 ____ percent
of the residue of my Estate for its charitable purposes.”
A specific bequest (designates a specific amount of cash or other asset/s)
“I give to Union Gospel Mission 601 E Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1J7 the sum of
$____________ (or a description of the property or asset) for its charitable purposes.”
Other Ways to Leave a Legacy Gift
Gifts of Life Insurance, Beneficial interest in RRSPs and RRIFs, and Securities, can all help
support UGM. We’d be happy to talk with you if you want more information about these options.
We’d love to hear from you if you make a legacy commitment
Christiane Sim Development Officer, Legacy Giving
t: 604.215.5441 x. 328 | m: 604.880.6485 | f: 604.253.3496 | e: legacy@ugm.ca | w: ugm.ca
Our Commitment to you
Our eight promises to those who leave a legacy gift to Union Gospel Mission
1 We recognize that a legacy gift is your decision and you need to make it in your own time.
2 We respect your privacy.
3 We will use the gift carefully and cost effectively so that it has the greatest impact.
4 It is your decision to let us know that you’ve left a gift in your will, or another kind of legacy
gift. We’d love to hear from you and thank you – but you don’t need to tell us.
5 If you decide to notify us of your gift, you can choose how we communicate with you in the
future about our work to transform lives in our community.
6 We will give you the opportunity to be connected to the work we do.
7 At any time in the future, you have the absolute right to change your mind about a gift in
your will to Union Gospel Mission.
8 We will honour whatever gift you leave, and treat it with sensitivity and respect.