Serving During The Crisis

Central Union Mission has been serving the homeless and poor in Washington, DC, for 135 years, and we remain open and fully operational during this crisis.

• We continue to shelter the homeless and feed the hungry.
• Our shelter is at capacity every night (170 beds). Providing beds, showers, three meals a day, and other services such as dental, medical and psychological care.
• Our Comprehensive Family Resource Center continues to distribute food to low-income men, women and children….including single-moms and senior citizens.
• We are taking all reasonable precautions to try to mitigate the spread of the virus. It is important to prevent it from getting into our shelter…our guests are especially vulnerable to infection.
• In addition to standard protocols, such as an active campaign around hand-washing and not touching the face, we are cleaning all hand-surfaces, such as door knobs, railings and fixtures several times a day.
• We have taken an additional crucial step by checking the body temperature of our overnight guests every day during check-in. If they have a temperature or other symptoms, we are sending them out for medical attention.
• We also are screening our staff for temperature and symptoms.
• For now, we have temporarily stopped all volunteer activity, for the safety of our guests and our volunteers.
• We rely on donated food from grocery stores and other outlets, but there has been a noticeable decline in those donations.
• We are concerned about the impact this crisis will have on financial support, as well.
• We are in good spirits and have faith in God to get us through this challenging time.