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Washington, DC—December 21, 2020—The winter holidays are difficult times for many, but for people living on the street, Christmas can be a painful reminder of separation from family, poverty and failure. Add in this year’s coronavirus pandemic, and the loneliness can be overwhelming.
That is why on December 21, 2020, Central Union Mission is hosting “Show Some Love,” an event designed to boost the emotional health of hurting homeless shelter residents. We believe showing love is one of the best ways to encourage and support others to make change for themselves.
At 5:00 pm on December 21, the shelter will be transformed into a Christmas wonderland. Through the generous donations of Passport Auto, Giving With a Purpose, Coca-Cola Consolidated and other sponsors, the Mission will serve an elegant dinner for our overnight guests. They’ll also enjoy festive entertainment via Zoom from Capital City Symphony and a celebrity appearance by Donnie Simpson, photo ops, games and gift bags filled with inspirational and meaningful gifts. So they look dapper for the event, the men will receive “pampering kits” to help them feel special and cared for.
According to Mission Executive Director Joseph Mettimano, “What makes Show Some Love unique is that it impacts many aspects of our guests’ lives: spiritual, physical and emotional. Its purpose is to encourage a man to enter one of the Mission’s life-changing restoration programs and to help him overcome the trauma and depression that feeds into the cycle of homelessness. In the end, after we show we care about these men, we hope they will start to care about themselves.”
To coordinate socially distanced interviews with Mission President & CEO Joseph Mettimano and current shelter guests affected by the coronavirus pandemic, please contact Deborah Chambers at 202-534-9965 or dchambers@missiondc.org. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Mission is not open to visitors or volunteers. Photos from last year’s Show Some Love event are available here.
About Central Union Mission:
Central Union Mission is a faith-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the oldest private social service agency in Washington, DC. In addition to its emergency shelter, which provides more than 60,000 bed-nights each year, the Mission operates holistic, Christ-centered transformation and workforce development programs for men, provides benefits for veterans, helps people overcome addictions, operates a food and clothing distribution center which provides food for over 4,000 people each month, runs a camp for underprivileged children, and offers a ministry to families and senior citizens. Charity Navigator has rated Central Union Mission a three-star charity, GuideStar awarded Central Union Mission a Gold Seal for our financial transparency and GreatNonProfits has given Central Union Mission a Top-Rated award.
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