Timeline of City Union Mission History
September 15, 1924
City Union Mission is founded by Rev. and Mrs. David Barnhart Bulkley. They have one child, Ruth, 4 years old. City Union Mission was first housed at 545 Main. The Mission began as a gospel ministry and feeding program for indigent, often homeless, men. The Mission moved to the larger location at 535-539 Main in 1928, where during the holidays, 1000 to 2000 men, women and children from the area were fed. The Bulkleys also published an impressive newsprint Christian magazine. Today, this magazine is called the Mission Light.
1925
The Mission leases The Harbor, a former brothel at 4th and Wyandotte. The Harbor was originally the home of Madame Lovejoy. The Bulkley family resided there along with several homeless men who needed a place to live. Weekly Sunday Schools for all ages had an attendance of up to 300 and were held at the 535-539 Main location.
1932
A Women's Bible Study and Sewing Circle began at the Mission. The Sunday School program also began at this time. This represents the Mission's first official ministry to women and families. Food, clothing and other necessities were also distributed to poverty-stricken families through visitation. The Bulkley family, by this time, was aided by several church and society groups and visited the poor and elderly, along with regular visits to the Jackson County Jail and Poor Farm.
1933
Rev. David Bulkley purchases a 1000-acre tract of land in Warsaw, MO. The grounds were to provide a home for indigent men (later a formal rehabilitation program called Opportunity Farm) and Camp CUMCITO and Tot Lot were also implemented there by Mrs. Bulkley for poverty-stricken children, ages 3-17.
1933-34
Madame Annie Chambers is converted to Christianity and leaves her estate to City Union Mission. Around this same time, the Mission began leasing the home of Madame Prince for $1 a year. This became the transient men's dormitory. The Mission's gospel ministry and feeding program ministry remained at the Main Street address.
1935
The Mission's annual budget is $15,000. June 14, 1940 Rev. David B. Bulkley dies and wife, Beulah, begins her 14-year career as Superintendent.
Fall 1950
City Union Mission purchases the Elk's Club Building at 7th and Grand. Early 1950's A small medical and dental clinic are added to the ministry and staffed by volunteer professionals.
October 1954
Rev. Maurice Vanderberg succeeds Mrs. Bulkley as Superintendent of City Union Mission. Within months of the move, Ruth Bulkley Vanderberg initiated the Family Services Department. At the same time, Maurice Vanderberg designed and implemented the Christian Life Program for men, the first certifiable rehabilitation program in the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions (AGRM).
1956
Opportunity Farm is formalized as an extension of the Christian Life Program at the Mission in Kansas City. On the farm program, men operated under the Christian Life Program, while maintaining the farm, Camp CUMCITO and Tot Lot. The program continues today with 16 to 20 CLP members.
June 13, 1958
The Ladies' Auxiliary of City Union Mission is formed as a service group and volunteer support to the Mission.
Spring 1960
The Board of Directors of City Union Mission votes to purchase the Boy's Club Building at 1601 Admiral Blvd. This building, renamed City Union Mission, housed the Mission's administrative offices, Christian Life Program, the Family Services Department and clinics, a large Youth Department with an Olympic-sized swimming pool, etc., and Sunday School classes for 400.
Spring 1960
The Board of Directors votes to purchase a four-story building at 7th and Wyandotte to house transient, homeless men. It is renamed the City Union Mission Men's Building. This expansion necessitated the hiring of a more staff to oversee the ministry. Other staff hired during the 1960's includes a youth director and bookkeeper. Approximately twelve employees were on the payroll.
1971
Family Services expands. Inner-city Bible classes begin. Mrs. Ruth Vanderberg was joined by 21- year-old daughter, Beth. One other employee in this department assisted in home visitations. Most help was volunteer. At this time, the Tuesday Morning Mothers' Bible Class began for low-income mothers in the community. A year later, the Thursday Morning Bible Class was initiated for younger women. Beth Liebling later became Family Service Director and Mrs. Vanderberg continued to plan curriculum for Bible studies, run the Mission Summer Camps and oversee Christian activities until 1980.
1972
The Board of Directors vote to purchase the University of Missouri Dental College at 1108 East 10th Street. This building, renamed City Union Mission Headquarters and Men's Center, was rehabilitated from 1972 to 1977 when the property at 1601 Admiral was vacated. The Family Service Department moved to the new building in 1977. The Mission's large Youth Center was dissolved. The Men's Building at 7th and Wyandotte was sold soon afterward.
August 1, 1976
The Mission acquires the gift of a three-story apartment building at 5th and Forest, after praying for a place to begin a family shelter. City Union Mission began a shelter for homeless families, a population that was growing rapidly locally and across the United States. Pilgrim House housed people and was initially run by Rev. and Mrs. Dan Doty. This was a transient shelter only and had no formal program.
1977
The Board of Directors votes to sell the 1601 Admiral Blvd. building to Osteopathic Hospital. Summer 1977 Beth Liebling begins Summer Internships as a way to meet the Mission's growing need for summer volunteers in the Family Service Department and at Summer Camps. The program still exists today under the name Summer Staff and employs the help of four young men and women called to summer ministry, and usually from colleges in and around the Midwest.
October 1977
The Family Services Department moves into new offices located at 1108 East 10th Street. The staff of this department now included four members who handled food and clothing distribution, management of the Thrift Store, case management, summer camp volunteer and camper recruitment, Christmas distribution, visitation and weekly Bible studies.
December 1977
The Mission opens a Thrift Store to as a way of distributing donated clothing to the community at low cost.
August 15, 1978
The Mission nearly "crashes" financially; the Board discusses the possibility of filing for bankruptcy. City Union Mission addresses its failing fiscal health by educating Barbara Antrim in Development. The techniques that Barbara Antrim learned and employed had an immediate and miraculous affect on the Mission's financial health.
January 1980
Mrs. David Bulkley dies at age 92.
September 1982
The Mission initiates the volunteer program.
1983
The Board of Directors votes to purchase the Banneker Grade School at 1310 Wabash. This building was renamed the Bulkley Family Center and housed the Mission's Family Service Department and Family Shelter -- both of which had outgrown their current locations. The building contained space for transient homeless families and a new program called the New Life Program. (Though this building's name is still on the books as Bulkley Family Center, it is best known as the City Union Mission Family Center.)
1984
Lorraine (Munger) Minor initiates the Life Skills Program, a rotation of around 10 courses for adults on the New Life Program. The new building at 1310 Wabash was equipped with a gym and three large classrooms, suitable for youth programs. After several years of off-site youth recreation programs, the Mission was able to reinstate a formal youth program.
1985
City Union Mission establishes the Hotline For The Homeless, a cooperative effort with other area homeless shelters. This switchboard, connecting homeless callers to area shelters, was the first of its kind in the United States.
1985
Bed and Bread Club is established as a monthly pledge program for donors to help the Mission with year-round expenses.
October 1987
City Union Mission completes construction of a new wing to the Bulkley Family Center (CUMFC).
July 1989
City Union Mission completes construction on a second wing to the Bulkley Family Center (CUMFC). These two wings allowed additional space for transient family ministry and the New Life Program. By this time, City Union Mission housed up to 250 men, women and children nightly in its transient dorms, infirmary and program areas.
May 5, 1990
The First Annual Bikers With A Mission event raised $23,000 with pledges from 540 bikers. Bikers have raised over $250,000 since that year. Last year, over 800 bikers attended. The money is earmarked for needs among the homeless.
December 1991
Rev. Maurice Vanderberg retires after a 37-year career as the Mission's Executive Director. Rev. Dan Doty becomes the new Executive Director. This was the first time that the directorship was outside the founding family. Mission donors proved their loyalty as the donor base remained strong and generous!
August 1992
Groundbreaking ceremonies for the Vanderberg Youth Center take place after a board vote to finance the 6,000 square foot facility at a cost of approximately $500,000.
August 1993
An Open House is held to celebrate the opening of the Vanderberg Youth Center. The new facility added desperately needed space for the growing numbers of children needing after school recreation and tutoring assistance. Most of the funding (around $500,000) came from grants from area private foundations. Hallmark also supplied volunteers to help with labor on this and other areas of the building.
November 1993
The Family Center's Learning Center opens. Funding for this project was from Hallmark, Sprint, and Bikers With A Mission. BWAM has also funded a fully equipped nursery, backyard play equipment and hundreds of emergency assistance situations.
1995
The Learning Center for the Christian Life Program opens.
May 10, 1998
Rev. Maurice Vanderberg, 78, died
1999
City Union Mission kicked off the RESTORING HOPE campaign, raising over $3.7 million to build a new long-term recovery shelter for families and women and renovate other existing shelter areas. Staff, clients and supporters attended a ground-breaking ceremony on June 10.
