Union Rescue Mission

The Union Rescue Mission is an evangelical Christian ministry committed to sharing the gospel and meeting the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of the homeless and poor in our community every day since 1950. We provide the largest emergency shelter and life-change center for men in the state of Kansas. The Mission’s 6-acre campus in Wichita provides overnight housing and meals for homeless men, in addition to residential programs and job training opportunities. 

Solid Ground is a Christ-centered, residential program for individuals who are ready to commit to more intensive support in the process of working through life issues using biblical studies and principles. Participants spend 9-12 months attending classes that deal with issues of the head, heart, and hands. There are multiple phases that incorporate different tools to assist individuals along the path to “solid ground.” In every phase of the program participants are assigned a case manager to meet with regularly.

Courage to Change (C2C) is a short-term program to help individuals take active steps toward change through basic goal setting principles. Case managers provide healthy support, encouragement, and accountability as participants take steps towards ending their homelessness and seeking stable living. Once individuals attain stable income, they are required to begin saving a reasonable portion until they can secure stable housing. URM assists with employment transportation for a limited time, setting a healthy expectation for them to then maintain it on their own.

Respite and Recovery - 

The National Healthcare for the Homeless Council (NHCHC) reports that “there is ample evidence that homeless people experience higher rates of serious health problems than do people with stable housing, that they have more limited access to appropriate health services, that they tend to use the costliest services to meet their healthcare needs, and that they are frequently unable to adhere to treatment even when they are able to access health services.”

Research shows that homeless patients who participate in respite and recovery programs are 50 percent less likely to be readmitted to a hospital at three months and twelve months post-hospital discharge.  Avoiding costly discharge delays as well as reducing hospital readmissions generates significant savings for hospitals and communities.

Respite is not a licensed medical program, but rather a place of rest and recovery for those in need.

NewLeaf Book Mercantile is a re-purposing enterprise of the Union Rescue Mission.  We take donated books and turn them into jobs for the unemployed, meals for the hungry and life-altering services for the homeless. No books donated here end up at the landfill. Everything gets either used or recycled.

Through our Community Outreach Programs we distribute free supplemental groceries and baby diapers/formula to families and single mothers in need.