PASADENA, CA – More than a hundred enthusiastic Union Station Foundation supporters joined Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, Congressman Adam Schiff, State Senator Jack Scott, Assemblymember Carol Liu and Rita Hadjimanoukian, Field Deputy for Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich on Friday, April 21 for the ground breaking of the site that will house a new shelter for homeless women. Guests were treated to tours of the existing shelter at 412 S. Raymond Avenue. Representatives from numerous city departments and social service agencies joined Union Station donors, volunteers, board members, staff, clients and alumni to hear about Union Station’s plans to open a women’s dorm and remodel the existing Adult Center to provide more comprehensive services to its homeless clients.

The new dormitory for homeless women is even more urgently needed now than when the project was originally conceived in 1999. The City of Pasadena’s 2005 Homeless Count found that 1,217 men, women and children were homeless on a single day, an increase of 42% over the total number of homeless people counted in 2003, and the highest number since the City began conducting such counts in 1992. More than one-third of the homeless adults in Pasadena are women.

Mayor Bogaard reflected on the opening of the original building 20 years ago and how the city council unanimously approved the project over community opposition. Congressman Shift commented that he is proud that the city has come together to provide the finest homeless shelter creating a safe, warm and beautiful environment for the clients to rebuild their lives, permanently attaining dignity and purpose.

Scheduled to open in early 2007 the building renovation and expansion will include: a new 20-bed dormitory for women that will allow Union Station to help more than twice as many single women; offices for clients to meet privately with their case managers; a multi-purpose room for classes, support groups and meetings; expanded food storage and freezer capacity to allow Union Station to accept larger donations, thereby cutting operating costs, and; additional parking for staff and volunteers.

For more information about the construction and renovation please contact Kandy Nunn at (626) 240-4559 or visit our website at www.unionstationhs.org.