Yakima Union Gospel Mission Ready to Help People Stay Warm

The Yakima Union Gospel Mission is prepared for the cold fall the winter months by increasing capacity to help more people who want shelter during the cold weather. Executive Director Mike Johnson says by December they'll be housing 152 men and 48 women in the mission shelter. Johnson says traditionally more men seek shelter in the winter than women who find places sometimes using their bodies as trade for a warm place to stay.

Johnson says the goal of the mission is to change lives and give people who are homeless hope. And he says over the last 12 months 36 people have found permanent homes or are back with families and are no longer using the mission. But others weren't as blessed.
Johnson says during that same time, the last 12 months 17 people have died who used the mission on a regular basis.
Johnson urges people to help the mission by scanning coupons at area stores that donate money to help the mission this upcoming cold and holiday season.