Recent Newspaper Article

"First United Church at Hastings and Gore in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside is not your typical comfortable-pew, middle-class church. In fact it doesn’t have pews or any notion of catering to the middle classes.

Compared to most churches, First United has a decidedly different take on its mission. First United works with street people. It turns no one away and is the refuge of last resort for the most marginalized on the Downtown Vancouver Eastside.

It is not a pleasant place. Most of those seeking help have serious mental-health or addiction issues or both. What was once the Church sanctuary is now stacked with bunk beds. People seeking shelter and refuge come and go with no questions asked. Meals are provided as well as other support services.

I’ve visited the Church a few times and I never fail to come away with the utmost awe and respect for those who work and volunteer at First United. They work under the most trying conditions. Kudos as well to the United Church of Canada; instead of walking away from one of Vancouver’s most troubled and desperate neighborhoods, it dedicated its property to helping Vancouver’s poorest, then rolled up its sleeves and went to work helping those who have no place left to turn." 
(Bruce Stracham, The Prince George Citizen, 11-10-11)