UGM serves up 81st annual Christmas dinner to vulnerable residents

The Union Gospel Mission held its 81st annual Christmas dinner on Saturday, welcoming hundreds of people wanting a warm and comforting meal.

As guests lined up outside in the rain to get a seat, over 200 volunteers and kitchen staff were ready to serve them with a feast they had been preparing for days.

“This year, the nonprofit is serving more than 2,500 meals to the most vulnerable people in the Downtown Eastside,” said UGM spokesperson Sarah Chew.

“2,000 pounds of turkey, 800 pounds of mashed potatoes, and over 500 cherry pies.”

Chew says anyone who needs extra support this holiday season is always welcome to stop by.

“It is quite a family affair,” she said. “When people come in, they are known and recognized and they are able to feel like they belong.”

Enjoying her meal is Kelly Longpre, who has been visually impaired since birth as the result of a brain tumor. Longpre says services like this make life a little easier.

“I can’t live off of $500 a month from disability,” she said.

“I have a great community. I really find that people care about each other. They might show it in a different way, but everybody cares about each other.”

Naomi Gabriel says she’s been coming to the UGM for almost two decades and says the support she gets is very helpful in raising her daughter, especially because this is one of the most expensive cities in the country.

“It’s a lot of help because you don’t get too much being on disability and being a single mom,” she said.

“They help us out with some emergency food for home when we need it and clothing. When she is on a growth spurt, we can ask them to help upgrade her clothing.”

With the ongoing postal strike, the organization says donations haven’t been coming through, making this year a struggle.

“Events like this are possible through donations,” Chew said.

“It is critical that people don’t forget about us, especially during the postal strike. So 2025 could be affected, but we think the community will step up.”