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We talk with Kelly Oakman, supervisor of the Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County food pantry, about what it takes to run a high-volume pantry receiving donations from partners like Target, Trader Joe’s, USDA, and local food banks, and why organization is more than neatness. For neighbors facing homelessness, addiction recovery, and the stress of starting over, order can be a kind of dignity.

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The new year didn’t wait for us to warm up. We step onto the track with a clean handoff, clear roles, and a shared aim: help more of our neighbors move from crisis to a stable home. After a wise succession from longtime leader Don Schisler, Charles Wolford leads Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County into 2026 with focus, humility, and momentum—protecting donor trust while accelerating services where the need is sharpest.

Across our city, capacity is tight and housing vouchers are shrinking. Chapels are full, shelter beds are near 95% nightly, and the stakes are high for people at the edge of homelessness. That’s why we’re launching a dedicated Welcome Center designed to shorten the distance between a plea for help and a real housing plan. With faster intake, strong assessment, and practical diversion, we ask better questions up front: What solution fits this person today? Is reunification possible? Can we stabilize quickly without pushing someone deeper into the homelessness pipeline? Our outreach team meets people where they are—under bridges, in encampments, outside hospitals—and connects them to the best fit across trusted partners in Tarrant County and beyond.

We’re also opening 24 recuperative care beds for neighbors leaving hospitals or behavioral health facilities with no safe place to heal. This bridge matters. A clean bed and coordinated support can prevent relapse, reduce repeat ER visits, and open the door to long-term housing. Through it all, we stay housing focused and faith forward—uniting staff, volunteers, donors, and partners to move in the same direction with compassion and measurable impact.

Lean in with us. Subscribe, share this episode with a friend who cares about ending homelessness, and leave a review to help more people find this work. Your voice and support move the mission faster.

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We welcome Father Rogers Meredith to share how a Christ-centered approach shapes chapel, discipleship, and daily care at Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County. He traces his path from life on the margin to priesthood and lays out a practical blueprint for preaching, Alpha, and volunteer service that restores dignity and keeps Jesus first.

• Christ-centered as the baseline for decisions and preaching
• The structure and purpose of 35 weekly chapel services
• Vetting, auditioning, and guiding chapel speakers via a lectionary
• Why testimony is not the sermon and Scripture leads
• Alpha’s listening model and its impact on dignity and belonging
• Deeper formation through Kingdom Agenda and Authentic Manhood
• The role and value of a dedicated women’s chaplain
• A call for volunteers and a charge to be doers, not hearers

Please register as a volunteer on the UGM website, complete the background check and orientation, and let the UGM-TC Volunteer Coordinator know you want to be a chapel speaker