Union Rescue Mission

The Union Rescue Mission (URM) is a private Christian homeless shelter in downtown Los Angeles's Skid Row. It is the largest private homeless shelter in the United States. Founded in 1891, it provides emergency and long-term services including food, shelter, clothing, medical and dental care, recovery programs, transitional housing, legal assistance, education, counseling, and job training. Union Rescue Mission is part of the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions.

The URM was founded by Lyman Stewart, founder of the Union Oil Company and Biola University, as a Christian missionary outreach. It was initially called the Pacific Gospel Union, and it sponsored revival meetings in tents. Only in 1903 did the organization purchase a permanent home. In 1926, the City of Los Angeles purchased their property in order to build the Los Angeles City Hall, so the URM moved to a new building which came to be called "the Mission on Main Street". In the 1940s it was managed by George Hummel.

In 1955, Helga Bender Henry, wife of Carl F.H. Henry, wrote a centennial history of the nation's largest rescue mission. Henry reported that the URM had served 328,822 meals in 1953. In the preceding 20 years, the Mission had served over 5 million meals. At that time, Clinton Goodwin, who had a well-known story, was house manager. Another counselor of note was FW Demara, the Great Imposter.

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