After devastating burst pipe, Union Gospel Mission looks for help cleaning up, covering damage

Thirty-nine women and children, most dressed in the pajamas they had just received for Christmas, were sleeping soundly at the Union Gospel Mission when a frozen pipe erupted, spewing a flood of water.

In the aftermath, the second-oldest Union Gospel Mission in the United States faces a massive cleanup effort and damages expected to top $100,000. UGM staff has worked nearly around the clock since the pipe burst at 11 p.m. Monday, finding shelter for their displaced guests, ensuring they have the mental health support the guests need and beginning to remove the damaged clothing and supplies from the building at 701 E. Eighth St.

People can help UGM recover from this loss in three ways, said Elly Heckel, communications and marketing director.

“If people can pray, donate or serve, that would be amazing,” she said.

The UGM, which opened 123 years ago in Sioux Falls, operates out of two buildings. The men’s shelter is across the street from the 110-year-old building that houses the women’s center, thrift store and distribution center. UGM offers its guests shelter, food, clothing, education and health services.

On Monday, fire alarms had gone off, alerting the team to a potential problem. Then, suddenly, the pipe above the women’s shelter on an upper floor burst. Guests were moved to the main floor, but the floodwaters have affected all four floors of the building.

UGM director Eric Weber drove to Sioux Falls in the middle of the night from his home in Rock Valley, Iowa. The fire alarms had summoned emergency services.

“Seriously, there was amazing work from our fire department and police department. Without them, what would we do,” Heckel said.

UGM staff members transported the women and children across the street to the men’s center and the next morning began planning where to house them. Case managers and community health workers reached out to other human services partners such as St. Francis House, Call to Freedom, the Children’s Home Shelter for Families, Bishop Dudley Hospitality House and Avera Behavioral Health for emergency placements. St. Francis House took most of the displaced clients, Heckel said.

“Staff has been doing their best to ensure guests know that they have another housing option available until we can reopen the shelter again,” said Roechelle Williams, a UGM community health worker. “In fact, our whole team is working together to get them where they need to be, and we will be in communication with them about their individual needs.”

To ensure continuity, UGM staff will work closely with the clients, Weber said.

“We will still continue to help them find hope and stability in their everyday needs,” he said. “We are not passing them off to the other agencies. Our team will be present in their facilities.”

Currently, UGM is not accepting any outside donations that are not needed for the crisis, Heckel said. The donation center and thrift store will be closed during the cleanup. Heckel said the hope is to have them open in the next two or three weeks.

Items that are needed for the women’s center include money for new beds, bedding, mattresses, linens, towels, toys, clothing and computers. To make a financial donation, visit ugmsiouxfalls.com/support, drop it off at the main office location or mail it to 701 E. Eighth St., Sioux Falls, SD 57103.

For all questions on specific donation items needed or to inquire about volunteer opportunities, call 605-334-6732 to make an appointment or email office@ugmsiouxfalls.com. Donation of items such as clothing will be accepted by appointment only.

Chapel is offered at 7 p.m. daily, and Bible studies and other programs are continuing uninterrupted. Meal services offered three times a day, seven days a week have resumed at the men’s center, 220 N. Weber Ave. The food box distribution, canceled Tuesday, should return from 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday if progress goes well this week.

That progress will rely strongly on volunteer help, Heckel said. “We’re looking for volunteers to help clean up the flooding,” she said. “We need 20 to 30 different volunteers every day to keep us on track to get the cleanup done.”

UGM operates a baler that compresses unusable clothing and binds the bales with wire. The bales of clothes eventually will be turned into rags or end up on the international clothing market. Baling the clothing keeps the items from the landfill. The landfill will be the final destination for some of the clothing ruined in the flood, but UGM is striving to minimize that.

“What we did right away in our thrift center, we aired the clothing out with fans so we can bale it.,” Heckel said. “Every time we do a bale or a shipment to our vendor, it’s $10,000 back to the Mission. That’s why we purchased the baler.”

While the Mission appreciates all volunteers, it is most helpful if people call ahead of time so staff know how many to expect, Heckel said.

UGM will not accept any clothing that is ripped, soiled or torn at this point, Heckel said. The preference is for new clothing, particularly to replace Christmas gifts distributed Sunday and lost in Monday’s flood.