UGM Vancouver: Volunteers Deserve an Impartial Review

October 20, 2025 John Zakharia Vancouver BRITISH COLUMBIA NEWS, City of Burnaby, City of Vancouver, Commentary and Views, EDUCATION, Events, Homeless Helpers, Homeless news, Injustice, John Zakharia Vancouver, Megaphone Magazine, Union Gospel Mission 0

Summary

On November 14, I attempted to volunteer for a half-day clothing-sorting shift at Union Gospel Mission (UGM) in Vancouver. I was refused by Tim Gabuna, Supervisor, Volunteer Resources, who—like Bethany Cheung—has never met me. The refusal relied on an alleged “past incident” that in fact was a minor disagreement with a staff member about seven years ago. There was no impartial investigation, no disclosure of particulars, and no opportunity for me to be heard.

This is not just about one person. UGM is donor-funded, and donors expect their contributions to translate into compassionate service and fair, unbiased processes. Excluding willing volunteers on the basis of untested, one-sided accounts frustrates donor intent and reduces service capacity when the community needs help most. UGM’s own public leadership and board list underscores where accountability ultimately sits. Union Gospel Mission

What Happened

  • Service intended: a single half-day to sort clothes for neighbors in need.

  • UGM’s refusal: an email citing “behaviours unacceptable for our volunteer code,” with no particulars and no hearing.

  • Context: the “behaviour” appears to reference a petty argument from ~7 years ago.

  • Material facts: Neither Mr. Gabuna nor Ms. Cheung has ever met me; my account has never been taken.

Why This Matters (Beyond Me)

  • Capacity: Turning away a half-day clothing-sorting volunteer reduces frontline capacity. People in need pay the price when policy is replaced by assumptions.

  • Stewardship: Donors fund UGM’s impact. Decisions that deter or exclude volunteers are stewardship decisions that donors reasonably expect to be impartial, documented, and reviewable.

  • Mission integrity: A Christian charity bears an even higher duty to hear people before judging them.

My Concerns (Carefully Stated)

  1. No impartial process / no right to be heard. Adverse decisions repeated by people who never met me, based on one-sided accounts.

  2. Reasonable apprehension of bias. I am a Middle Eastern volunteer with many years of service elsewhere. Sustaining a ban without meeting me or testing evidence raises a reasonable concern about bias.

  3. Possible undeclared conflict. Public pages list Tim Gabuna as a sermon speaker at Artisan Church in 2024–2025. In my opinion, prior public criticism I made of that church may have influenced perceptions. This underlines the need for a neutral reviewer not connected to prior decisions. artisanchurch.ca+1

What I’m Asking UGM To Do

  1. Commission an impartial review by a neutral decision-maker with no prior involvement.

  2. Disclose the record: dates, allegations, witnesses, and the applicable volunteer conduct/complaint policies at the time.

  3. Issue a reasoned determination addressing procedural fairness, bias concerns, and corrective steps (including apology and record correction, if warranted).

  4. Adopt safeguards so future volunteer disputes are assessed by trained, neutral reviewers on defined timelines.

  5. Report back to donors and the public with a brief, anonymized summary of process improvements, to uphold stewardship and trust.

About the Individuals Named Here

  • Tim Gabuna — Supervisor, Volunteer Resources at UGM (per his email). Public pages show him as a sermon speaker at Artisan Church (e.g., March 23 and May 11, 2025). artisanchurch.ca

  • Bethany Cheung — UGM staff who, to my knowledge, has not met me but has referenced historical allegations.

  • Note: Allegations about conduct in this post are my account and opinions based on direct experience and written communications. I invite UGM to provide information that corrects the record, and I will update this post fairly.

Contact UGM Leadership & Board (for respectful requests for a neutral review)

Executive Team

  • Dean Kurpjuweit, President.

  • Ryan Koch, Vice President, External Engagement.

  • Angel Tse, Vice President, Finance & Operations.

  • Stacey Reyes, Vice President, People Excellence.

  • Tara MacDonald, Vice President, Women and Families Programs.

  • Rob Thompson, Vice President, Men’s Programs.

  • Kris Knutson, Vice President, Outreach & Community Services.

  • Menna Tegene, Chief of Staff. Union Gospel Mission

Board of Directors

  • Gigi Chen-Kuo, Chairperson

  • Jim Barkman, Vice Chairperson

  • Kathy Chan, Treasurer

  • Dr. Joseph Yang, Secretary

  • Dr. Toma Timothy, Director

  • Jackee Kasandy, Director

  • Sara Robertson, Director

  • Dr. Trevor Wilson, Director

  • Danny Chase, Director

  • Anna King, Director

  • Robert Pasman, Director

  • Elaine Freeman, Director Union Gospel Mission

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