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Begun as a ministry by women of the
Methodist-Episcopal Church, Gum Moon enjoys a
continuing relationship as a project of the National
Division of the General Board of Global Ministries
of the United Methodist Church.
Gum Moon Residence of Today
Gum Moon Residence Hall continues to be a safe
affordable haven for single women in transition.
Through the years, our clientele has changed. The
women who come through these "golden doors" today
are no longer young, single, Chinese females working
or studying in San Francisco.
The average age of the present resident is 33 years.
Many of them come from Taiwan, China, or other parts
of the United States. Others are visitors from
European countries and other parts of the world.
Many of them hold part-time jobs while pursuing
further education. The occupations of these women
are diverse, ranging from chef, accountant, travel
agent to author and economist. Approximately 25% of
the residents are battered spouses who seek refuge
from abusive lifestyles. Others are women in
economic and geographical transition and need a
place to call home.
Gum Moon Residence Hall provides double and single
occupancy rooms and can house up to 30 women. The
rooms are furnished with beds, dressers, desks,
bookcases, chairs, and bedding. The facilities
include a communal kitchen with refrigerators and
dining area, laundry facilities, and living rooms
with cable television and VCR.
But Gum Moon is more than just a place to lay your
head at night. To Pegge Fields, a former resident,
Gum Moon offered "all kinds of opportunities for
living richly: sharing and learning, observing and
assimilating from cultural backgrounds of each
other, studying, working, playing together or side
by side, as well as enjoying the retreat and quiet
privacy of one's own room." It was "a haven, a place
of respite, a place to rebel against, a place to
temporarily hang up your hat."
Community Outreach- The Asian Women's Resource
Center
After more than 40 years of successfully providing
housing to women in need, the Board of Directors of
Gum Moon Residence Hall resolved to reach out to a
wider segment of the community in its provision of
social and educational services. This resolution
resulted in the establishment of the Asian Women's
Resource Center (AWRC), a community outreach project
of the Gum Moon Residence Hall. A community-wide
survey was then carried out to gauge the services
the AWRC would provide that would be most helpful to
the disadvantaged members of the community.
When the AWRC first opened its doors on May 18,
1984, it held an Open House celebration with the
theme, "Celebrating a Rich Heritage and a Bright
Future for Asian Women." This theme was derived from
the AWRC's mission to aid Asian women to be
self-supportive, realize their full potential in
employment and gain greater satisfaction out of life
in the United States. The clientele identified as
the most in need of assistance were the Asian women
who were in geographical and social transition.
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