Andy Bales Bio

Andy is a nationally respected homelessness leader whose four decades on the front lines have been defined by deep compassion, moral courage, and an unwavering commitment to restoring the lives of those in crisis.

Andy currently serves as Executive Director of the Children and Family Urban Movement in Des Moines, where he has rebuilt donor trust, doubled revenue, secured major multi-year funding, fully staffed the organization, and expanded student services and meal programs by more than 100%. His leadership continues to demonstrate his lifelong belief that every person—especially the most vulnerable—deserves safety, dignity, and genuine opportunity.

From 2005 to 2023, Andy served as President & CEO of the Union Rescue Mission in Los Angeles, transforming one of the nation’s largest homeless service organizations into a model of comprehensive, recovery-driven care. He oversaw a $40M+ annual budget, a 1,500-guest campus on Skid Row, a 77-acre family restoration community, and a new South LA campus—achievements fueled entirely by private generosity thanks to his exceptional fundraising leadership, including a single $30M gift.

Andy has received dozens of local and national honors, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Nehemiah Award from Citygate Network, and designation as a “Point of Light” by President George H.W. Bush.

Across every role, Andy’s work has centered on one mission: to meet suffering with action, despair with hope, and homelessness with solutions that restore human lives.