Robert Miller, medical records at Columbia Medical
One in Ten: Odds that a person who has been out of work for more than 27 weeks will find a job this month.
5,002,000: The long-term unemployed, measured by the number of Americans unemployed and searching for work for more than 27 weeks, was 5 million in the month of October 2012. (from the Bureau of Labor Statistics)
There's an obvious connection between joblessness and homelessness: Many homeless people have been out of work for months or even years. The longer a person is unemployed, the harder it is to find work. Complicating that fact even further are the additional hurdles many of our residents face: poor work histories, a lack of references, criminal records, insufficient skills and/or education, unhealthy methods of coping with conflict and stress.
That's why in 2011, UGM stepped up its efforts to help people get back to work by adding a Vocational Advancement department. In the 4th phase of our recovery programs, after education and aptitude assessments, computer skills classes, workshops on appropriate workplace attire and behavior, men and women engage in a business practicum experience - 240 hours of volunteer work with a local business in their area of interest. Here are a few of those men and women in their various placements:
Jeff May, carpenter at Rockwood Retirement Community
Brittany Branch, health & wellness assistant at YMCA
Diane Beck, disaster prevention coordinator at American Red Cross
Emilie Crossley, marketing at Interplayers Theatre
Tamara Davis, office coordinator at Casey Law Firm
Upon completion of their business practicum experience, many of our residents have been hired full time. Stay tuned for more on where UGM graduates are working . . .
To read Executive Director Phil Altmeyer's thoughts on the importance of work, check out "A Gift in Disguise."
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From 2001 to 2026 This year, Union Gospel Mission of the Inland Northwest celebrates 75 years of changing lives in our communities. Over the years,...
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Phil Altmeyer, Executive Director, Leanne White, Content and Communications Specialist: June 4, 2026
In the 1980s, I was part of Campus Crusade, a ministry working with students—future leaders—on a college campus, believing they'd make an impact on...
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In our previous newsletter, we reflected on the Mission’s early years—those initial twenty-five years driven by courageous women and men who launched...
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Union Gospel Mission : October 24, 2012
It's hard to break the cycle of homelessness if you can't get a job. In UGM's Vocational Advancement department, staff work with residents to create...
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James Bishop : April 1, 2015
Omega Pacific Omega Pacific, a local manufacturer of climbing gear, has hired two men from UGM’s Employment Ready Program. Here, Director of...
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Union Gospel Mission : January 1, 2014
Below are two letters of gratitude from individuals experiencing radical life change through UGM’s LIFE Recovery programs. We were encouraged to read...
Barbara Comito, former marketing director