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Barbara Comito, former marketing director

Jim and Ken
2017 Association Board

3 min read

UGM Core Value: Total Accountability

As we shared in an earlier blog post, UGM stresses the importance of individual accountability for staff and residents. In this post, we want to share the ways in which UGM is striving for that accountability as an organization, as well.

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prayer circle

5 min read

The Blog Post You Don’t Want to Read

By Barbara Comito, UGM Marketing Director Who would ever read a blog post on Total Accountability? My staff said they wouldn’t. (So I changed the...

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Jenna-no-quote.jpg

3 min read

Who Are the Poor?

This is the third part of a series by UGM Marketing Director Barbara Comito. So far in this series, we’ve pretty well established that God does...

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2 min read

A Broken Hallelujah: What has Christmas to do with Suffering?

Love is not a victory march. It’s a cold and it’s a broken hallelujah. -Leonard Cohen By Barbara Comito, Director of Marketing A young friend asked...

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LOVE word_462-1

5 min read

What Does it Mean to Love the Poor?

In her last post, Barbara revisited what the Bible says about God's instruction for us to "love the poor." Here, she digs deeper into what that...

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4 min read

Does God Call You to Love the Poor?

Editor's note: This is Part 1 in a three-part series about loving the poor. Part 2 explores the meaning of the word "love"in this context, and Part 3...

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Helen_Before_and_After.jpg

1 min read

Helen: From Homeless to Grateful

(Editor's note: The following article appeared in the Coeur d'Alene Press on November 26, 2016) Three years ago, Helen Webster, 60, was living on the...

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Zachariah and Elexis.sm.jpg

4 min read

Stories within a Story

My title is Director of Marketing & Communications, but my job is telling stories. For almost nine years, in one way or another, I’ve been...

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Photo by Tyler Milligan on Unsplash

5 min read

I Resolve to Remember

By Barbara Comito, Director of Marketing and Communications 2015 was a rough year for me and my family. My husband lost his job of 16 years due to a...

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2 min read

Lose the Label: Chronically Homeless

Troy is a likable guy with a quick smile. He learned and remembered my name the first time I met him, and ever since then, if I pass him – even if...

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4 min read

Lose the Label: Felon

By Barbara Comito, UGM Director of Marketing & Communications For most of his 49 years, Keith Kautzman had a pattern of behavior: Whenever difficulty...

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mike-home_featured

3 min read

Homelessness: It's About People

Editor's Note: This blog post is part of a series on homelessness. Part 1 explained the magnitude and complexity of the problem. Part 2 was a story...

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Homeless man

4 min read

Helping the Homeless: bad news first

Editor's Note: This blog post was first pubished on December 12, 2013 and has been thoroughly updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness. It's part...

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Jeff small

3 min read

More than Soup: feeding the hungry

The Union Gospel Mission serves more than 900 meals a day at its four shelters, and if you’ve ever visited during meal time, you know we’re not...

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4 min read

Lose the Label

By Barbara Comito, UGM Director of Marketing & Communications In early summer, the UGM Marketing & Communications team (two graphic designers, a...

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5 min read

How to Prevent Relapse

Alcohol has dominated Jill Connor's life for the better part of 15 years. She has been through five separate treatment centers, but her sobriety...

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4 min read

Relapse. Relapse. Relapse.

Editor's Note: Jill lost her battle with alcoholism on August 28, 2018. Relapse on Repeat By Barbara Comito, UGM Director of Marketing &...

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1 min read

Recovering from a Broken Heart

When Jill was 36, her 10-year-old son died of leukemia. Four years later, her mom died of cancer. The grief threatened to swallow Jill whole.

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Dean-Lynch

3 min read

I Didn't Have a Job

Poor work history. Felony record. Long periods of unemployment. Addiction issues. Lack of education. No transportation. No appropriate work attire....

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brothers

5 min read

I was invited to a homeless party.

You are too. By Barbara Comito, UGM Director of Marketing I am SOOO not a party girl. My idea of a great time is a hot bath with a detective mystery....

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3 min read

I Resolve to Wrestle

My One Word: Wrestle By Barbara Comito, UGM Director of Marketing For the past several years, rather than make a list of New Years' resolultions,...

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2 min read

When you donate to UGM, where does your money go?

Frequently Asked Questions: How will my donation be used? By Barbara Comito, Director of Marketing & Communications When we asked the volunteers who...

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1 min read

The Hells Angels and the UGM Crisis Shelter are neighbors.

The Softer Side of the Hells Angels By Barbara Comito, Director of Marketing & Communications The Hells Angels may have an image problem. Personally,...

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Bilbo chooses adventure over comfort

2 min read

Recovery: a story of brokenness and healing

Editor's note: This is the third post in a special Advent devotional series, focusing on Isaiah 61:1-3. You may also want to read the introduction,...

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