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Union Gospel Mission

Jim and Ken

6 min read

A Vessel for Jesus at the Crisis Shelter

Elizabeth Perricone is House Manager at the Union Gospel Mission Crisis Shelter for Women and Children. We asked her a few questions to hear about her heart for the homeless and how she sees God working at the Crisis Shelter. Her passion for sharing...

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3 min read

Dealing Faithfully with the Winter Blues

Several posts on the Impact Blog this month address some of the influences that can affect our mental state, such as lack of sleep or trauma....

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4 min read

Trauma Recovery

This month on the Impact Blog, we’re looking at issues of the mind: sadness, depression, anxiety, mental illness, darkness vs. light. There’s a wide...

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3 min read

Combatting Sleeplessness

Editor's Note: For the next month, we'll be looking at issues that seem particularly relevant during the gray, icy, short days of winter in the...

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3 min read

UGM's Role in Caring for the Poor

From its inception in 1951, Union Gospel Mission’s purpose has been to break – not perpetuate – the cycle of homelessness.

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3 min read

UGM Core Value: Pursuing Excellence

By Brad Crockett, UGM board member The value of Pursuing Excellence is an essential recognition that while we cannot attain perfection on this side...

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2 min read

4 Ways Your Business Can Partner with UGM

By Barbara Comito, Director of Marketing and Communications (Edited from a Spokane MarCom blog post) Some of UGM’s most prolific partners are...

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3 min read

Truly Loving Relationships

In UGM Recovery, the men and women learn that setting boundaries is part of having truly loving relationships. In fact, what seems like a loving...

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4 min read

UGM Core Value: Christlikeness

By Sonny Westbrook, UGM Director of Ministries One of the core values we hold dear here within UGM is Christ-likeness. Christ-likeness is the...

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4 min read

Terminal Uniqueness

By Mike Doggett, UGM Aftercare Manager In 1994, I white knuckled it! I was told that I had a drinking problem, and rather than accept this prognosis,...

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6 min read

World Homeless Day 2016

Each year, UGM tries to do something to mark this day – 10/10 – something to say, We see you. We’re paying attention. For the last two years, we’ve...

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3 min read

Volunteers: Rivers of Living Water

In many ways, volunteers make UGM’s world go ‘round. They help with everything from case management to medical care to chapel. In 2015, approximately...

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3 min read

UGM Core Value: Unified Teamwork

By Gayle Havercroft, UGM Facilities Manager There are many terms and words that give aspects to the idea of “team.” While other terms are useful, I...

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3 min read

UGM Core Value: God-dependence

By JoAnn Zajicek, Director at the Center for Women and Children During monthly staff meetings at UGM's Center for Women and Children, team members...

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3 min read

How a New Kidney Helped Me Better Understand Recovery

When Tiffany, Director of Vocational Advancement, discovered she needed a kidney transplant, finding a willing donor was no easy task. After waiting...

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3 min read

UGM Core Value: Stewardship

By Wil Wilhelm, former UGM Director of Development How many times have you heard a Sunday message at church about stewardship and the main point was...

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3 min read

The Journey toward Recovery

Recently, five men completed the UGM LIFE Recovery program. Each came to the Mission broken and found healing. These men shared about their journeys...

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3 min read

Kids in Recovery

A couple months ago, a staff member at the Crisis Shelter wrote a blog on what it’s like living at a homeless shelter as a kid. In response to that...

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2 min read

Camp Reflection: Kids Like Us

UGM Camp is over for the summer, but it's worth ruminating on those marvelous eight weeks a little longer. (Unfortunately, the last week of camp was...

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3 min read

The Crisis Shelter: Many Stories, One Home

Thousands of women and children have found solace at the Crisis Shelter since it opened in January 2007. They come from all walks of life. Some have...

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2 min read

Learning Life Lessons at Camp

By Ryan Brown, UGM Youth Outreach Director “Can I keep Him?” asked Marquise as he came walking towards me with a small Styrofoam cup. As I glanced...

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4 min read

What Can Prayer Do in the Face of So Much Pain?

By Ron Hauenstein, Crisis Shelter volunteer "What have we begun, when we pray like this? What have we done? Can we ever know – what seeds we sow,...

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2 min read

A Better Home for Women and Children in Crisis

The Face of Homelessness Let's play a word association game. I say "homeless." Quick. What picture comes to mind? Did you picture a man? A...

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3 min read

Employment Helps the Homeless

By Gabe Shippam, Director of Men's Rescue Work Ends Homelessness Years ago, I started a ministry in the worst neighborhood in San Diego. Daily, more...

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3 min read

The Fatal Attraction of Addiction

Editor’s note: If you’re like me, you can probably think of at least one habit you’ve tried to break that keeps resurfacing , leaving you frustrated....

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