By Barbara Comito
Ron, UGM's Day Room Manager, has been getting his hair cut at Dan's Barber Shop by Jody for about eight years. People are always commenting on Ron's perfect flat top. In fact, men in UGM's LIFE Recovery gave him the "Hair Excellence" award at an appreciation dinner earlier this year.
Several months ago, Jody brought her superior hair-cutting skills to the Union Gospel Mission. She volunteers every other Friday from 8 to 1 and generally does somewhere between 20-30 haircuts while she is here. I popped in this morning to ask her about her experience. She was cutting one man's hair with four others waiting in the small barber shop space.
Ron told me there was an interesting story behind how Jody got connected so I asked her how she got started.
"Well, I was considering it, so Ron invited me to come for a tour. I came in the west door where the admin offices are, and Ron showed me the dining room, the medical clinic, the counseling offices, and then he said, 'And this is the day room.' I peeked in, and..."
Jody stopped and excused herself. When she came back, she addressed the whole room, "When I saw all of you who are trying to do something with your life, how could I not do something?"
"Wasn't it Jesus who said, 'Who is my brother?' Well...these are my brothers."
Again, Jody had to stop. She wiped her eyes, apologized and ducked out of the room for a minute.
Kull, who was sitting in the barber chair mid-haircut said, "She's awesome. It's good to know there are people out there who actually care."
If you're considering how you might make an impact on the lives of the poor and homeless, we'd love to give you a tour of one of our facilities and talk about the possibilities. Just click on the link below for more information.
6 min read
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,...
1 min read
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...
5 min read
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...
1 min read
Barbara Comito, former marketing director : December 5, 2013
Editor's Note: As part of Lisa's journey from broken to whole, she has returned to her love for music. She wrote these lyrics specifically to...
1 min read
James Bishop : February 1, 2015
You came alongside us. People with strong support systems don’t usually end up in homeless shelters.
1 min read
Once basic needs are met through UGM shelter services, individuals can face the issues that have perpetuated their unwanted situation. Through case...
Barbara Comito, former marketing director