2 min read
Honoring Lives Changed
The 2025 Life Recovery commencees have journeyed through deep valleys of struggle and hardship. Yet, with resilience and grace, they have emerged...
1 min read
The 2025 Life Recovery commencees have journeyed through deep valleys of struggle and hardship. Yet, with resilience and grace, they have emerged stronger, ready to embrace a future filled with purpose and hope. Today, they stand as living testaments to transformation—committed to sobriety, dedicated to meaningful work, and actively involved in the supportive community that has surrounded them throughout their healing process.
Their progress didn’t happen in isolation. It was nurtured by the steady presence of care, mentorship, and spiritual encouragement. And most importantly,
It was made possible by your continued
generosity, prayers, and belief in their potential.
This celebration that we have every June marks a time for these individuals to rejoice in their deliverance, reflecting on all they’ve overcome, and looking ahead as they embark on a lifelong recovery journey.
Thank you to everyone who supported and celebrated those who have completed UGM’s Life Recovery Program at this year’s Commencement, both in-person and online! This show of support means so much to the men and women we honored. The evening was filled with inspiring moments: worship led by UGM staff and residents, powerful testimonies from Life Recovery commencees, and words of encouragement from alumni.
Hear the powerful testimonies of this year’s Life Recovery commencees!
Thank you for sharing your time, talents, and resources with them. Support from friends like you has provided them with a safe place to heal, restore dignity, and pave a pathway out of homelessness and addiction.
We can’t wait to watch their stories unfold. May God continue to bless them abundantly!
"I love myself again...I feel a newfound freedom and love for life. Joy. Joy in everything...I look forward to getting up every day and working and having this life that's not heartache anymore."
You make this possible—you make recovery free, and you help us provide services for men, women, and children to pave pathways out of homelessness and addiction. Give today and make recovery free for someone who needs it.
4 min read
Embracing Grace
Chrystin struggled with alcoholism for sixteen years before entering UGM’s recovery program. “I felt so defeated and was lying in bed, drinking, just...
3 min read
Finding Opportunity, Finding Something Lasting
At Union Gospel Mission, we understand that meeting urgent needs—food, shelter, medical care, and job training—is just the beginning. These are the...
Christmas at UGM: A warm welcome into a community that cares
Genevieve Gromlich, former Content and Communications Manager : December 15, 2022
The snow has come, the days are nearly at their shortest, and Christmas is right around the corner. But what is Christmas if you’re homeless? Is...
UGM Gathering 2025
At this year’s Gathering, we heard real stories from real people about how they—empowered by the tools, resources, and support UGM offers—have...
From Isolation to Community: Feeling alive again
Joseph is a welcoming presence at the UGM Men’s Shelter, cherished by staff, residents, and volunteers alike. However, beneath Joseph’s kind exterior...