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Lynn Yount, UGM Volunteer: December 27, 2016
The December Mission News focused on one of the happiest by-products of recovery: children being reunited with their moms, and not merely being reunited, but women being the moms their children need, the moms they've always wanted to be. We're...
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Barbara Comito, former marketing director: December 23, 2016
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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Barbara Comito, former marketing director: December 20, 2016
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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Lynn Yount, UGM Volunteer: December 16, 2016
Jessie’s 23-year drug and alcohol addiction had already cost her a son and a daughter, taken from her as babies. But she had managed to hang on to...
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Union Gospel Mission: December 14, 2016
From its inception in 1951, Union Gospel Mission’s purpose has been to break – not perpetuate – the cycle of homelessness.
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Barbara Comito, former marketing director: December 8, 2016
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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Lynn Yount, UGM Volunteer: December 2, 2016
If you hang around UGM for any time at all, you’ll hear talk of the difference between “checking the boxes” and pursuing real life change. Even when...
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Lynn Yount, UGM Volunteer: December 1, 2016
Geraldine Fait’s connection to UGM goes all the way back to the Mission’s earliest days. Her husband, Fred, was a policeman assigned to the “skid...
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Barbara Comito, former marketing director: November 29, 2016
(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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Union Gospel Mission: November 25, 2016
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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Merrily Roe, former staff writer: November 23, 2016
Almost exactly two years ago, I came to Union Gospel Mission at a time when I was learning what felt like extremely hard (but extravagantly...
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Union Gospel Mission: November 18, 2016
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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Union Gospel Mission: November 16, 2016
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...
3 min read
Merrily Roe, former staff writer: November 11, 2016
Military service ran in Ben’s family. Growing up, he planned to follow suit. But first, he wanted to let loose. “I moved to Arizona and I started...
3 min read
Lynn Yount, UGM Volunteer: November 9, 2016
Annie Crain thought her medical career was behind her when the former RN and her husband moved back to her native Spokane area last year after...
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Merrily Roe, former staff writer: November 3, 2016
He had the jobs, made the money, wore the nice clothes, had the stuff, but Eric Samuels never quite felt good enough. “I was striving to do good all...
4 min read
Union Gospel Mission: October 28, 2016
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...
4 min read
Barbara Comito, former marketing director: October 25, 2016
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...
1 min read
James Bishop: October 19, 2016
Roberta, Kathi, and Ginger - lovingly referred to by the Center staff as the "faithful team" - earned their nickname because of their dedication to...
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Phil Altmeyer, Executive Director: October 19, 2016
After 30 years in homeless ministry, you'd think I would have it all figured out, that I could coast along to retirement. I'm chuckling at the...
4 min read
Union Gospel Mission: October 13, 2016
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,...
6 min read
Union Gospel Mission: October 10, 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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Union Gospel Mission: October 7, 2016
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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Union Gospel Mission: October 5, 2016
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...
3 min read
Merrily Roe, former staff writer: September 30, 2016
A year ago, you may have seen a beautiful, bright red-haired woman named Rachel on some of UGM’s billboards, with the word "Addict" crossed out. You...
