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LIFE
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Inside stories of hope,
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Jim and Ken

Rescue

5 min read

What Causes Homelessness? (It Isn't Always Addiction)

We talk a lot about the cycle of homelessness and addiction here at UGM. We know that substance abuse is a contributing factor for a large percentage...

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1 min read

Caring for Women and Children

Russ Henderson isn’t letting his age get in the way of helping those in need. At 91, he’s an avid supporter of the women and children at Anna Ogden...

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1 min read

Church Connections: Heart of the City

Raydeane Owens, lead pastor at Heart of the City Church in Coeur d’Alene, recently described why the church believes it’s important to welcome those...

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Trace-Rockwood

2 min read

Trace - Homeless

Trace spent 15 years intermittently homeless, fluctuating from employed to unemployed, living on the streets or in an RV without heat, running water...

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Take Action: Give a Hand Up

How many times have you pulled up to a stop light and seen a man or woman holding a cardboard sign, asking for help? No one likes to see people...

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1 min read

Changed by Volunteering

Jerry Coatney was literally ecstatic when he got an email from Greg Barclay saying that UGM was looking for a driver. Jerry had wanted to volunteer...

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5 min read

10 Lessons I keep learning at the Union Gospel Mission: Part 2

Editor's Note: A few days ago, volunteer David Wang shared a few of the lessons he’s learned spending time with homeless men in the day room at the...

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5 min read

10 Lessons I keep learning at the Union Gospel Mission: Part 1

Editor's Note: Washington State University professor David Wang is a volunteer in the day room at UGM. His is a ministry of relationship or, as David...

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Ron at CS

5 min read

RESCUE: A Ministry of Disappointments

Overcoming poverty, addiction and abuse By Ron Hauenstein, UGM high-impact volunteer Staff and volunteers at the Union Gospel Mission experience a...

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3-2014-Phil-1

1 min read

The Darkest Dark

Do you remember the darkest dark you’ve ever experienced? I know I do.

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2 min read

Homeless women: Who will believe in them?

Editor's Note: This is the first in a regular series, "The Crisis: a Troubling Reality." We will begin to examine and discuss the causes, conditions...

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5 min read

The Crisis Shelter: a safe place for homeless women and children

Seven years ago this week, UGM opened the Crisis Shelter for Women & Children at 1234 E Sprague. This week also marked the Shelter’s 10,000th...

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1-7-14-Tim_Whitman

2 min read

Rescue: From Homeless to Housed and Employed

Not everyone who walks through the doors of one of UGM’s shelters needs the same kind of help. Case in point: Tim Whitman. Tim had been sober for two...

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1 min read

Mental Health and Homelessness

Holly Simons, a psychiatric nurse, worked in the prison system for 10 years and first visited UGM while researching safe places for an inmate to go...

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Take Action: Spread the Warmth

UGM is partnering with Burlington Coat Factory again this year for the Warm Coats/Warm Hearts Campaign.

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DSC_9284

4 min read

Why is homelessness higher among veterans?

11% of the adult homeless population are veterans. 20% of the male homeless population are veterans. About 1.4 million other veterans, meanwhile, are...

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1 min read

A little girl's dream

Amanda & daughter Daisy "I think it's safe to say that when our residents were little girls, they did not dream of growing up to stay at a homeless...

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1 min read

Meet Lenore

Lenore puts together the welcome baskets for new guests at the Center. From my perspective, Lenore McDonald is a volunteer extraordinaire. She says...

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1 min read

Americorps Adventure

Next week,* Luke Hauflin, 21, will be headed off to Sacramento, California to join Americorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps). For now, he...

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PaulCover2

5 min read

The New Paul

Paul folded his lanky frame into one of the red chairs in my small office. I sat in the other, our knees less than a foot apart. He was wearing a...

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3 min read

I Was in Prison

I was in prison and you gave me a second chance. Paul Staley was a self-described “peace-loving man.” A product of the sixties. A flower child. A...

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1 min read

Kids in Lock-Up

Danny Beard has been running UGM’s volunteer ministry at Juvenile Detention since 1985. Every once in a while, he runs into someone around town who...

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1 min read

The Need for Change: homeless women and children

THE BIG PICTURE Families make up 34% of the total US homeless population. 87% of homeless families are headed by women. (Single-parent families are...

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2 min read

Dear Beer: A good-bye letter

Editor’s Note: We found this letter in our parking lot. As you can see, it was an assignment – write a good-bye letter to your drug of choice. Dear...

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