LifeChange graduates

On Saturday, January 28, Union Gospel Mission gathered to honor four graduates of the LifeChange addiction recovery community.  Our graduates, Chance, Linda, Kim and Leah (pictured) spent four years learning not only to overcome their addictions, but also to transform their lives and heal from past hurts.  All of the graduates endured trauma from past abuse, bouts of homelessness, and self-destructive addiction.  Each graduate worked very hard at their recovery and discovering the new person they could become.

At the graduation celebration it was evident that not only the graduates had experienced healing, but their families had as well.  The parents of the graduates had restored relationships with their adult children.  Leah’s  children, ranging in age from mid-20s to age 12,  sat at the table with Leah, proud of their mother’s accomplishment.  Linda’s adult daughter traveled across the country to attend Linda’s graduation.

It was truly a heartwarming evening to see how far these graduates had come!

Purchase your tickets using this link and be sure to use the code FAITHUGM.  A portion of tickets sold for this game will be donated to Union Gospel Mission.

Make plans to watch the Blazers beat the Sacramento Kings and support Union Gospel Mission!

Union Gospel Mission saw demand for meals increase by 29% in 2011, with total meals served at 170,585.  The largest area of growth was Union Gospel Mission’s hot breakfasts and hot lunches, with 66,625 meals served last year.  In addition to meals served at Union Gospel Mission, 1,801 food boxes were distributed to individuals and families in need.  Food box demand was especially heavy during the holiday season, when the Mission supplied over 100 Thanksgiving food boxes (including turkeys and pumpkin pie!) The Mission also supplied Christmas food boxes and distributed toys to families with children.

In 2011, Union Gospel Mission also conducted a survey of guests that access the Mission’s services.  Some of the heartbreaking statistics include: 29% of our guests had experienced physical violence in the past year, 39% of our guests are struggling with mental illness, and 50% of our guests have been homeless for more than one year.

Thank you for sharing God’s love with people who are struggling to meet their basic needs.

The cold days of January and February are here and Union Gospel Mission continues to meet the needs of the homeless struggling to stay warm in winter temperatures.  Every weekday Union Gospel Mission operates a clothing closet and distributes coats, blankets, socks and clothing of all kinds to those in need.  When it’s cold demand increases.

In addition, Union Gospel Mission serves as an overnight emergency cold weather shelter when temperatures drop below 32 degrees.  For the emergency shelter, as many as 50 people sleep on mats in the Mission’s dining room. When we provide shelter, we need to provide blankets and sleeping bags to our guests.

You can help! Union Gospel Mission is seeking donations of: socks, blankets, sleeping bags, coats, hoodie sweatshirts, boots or wet weather shoes, pants, and underwear.  Please drop these items off at Union Gospel Mission at 3 NW Third Avenue in Portland or call 503-274-4483.

Rick and Doug serve snacks in the dayroom at the Mission

Put your talents to use and serve people in need by volunteering at Union Gospel Mission in 2012.  Union Gospel Mission is seeking volunteers for many different roles.  Some of our needs include volunteers to serve at Union Gospel Mission’s thrift store, helping run the store with the residents of the Mission’s LifeChange addiction recovery community.  Other posts include serving the homeless guests during weekdays in the day room. Day room volunteers serve snacks, coffee and help distribute clothing.

That is just a sample of the volunteering possibilities available at Union Gospel Mission.  If you are interested in volunteering, the first step is to attend “Volunteer Encounter” a meeting which will acquaint you with the work of the Mission and the many volunteer roles available.   The next Volunteer Encounter takes place on Tuesday, February 21 from 7:00 pm – 8:30 at Union Gospel Mission.  All you need to do to attend is RSVP is fill out the form on this page.

If you have questions about volunteering at the Mission, please email our volunteer coordinator, Heidi Hege heidih@ugmportland.org

LifeChange resident Tony hands out a food box

Thanks to generous support from our community, Union Gospel Mission is handing out dozens of food boxes this Wednesday afternoon.  Many people are lined up outside the Mission waiting for a food box, and other boxes are being dropped off at churches and to others.

Over the past two weeks, Union Gospel Mission has been receiving a high volume of food requests from individuals, families and churches.  This follows a two year trend of increased demand for food boxes by people who are not homeless, but very strapped financially, and they need food assistance.

The typical Thanksgiving food box handed out today contains canned food, stuffing mix, apple juice, potatoes, dinner rolls, a turkey and a pumpkin pie.  The food boxes were assembled by residents in Union Gospel Mission’s addiction recovery community, LifeChange and volunteers.

Help Union Gospel Mission provide Thanksgiving meals for people in need

Thanksgiving will soon be here! Union Gospel Mission is preparing to serve up to 1,500 meals to the homeless and people in need.  Union Gospel Mission is also helping low-income individuals and families have a happy Thanksgiving, by providing Thanksgiving food boxes with all the fixings. We have been receiving a very high volume of requests for Thanksgiving food boxes.  We would like to fill every request, but we need donations of unfrozen turkeys for food boxes.

The other big need is for our Thanksgiving day meal – we need dinner rolls! If you can help with either of these needs, please drop them off at 3 NW Third Avenue or contact our Food Service Coordinator, Lori at loriq@ugmportland.org or call 503-274-4483.

Guests waiting for emergency overnight shelter

The cold weather has arrived and that means Union Gospel Mission will be providing emergency overnight shelter to the homeless.  We are seeking a dedicated volunteer who is skilled at working with the homeless, diffusing conflict and has the ability and willingness to volunteer overnight.  This position involves setting up for the overnight shelter, supervising shelter guests, and assisting in clean up after the shelter hours are over.

The hours for this volunteer role are 9:00 pm – 5:30 am, or a possible position share involving a split shift of 9:00 pm -1:00 am or 1:00 am – 5:30 am.

If you are a night owl with a calm and steady demeanor and would like to serve in this very important role, please contact Heidi Hege, volunteer coordinator heidih@ugmportland.org or 503-274-4483 ex 513.

SLAM breakfast- delicious & nutritious

The Union Gospel Mission SLAM Breakfast Served 585 meals Saturday the 12 th of November! This 1st time ever event broughtprotein maxed meals to those who need the nutrition the most. Eggs, sausage, bacon, sausage patties, fruit, pancakes, and all the fixings were dished up to the homeless, the campers and the neediest of the poor in the inner city. Over 30 volunteers from People’s Bible Church and Union Gospel Mission poured boundless energy like the syrup on the pancakes to make this event a smashing success.

Homeless guests outside lined up for dinner

This week saw the first freezing temperature and the weather is getting colder and wetter.  Union Gospel Mission is experiencing ashortage of blankets, and we really need your help.

Can you help someone who is trying to make it on the streets, trying to stay warm night after night? A blanket could make a big difference!  Please drop off blankets at 3 NW Third Ave., in Portland (corner of NW 3rd & Burnside)

Or, take it a step further- organize a blanket drive at your workplace, church or school.  Please contact Stacy at stacyk@ugmportland.org for more information on how to organize your drive.