New Video! LifeChange Stories: Dave Johnson

Our latest installment of "LifeChange Stories," profiles of individuals in the LifeChange recovery community. Dave shares his heartbreaking story of childhood abuse, drug use, prison and his eventual decision to seek help in Union Gospel Mission's LifeChange recovery community.



To make a donation to support LifeChange, Click here

New Video: Hope Tote collection day!

Some wonderful church youth and others have brought in thousands of hygiene items and assembled them into "hope totes" - hygiene kits to be given away to the homeless and people in need at the Easter Brunch.

Meet Russ Silver!

Union Gospel Mission is pleased to have Russ Silver join the Union Gospel Mission staff. Russ will be the Homeless Services and Outreach Coordinator. Although Russ is a new staff member, he is not new to Union Gospel Mission.

Russ graduated from Union Gospel Mission’s LifeChange addiction recovery program in February 2006. While in LifeChange Russ underwent an amazing transformation- Click here to read about Russ's LifeChange journey. (Russ is pictured at left at his LifeChange graduation, with fellow LifeChange grad turned staff member, Dave White) Shortly after graduating, Russ volunteered and spent a year in Biloxi, Mississippi helping to repair the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. During his volunteer experience he met Barbara, a fellow volunteer from Missouri. They married and are now expecting a baby boy on May 1^st.

Russ’s role at Union Gospel Mission will include working collaboratively with LifeChange residents to provide services to the homeless more effectively by building relationships, helping the homeless to find resources and helping those on the edge of homelessness. Russ will also be involved in expanding the Mission services beyond the Old Town/Chinatown neighborhood.

We are very grateful for Russ and his heart to help LifeChange residents and the homeless!

Help the homeless with a "Hope Tote"

Easter is just a few weeks away, and Union Gospel Mission is planning to host a great Easter brunch for the homeless and anyone in need. The Easter brunch provides a nice hot meal and great fellowship, but this year Union Gospel Mission is doing something more.

Union Gospel Mission would like to provide each guest with a "Hope Tote." What is a "Hope Tote"? It's a simple purple bag that we are asking people to fill with essential toiletries and new socks. We are planning to serve anywhere from 600 to 700 on Easter and want to give each guest a Hope Tote bag filled with needed hygiene items and socks.

If you would like a Hope Tote kit, please contact Heidi Hege at heidih@ugmportland.org or give Heidi a call 503-274-4483 ex 513.

The needed items for the Hope Tote include: new and unopened toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, shaving cream, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, lip balm, brush, comb, tissues, shoelaces, lotion, disposable razors and socks.

If you fill up a Hope Tote, you may drop them off at 3 NW Third Avenue in Portland on Saturday March 27 between 10:00 am - 3:00 pm and enjoy our Hope Tote drop-off celebration with pizza and tours of the Mission.

LifeChange Graduation: Will and Chris

On Sunday, March 21 we will be holding a LifeChange graduation ceremony for Will and Chris. See the videos to learn about their journey from drug abuse and hopelessness to a transformed life of hope.






If you would like to support Union Gospel Mission, CLICK HERE