Our latest "LifeChange Stories"- profiling residents of the LifeChange addiction recovery community. Will shares his journey in gang life, life lessons from football, and the trap of addiction.
To see previous installments of "LifeChange Stories" videos, Click here.
Showing posts with label addiction recovery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label addiction recovery. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
New Video! LifeChange Stories: Kelly
The third in a series of "LifeChange Stories" focuses on Kelly, who will be graduating from LifeChange on September 13.
Here is Kelly's amazing story:
If you would like to make a donation to support Union Gospel Mission's LifeChange recovery community, click here.
Here is Kelly's amazing story:
If you would like to make a donation to support Union Gospel Mission's LifeChange recovery community, click here.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Union Gospel Mission LifeChange grad featured in The Oregonian!
One of the graduates of Union Gospel Mission's LifeChange addiction recovery community is featured in today's (Saturday, August 8) Oregonian newspaper. Carl Parsons is the featured LifeChange grad, and the story will absolutely inspire and amaze you!
Click here to read the story
Union Gospel Mission's LifeChange program relies primarily on donations, so if you want to support people in recovery who are turning their lives around you can click here to make a donation
There is space available in the LifeChange recovery program. If you know someone who is addicted and needs a second chance, call Dan Nelson at 503-274-4483 or click here to fill out and online application.
Click here to read the story
Union Gospel Mission's LifeChange program relies primarily on donations, so if you want to support people in recovery who are turning their lives around you can click here to make a donation
There is space available in the LifeChange recovery program. If you know someone who is addicted and needs a second chance, call Dan Nelson at 503-274-4483 or click here to fill out and online application.
Monday, June 29, 2009
New Video-LifeChange Stories: Jeff Palen
The second installment of our series "LifeChange Stories" an in-depth look at a resident in the LifeChange addiction recovery community.
Meet Jeff Palen:
To make a donation to support LifeChange or to learn more: http://www.ugmportland.org/
Meet Jeff Palen:
To make a donation to support LifeChange or to learn more: http://www.ugmportland.org/
Monday, June 8, 2009
Carl Parsons awarded Ford Family Foundation scholarship!
Carl Parsons, who graduated from the LifeChange addiction recovery community in March of '09 received news today that he is a recipient of a Ford Family Foundation scholarship. The Ford Re-Start scholarship will cover up 90% of financial need for college.
Carl one of 46 scholars chosen from 641 applicants for this prestigious award.
Carl has made a remarkable journey from the day in March 2005 when he was facing homelessness and standing in the Union Gospel Mission sack lunch line. He was also battling a long and serious addiction to alcohol and painkillers. That day he found out about the LifeChange recovery community and joined that day. He moved into the Mission and became part of LifeChange and worked hard to overcome addiction, heal his past hurts and develop a strong and sustaining Christian faith.
Thank you donors, volunteers, and friends that are such a part of supporting LifeChange! Your help makes real "life change" possible for Carl and other graduates and residents!
Carl one of 46 scholars chosen from 641 applicants for this prestigious award.
Carl has made a remarkable journey from the day in March 2005 when he was facing homelessness and standing in the Union Gospel Mission sack lunch line. He was also battling a long and serious addiction to alcohol and painkillers. That day he found out about the LifeChange recovery community and joined that day. He moved into the Mission and became part of LifeChange and worked hard to overcome addiction, heal his past hurts and develop a strong and sustaining Christian faith.
Thank you donors, volunteers, and friends that are such a part of supporting LifeChange! Your help makes real "life change" possible for Carl and other graduates and residents!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
New Video: Life in LifeChange
Get a detailed view of the LifeChange addiction recovery community. This video shows many of the key aspects of what goes on inside LifeChange.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
LifeChange Graduate: Carl Parsons
Graduate Profile: Carl Parsons
“In LifeChange, I really discovered who I was intended to be…it was about uncovering God’s plan.”
Carl Parsons is looking back at four years of hard work, joy, fellowship, depression and everything in between. Ready to graduate from Union Gospel Mission’s LifeChange addiction recovery program this March, a future he might not have imagined four years ago in March 2005 as he stood in line for a sack lunch from the Mission. (Carl, pictured at right, the day he stood in line for a sack lunch and joined LifeChange)
“I was at the end of the line, I was out of money, had burned all my bridges and had no more money stay in this hotel on Sandy Boulevard where I had been living. I knew about Missions, so I came downtown looking for help. I saw about 250 people in line for a sack lunch. I came to the door, and I asked about help, and was told to come back later to apply for LifeChange,” Carl recalls.
Carl’s road to the sack lunch line at the Mission in 2005 was filled with battles with alcohol and painkillers and a life of struggle to find his way.
Carl was born and raised in New Hampshire by a single mom. His mom was a nurse working long hours, so Carl’s grandparents stepped in and help raise Carl and they were a major influence in his life.
“When I was 12, my grandma died. She was the matriarch, she held things together. When she died it was hard on my Grandpa, and things fell apart. I moved out of my home at age 12 and stayed with cousins and friends and struggled my way through High School and graduated in 1991.”
Carl then enlisted in the Marines, but because of a bad car accident Carl was discharged and unable to serve.
“Serving in the Marines had become something to hang on to, an identity, somewhere to belong. Things went downhill, I started drinking heavily and taking painkillers and then I got involved in criminal activity.”
Facing criminal charges, Carl fled New Hampshire for New York. He was doing day labor, living in some bad places and drinking heavily. Things appeared to turn around for Carl when he became involved at St. Paul’s House a Christian organization, where Carl worked for several years.
Carl was estranged from his family, but received a call from his mom that his stepfather was ill. Carl decided to go back to New Hampshire and face his legal issues.
He was able to get a job, a car, an apartment and he and a girlfriend were expecting a baby. After their daughter Saydi was born, Carl’s girlfriend left, and Carl was a single father for several years, until Saydi’s mom came back into her daughter’s life. At this time Carl was going back to a life of drinking, and late nights. Carl’s parents confronted him, which lead to a huge blow up.
“I flipped out. I left and stayed with friends, and I bottomed out, I burned all these bridges. I had a friend who lived in Portland and he encouraged me to come here. When I arrived I realized he was in worse shape than I was, he had a serious drug problem.”
Within a few months of arriving in Portland, Carl was in LifeChange. His experience in LifeChange was filled opportunities to grow and many hard challenges.
“I had a love/hate relationship with LifeChange at times. LifeChange was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it was the most rewarding.”
Today, Carl is attending community college and seeking an Associates degree in business.
For the future Carl plans to marry, hopefully have a job in a ministry that impacts people’s lives, and live a simple life. Carl is working to build a relationship with his daughter Saydi.
“LifeChange changed my values. I used to look at temporary material things, now I see the eternal and the value of working for God’s Kingdom.” (Carl today, pictured at left)
Read more LifeChange graduate stories at:
http://www.ugmportland.org/lifechange.html
“In LifeChange, I really discovered who I was intended to be…it was about uncovering God’s plan.”
Carl Parsons is looking back at four years of hard work, joy, fellowship, depression and everything in between. Ready to graduate from Union Gospel Mission’s LifeChange addiction recovery program this March, a future he might not have imagined four years ago in March 2005 as he stood in line for a sack lunch from the Mission. (Carl, pictured at right, the day he stood in line for a sack lunch and joined LifeChange)
“I was at the end of the line, I was out of money, had burned all my bridges and had no more money stay in this hotel on Sandy Boulevard where I had been living. I knew about Missions, so I came downtown looking for help. I saw about 250 people in line for a sack lunch. I came to the door, and I asked about help, and was told to come back later to apply for LifeChange,” Carl recalls.
Carl’s road to the sack lunch line at the Mission in 2005 was filled with battles with alcohol and painkillers and a life of struggle to find his way.
Carl was born and raised in New Hampshire by a single mom. His mom was a nurse working long hours, so Carl’s grandparents stepped in and help raise Carl and they were a major influence in his life.
“When I was 12, my grandma died. She was the matriarch, she held things together. When she died it was hard on my Grandpa, and things fell apart. I moved out of my home at age 12 and stayed with cousins and friends and struggled my way through High School and graduated in 1991.”
Carl then enlisted in the Marines, but because of a bad car accident Carl was discharged and unable to serve.
“Serving in the Marines had become something to hang on to, an identity, somewhere to belong. Things went downhill, I started drinking heavily and taking painkillers and then I got involved in criminal activity.”
Facing criminal charges, Carl fled New Hampshire for New York. He was doing day labor, living in some bad places and drinking heavily. Things appeared to turn around for Carl when he became involved at St. Paul’s House a Christian organization, where Carl worked for several years.
Carl was estranged from his family, but received a call from his mom that his stepfather was ill. Carl decided to go back to New Hampshire and face his legal issues.
He was able to get a job, a car, an apartment and he and a girlfriend were expecting a baby. After their daughter Saydi was born, Carl’s girlfriend left, and Carl was a single father for several years, until Saydi’s mom came back into her daughter’s life. At this time Carl was going back to a life of drinking, and late nights. Carl’s parents confronted him, which lead to a huge blow up.
“I flipped out. I left and stayed with friends, and I bottomed out, I burned all these bridges. I had a friend who lived in Portland and he encouraged me to come here. When I arrived I realized he was in worse shape than I was, he had a serious drug problem.”
Within a few months of arriving in Portland, Carl was in LifeChange. His experience in LifeChange was filled opportunities to grow and many hard challenges.
“I had a love/hate relationship with LifeChange at times. LifeChange was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it was the most rewarding.”
Today, Carl is attending community college and seeking an Associates degree in business.
For the future Carl plans to marry, hopefully have a job in a ministry that impacts people’s lives, and live a simple life. Carl is working to build a relationship with his daughter Saydi.“LifeChange changed my values. I used to look at temporary material things, now I see the eternal and the value of working for God’s Kingdom.” (Carl today, pictured at left)
Make a secure online donation at:
https://www.ugmportland.org/secure/donate.cfmRead more LifeChange graduate stories at:
http://www.ugmportland.org/lifechange.html
Friday, March 20, 2009
LifeChange graduate profile: Steve
LifeChange graduation is coming up on March 29. Two great guys are graduating, Carl and Steve.
Looking forward, Steve plans to spend time with his two younger boys and to build relationships with his adult sons. He is attending truck driving school. He hopes one day to be married again, but is in no hurry to be in a relationship. He is enjoying getting involved at New Song church in Portland.
“I’m never going to be the guy giving a sermon from the pulpit, but I can minister to people. One on one I just tell them my story, what God has done for me.” (Steve today, pictured at left)
Here is Steve's story:
“I just hoped I’d pass out and never wake up,” Steve said of some very dark days in February and March of 2005. Steve was drinking heavily every day, barely eating anything and moving from one cheap motel to another in Southeast Portland. Severely depressed after his “functional” alcoholism had transformed into all day drinking, and a loss of his marriage and a good job he walked away from.
Steve had always been a hard worker. He worked in the grocery business since he was a teen, and had worked as a delivery truck driver. His work ethic came from his parents who adopted Steve as an infant. Steve grew up in Beaverton and had a normal childhood. He recalled his Grandmother making him practice the organ after school, and working for his Dad’s toy distributorship. Steve recalls starting drinking in High School at about age 15, just to “be cool, fit in” and was sneaking alcohol from his parents.
“My mom would pick me up from school and take me to go work, I think to try to keep me out of trouble,” Steve says.
He married young and he and his wife had three sons before they divorced. Steve married again and he and his second wife had two boys. Steve traces his downward spiral to getting laid-off in 2002. He found himself living on unemployment and starting his drinking first thing in the morning.
By Christmas 2003, his entire family had become alarmed at Steve’s drinking. His mother, stepfather, sisters, wife and in-laws confronted Steve in an intervention, demanding that he not only to get serious about recovery, but to seek medical help because he looked so thin and unhealthy.
“When they confronted me like that I was so angry, I was furious. I rejected what they were saying, and my wife moved out and took the boys, took money, and I was basically left with nothing. I was angry about it at the time, but looking back I know they were desperate. When I see pictures from back then, I did look terrible,” Steve recalls. (see picture at right)
After that confrontation Steve made several half-hearted attempts at recovery to appease his family, and to remain in diversion from a DUI charge. He managed to find sober housing and a good job as a receiving clerk, but his divorce and a confrontation with another resident caused Steve to walk away from his job and start his drinking binge and motel hopping.
Even in the darkest days in motels, Steve was drawn to look at the Bibles in the nightstands.
“I didn’t really understand the Bible, but I was drawn to it. I feel like God intervened.”
Steve called his sister Jodi, who had been receiving the LifeChange newsletter. Jodi helped direct Steve to LifeChange.
As he started recovery in LifeChange Steve recalls being scared, and watching others, and worked on being obedient. He found that he was transforming spiritually.
LifeChange had its struggles, Steve recalls, “the kitchen job assignment was hard for me, sometimes it was hard to get along with others. I did enjoy working at the thrift store.”
Looking back after four years, Steve says, “Being in LifeChange deepened my relationship with God, helped me understand the bible. I’m able to build healthy relationships, I’ve learned humility, and I’m a better dad.”
Steve had always been a hard worker. He worked in the grocery business since he was a teen, and had worked as a delivery truck driver. His work ethic came from his parents who adopted Steve as an infant. Steve grew up in Beaverton and had a normal childhood. He recalled his Grandmother making him practice the organ after school, and working for his Dad’s toy distributorship. Steve recalls starting drinking in High School at about age 15, just to “be cool, fit in” and was sneaking alcohol from his parents.
“My mom would pick me up from school and take me to go work, I think to try to keep me out of trouble,” Steve says.
He married young and he and his wife had three sons before they divorced. Steve married again and he and his second wife had two boys. Steve traces his downward spiral to getting laid-off in 2002. He found himself living on unemployment and starting his drinking first thing in the morning.
By Christmas 2003, his entire family had become alarmed at Steve’s drinking. His mother, stepfather, sisters, wife and in-laws confronted Steve in an intervention, demanding that he not only to get serious about recovery, but to seek medical help because he looked so thin and unhealthy.
“When they confronted me like that I was so angry, I was furious. I rejected what they were saying, and my wife moved out and took the boys, took money, and I was basically left with nothing. I was angry about it at the time, but looking back I know they were desperate. When I see pictures from back then, I did look terrible,” Steve recalls. (see picture at right)
After that confrontation Steve made several half-hearted attempts at recovery to appease his family, and to remain in diversion from a DUI charge. He managed to find sober housing and a good job as a receiving clerk, but his divorce and a confrontation with another resident caused Steve to walk away from his job and start his drinking binge and motel hopping.
Even in the darkest days in motels, Steve was drawn to look at the Bibles in the nightstands.
“I didn’t really understand the Bible, but I was drawn to it. I feel like God intervened.”
Steve called his sister Jodi, who had been receiving the LifeChange newsletter. Jodi helped direct Steve to LifeChange.
As he started recovery in LifeChange Steve recalls being scared, and watching others, and worked on being obedient. He found that he was transforming spiritually.
LifeChange had its struggles, Steve recalls, “the kitchen job assignment was hard for me, sometimes it was hard to get along with others. I did enjoy working at the thrift store.”
Looking back after four years, Steve says, “Being in LifeChange deepened my relationship with God, helped me understand the bible. I’m able to build healthy relationships, I’ve learned humility, and I’m a better dad.”
Looking forward, Steve plans to spend time with his two younger boys and to build relationships with his adult sons. He is attending truck driving school. He hopes one day to be married again, but is in no hurry to be in a relationship. He is enjoying getting involved at New Song church in Portland.“I’m never going to be the guy giving a sermon from the pulpit, but I can minister to people. One on one I just tell them my story, what God has done for me.” (Steve today, pictured at left)
Make a secure online donation at:
Read more LifeChange graduate stories at:
Friday, May 16, 2008
What a difference two weeks can make
Just two weeks ago, it was unseasonably chilly, with gray skies and rain. Today, the sun is bright, and there is talk of the weather reaching 90 degrees.
Many people think of donating to or volunteering with Union Gospel Mission during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season, which is great, and a huge blessing.
While Union Gospel Mission does provide more special meals and events during the holiday season, the need is year round. We have people coming to our door today for a sack lunch at 6:30 am or for a hot dinner at our chapel service at 7:15 pm. All day people come seeking clothing and maybe a pastry, a cup of coffee or a drink of water.
Our LifeChange addiction recovery program helps men and women living at the Mission everyday. LifeChange residents work at the thrift store and at the Mission, they also work together in recovery everyday.
If you want to volunteer, donate clothing or food or make a financial donation, it is welcome anytime- even on sunny May days!
Visit our website www.ugmportland.org
Many people think of donating to or volunteering with Union Gospel Mission during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season, which is great, and a huge blessing.
While Union Gospel Mission does provide more special meals and events during the holiday season, the need is year round. We have people coming to our door today for a sack lunch at 6:30 am or for a hot dinner at our chapel service at 7:15 pm. All day people come seeking clothing and maybe a pastry, a cup of coffee or a drink of water.
Our LifeChange addiction recovery program helps men and women living at the Mission everyday. LifeChange residents work at the thrift store and at the Mission, they also work together in recovery everyday.
If you want to volunteer, donate clothing or food or make a financial donation, it is welcome anytime- even on sunny May days!
Visit our website www.ugmportland.org
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
LifeChange Graduates: They've come a long way
Here's a photo of our 5 LifeChange grads with our Executive Director Bill Russell (far right in the pic) It was a very exciting, emotional time at the graduation celebration in March. All the graduates are awesome guys who worked very hard in LifeChange. You can read their stories and see their "before" and "after" LifeChange photos at:http://www.ugmportland.org/lifechange.html
In addition to the stories on the LifeChange page, is an application for the LifeChange addiction recovery program. Most of our residents heard about LifeChange from a family member or friend. If you know someone who is addicted and feeling hopeless, please let them know about LifeChange.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
LifeChange Graduation
Preparations are underway for a wonderful celebration on March 9. Five residents of the LifeChange addiction recovery program are graduating! Each has spent an average of about four years in recovery. Four of them used meth and one used prescription drugs as well as heroin. They all had some pretty awful experiences in the midsts of their addiction. But today they have completely re-built their lives through some very serious and hard work in LifeChange. They've come very far...
So, congratulations Doug, Brian, Daniel, Brek and Kurt! Stay tuned to hear more about their amazing stories of recovery.
Our group of graduates demostrate that recovery is possible. If you or someone you know needs help, an application for LifeChange is online at http://www.ugmportland.org/lifechange.html
So, congratulations Doug, Brian, Daniel, Brek and Kurt! Stay tuned to hear more about their amazing stories of recovery.
Our group of graduates demostrate that recovery is possible. If you or someone you know needs help, an application for LifeChange is online at http://www.ugmportland.org/lifechange.html
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Learning to have fun- clean and sober
The LifeChange addiction recovery residents took to the slopes on February 4, for the annual "snow day."
In LifeChange, the focus is on comprehensive recovery. Not only do residents learn job skills, computer skills, and other valuable life skills, they also learn a new way to have fun. In the past, many associated "fun" or "partying" with the use of drugs and alcohol.
During community recreational events, LifeChange residents get a break from their busy schedules and have a chance to see that fun doesn't need to involve drugs or alcohol.
Multi-tasking: skiing, snowboarding and posing...
Taking a break- LifeChange residents set up a tent in the ski-area parking lot, a place to eat and warm-up.
A beautiful day for skiing- lots of snow!
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