New Video! LifeChange Stories: Mary Brannen

In our latest installment of LifeChange Stories, meet Mary, who faced a terrible tragedy in her teen years that ultimately led to decades of addiction. She came to LifeChange and turned her life around.



Click here to support LifeChange and help people like Mary change their lives.

New Video! Union Gospel Mission featured on Oregonlive.com

Check out this video from Oregonlive.com featuring Union Gospel Mission:

Old Town Chinatown: LifeChange Union Gospel Mission

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

Thrift Store Thursday: Vehicles!

In addition to the great clothes, furnishings, appliances and other items you can purchase at the thrift store, occasionally donated vehicles are for sale. All proceeds from the vehicle sales support the LifeChange addiction recovery community. So, not only do you get a vehicle you are helping a really great group of people.

We have TWO great vehicles currently for sale:

First, is a 1998 Plymouth Voyager Van, clean inside and out, CD Player and 136,036 miles. Asking price is $1,500

The other car is a 1993 Toyota Corolla, with four new tires, looks great inside and out, current tags until 2011 and only 90,962 miles. Asking price is $2,000.

If you are interested in either vehicle, give Dani, our thrift store manager a call at 503-639-6488 or visit the store at 11611 SW Pacific Hwy in Tigard (across from the Tigard Cinemas)

New Video! LifeChange Stories: Chris Smith

Chris, age 24, shares how fast drug addiction can take over your life. Thankfully, Chris has completed four years of recovery at Union Gospel Mission's LifeChange recovery community and is preparing to graduate in March 2010.

Here is his story:



If you would like to make a donation to support LifeChange- CLICK HERE

Thrift Store Thursday: The Next Big Thing!

Everyone- Please mark your calendars for next Thursday, January 14 to attend Union Gospel Mission's thrift store for The Next Big Thing.

We are celebrating the launch of a whole new year at the thrift store. The event features:

- All clothing items for sale for $1- That's right! All clothing $1
- Free Subway sandwich for guests
- Meet the thrift store's new Manager, Dani

So plan to join us at 11611 SW Pacific Hwy in Tigard, across from the Tigard Cinemas, on Thursday January 14 starting 10:00 am. For more information, contact the Thrift Store at 503-639-6488.

Thrift Store Thursday is back!

After a Thanksgiving holiday hiatus, "Thrift Store Thursday" is back! Since we last visited the thrift store, new carpet has been installed!



Come check out the fabulous new carpet and also great bargains at the thrift store, located 11611 SW Pacific Hwy. in Tigard across from the Tigard Cinema, or give the store a call at 503-639-6488.

Thrift Store Thursday: Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Do you want to add to your Christmas decorations this year? The Union Gospel Mission Thrift Store is full of Christmas displays of fun decorations...Just look at the variety of Santas alone!


Here is a "beach-y Santa" soap or lotion dispenser...

Here's Santa with a candy-cane and a bird...

A very suprised Santa! Just look at those eyes...

Santa studying geography! Doesn't he have Google maps yet?

These Santas and many other reasonably priced Christmas decorations are for sale now at the Union Gospel Mission Thrift Store at 11611 SW Pacific Hwy in Tigard, across from the Tigard Cinemas. Call the thrift store at 503-639-6488.

All revenue from the store supports the LifeChange recovery community.

New Video! LifeChange Stories: Will Anderson

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.

Thrift Store Thursday: Extreme Bargains

The word "extreme" gets overused in advertising a lot. It seems that adding "extreme" to everything from "extreme sports" to "extreme tacos" makes it more exciting.

However, there are a few bargains at the store that really meet the definition. Such as the $1 clothing racks! Yes, you read that right! one dollar!

Here are the photographs to prove it!


What else can you get for a dollar these days? Maybe a McDonald's cheeseburger from the dollar menu, but you eat that and its gone...think of how much more enjoyable it would be to use that dollar for a new shirt or pair of pants! Plus, the revenue from the store supports the residents of the LifeChange addiction recovery program!

Visit the store at 11611 SW Pacific Hwy in Tigard across from the Tigard Cinemas. Or give them a call at 503-639-6488.

Thrift Store Thursday: Back in the Saddle

When we say you can find just about anything at the Union Gospel Mission Thrift Store, we mean it!

Love to ride horses? Well, the thrift store has a couple of saddles!


Saddles are just a few of the unique things you will find. All revenue from the thrift store supports Union Gospel Mission's LifeChange addiction recovery community. The residents from LifeChange run the store. Come shop at 11611 SW Pacific Hwy in Tigard (across from the Tigard Cinemas) or give the store a call at 503-639-6488.

Happy Trails!

Thrift Store Thursday on Friday...

Apologies for the late Thrift Store Thursday. Today our focus will be on what we call "bric-n-brak"


Here's a table full of what we at Union Gospel Mission call "bric-n-brak" there are plenty of other names you could use, such as

knickknack –noun an ornamental trinket or gimcrack; a bit of bric-a-brac.

tchotchke- noun Slang. an inexpensive souvenir, trinket, or ornament

Definitions courtesy of Dictionary.com. Now you not only have a few new words for the fun and decorative items, tchotchke is a great Scrabble word.

There are many fun small items at the store at extremely reasonable prices, so if you are tchotchke shopping, please check out the store.

11611 SW Pacific Hwy. in Tigard (across from the Tigard Cinemas) or give the store a call at 503-639-6488.

To support Union Gospel Mission, click here.

Thrift Store Thursday: More than just shopping

If you have been a regular Thrift Store Thursday fan, you know all about the interesting finds and deals you will find at the store. Another way you can help is to make a donation of furniture, appliances, clothing and other items. The thrift store will pick up your items for FREE! Just give them a call at 503-639-6488.

You can even drop off your items at the store! Here's the dock were residents of LifeChange will help you unload your items. The Thrift Store is located 11611 SW Pacific Hwy. in Tigard.

We do have an interesting find this week: a faux fur leopard coat, modeled by LifeChange resident Thomas:


To learn more about Union Gospel Mission or to make an online donation, CLICK HERE

Thrift Store Thursday: Did you know you can volunteer at the store?

Did you know that Union Gospel Mission has volunteers at the Thrift Store? It's true! We have several wonderful volunteers that work alongside our LifeChange recovery residents to make the store run smoothly.

We have some volunteers that are at the store on a regular basis. And, we have some that come for a special project or a short term volunteer opportunity.

This summer a church youth group volunteered to spruce up the outside area of the store and parking lot.

The volunteers are a great blessing to the LifeChange recovery community and to Union Gospel Mission.

Learn more by inquiring at the store at 11611 SW Pacific Hwy. in Tigard, or call the store 503-639-6488, or call Union Gospel Mission at 503-274-4483.

Thrift Store Thursday: The Big Picture

If you have been following "Thrift Store Thursday" you've seen the unique and useful items available for sale. But the thrift store is worth a visit for more than the items. The store is run by the residents of the LifeChange addiction recovery community.

As part of recovery, residents take on jobs at the thrift store and at Union Gospel Mission. In these jobs each resident develops job skills and people skills, learning to work together. The store is a successful enterprise because the LifeChange residents take ownership and value the work they do.

Often, customers that get to know the residents know they have made real friends. LifeChange residents at the store share their story, their journey of recovery and will pray for the customers who become not only customers, but friends.

The thrift store is a fun, affordable place to shop, and its also a special place due to the residents of LifeChange.

Please visit the store at 11611 SW Pacific Hwy in Tigard (across from the Tigard Cinemas) or give them a call 503-639-6488.

Thrift Store Thursday: Head to Toe

You can find everything you need to outfit yourself this fall at the thrift store. Even accessories, like shoes:


And hats:


Small budget for your fall wardrobe? That's okay! Just shop at the thrift store at 11611 SW Pacific Hwy. in Tigard, across from the Tigard Cinema. Or give the store a call at 503-639-6488.

LifeChange Graduation Day!

This is a very exciting week at Union Gospel Mission. On Sunday, September 13 we will be honoring three graduates of the LifeChange addiction recovery community. Their stories are amazing!

Our graduates, Kelly, John and Jeff share their "LifeChange Stories"







Congratulations Graduates! If you would like to make a donation to support the work of Union Gospel Mission CLICK HERE

Thrift Store Thursday: Back to School on a Budget

It's back to school time! If you're on a budget the Union Gospel Mission thrift store is the place to shop!

the store has a good collection of kid's clothes of all kinds, including hoodies and coats. The blue coat in the picture is on sale for $5.00



The store also has educational tools, games, books and electronics.



You can even get a desk for your young scholar!

Visit the store at 11611 SW Pacific Hwy in Tigard, across from the Tigard Cinemas. Call the store at 503-639-6488. Remember, when you shop at the store, you're not only getting a great deal on back to school items, but the money you spend goes to support Union Gospel Mission's LifeChange addiction recovery community.

Thrift Store Thursday: Practical housewares

Previous thrift store Thursdays have focused on the more unusual items at the store, so this edition shows that the store has many practical household items:


such as a variety of glassware...

A lovely tea set and other teacups and pitchers...

and this interesting teacup/wine glass hybrid! (okay, one unusual item!)

Remember to visit the store, and find everything you need for your household! 11611 SW Pacific Hwy. in Tigard, across from the Tigard Cinemas. Call the thrift store at 503-639-6488. They will pick up your donations for free!

Thrift Store Thursday: Creativity

Occasionally things come into Union Gospel Mission that clearly required a lot of creativity. For instance this purse made out of cowboy boots:


Its very nicely crafted and the handle is made from a belt and it has cool black fringe!

This cute duck pillow does not appear handmade, but...

Flip it over and you get the "rear view"!

Just a small sampling of the interesting finds at the Thrift Store!

The thrift store is seeking furniture donations. The thrift store will pick up your donations for FREE, just call them at 503-639-6488.

The store is located at 11611 SW Pacific Hwy. in Tigard, across from the Tigard Cinemas. Proceeds from the store support the LifeChange addiction recovery community.