Blankets, coffee needed during cold

The air is frigid here in Portland. It looks like the cold weather is going to continue through the week.

Union Gospel Mission serves as a temporary overflow shelter during the cold weather. Typically, Union Gospel Mission doesn't offer temporary shelter. To live at Union Gospel Mission a person needs to be part of our addiction recovery community, LifeChange. But, when it gets this cold, the Mission is an overflow night shelter with around thirty homeless people sleeping on the dining hall floor.

We give the blankets to people in the morning, and we hand the blankets out all day, so we need donations of blankets and sleeping bags. Since people are sleeping on the floor donations of mats would be great.

It would also be great to have donations of coffee (caffinated is preferred, rather than decaf!) and oatmeal, because its an easy meal to fix in the morning.

If you or someone you know would like to donate blankets, coffee or anything they can be dropped off at the Mission at 15 NW Third Avenue in Portland, or call us at 503-274-4483.

The residents of the LifeChange recovery community are really making this happen, they are staying up night shifts to monitor the guests and really showing compassion to people in need.

You can also make a donation at our website: http://www.ugmportland.org/donate.html

Union Gospel Mission History Lessons

We've found a little treasure in re-arranging and sorting. We have a black bound book by Rev. Reuben Newsom who was Superintendent (Director) of the Mission for many years. He wrote the book in 1965. The book detailed the founding, purpose and ministry of Union Gospel Mission from its founding in 1927. He writes that Union Gospel Mission was organized in November of 1927, and a chapel was remodelled for use, the chapel was located at Northeast 3rd and Ankeny in Portland. Rev. Newsom wrote about the dedication of the chapel:

"On Sunday afternoon, January 1, 1928, crowded with Christians from many churches and denominations, the chapel was dedicated for the purpose of presenting Christ to defeated, homeless men. That evening the first Gospel service was held."

That was the beginning of Union Gospel Mission in Portland.

In 1937, the building at 15 NW Third Avenue became Union Gospel Mission. Here's a picture of some of the Mission's founding leaders in front of the building.

There are more interesting photos from Union Gospel Mission's early days on our web site at http://www.ugmportland.org/about.html

Union Gospel Mission is in the same building, and same location. In January, 2007, Union Gospel Mission opened the new LifeChange Center attached to the existing Mission.

Here is a picture of the LifeChange Center. This building houses the LifeChange recovery community. LifeChange helps men and women who were "defeated" or felt hopeless in their addiction and gives them an opportunity for a new life.

After writing about the first evening Gospel service at Union Gospel Mission, Rev. Newsom included this Bible passage:

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21.

Union Gospel Mission's thrift store

Happy 2008! When the New Year comes, many people think, out with the old and in with the new...maybe, since you received some nice new sweaters for Christmas you decide its time to donate some of your clothing.

The place to do it is Union Gospel Mission's thrift store. And if you're looking to upgrade your wardrobe or get a screaming deal on furniture, appliances, and just about anything else you can think of, its the ideal place to shop.

Now, like most treasures, its a little hard to find. Its located in Tigard at 11611 SW Pacific Hwy., across from the Tigard Cinemas. Its a little bit hidden on a longer driveway past a Teriyaki restaurant.

Not only will you get an awesome deal on whatever you buy, the revenue of the thrift store supports Union Gospel Mission's LifeChange addiction recovery program. But wait! There's more! The thrift store is run by residents in recovery top to bottom. The thrift store manager is a great guy named Steve Welch (that's Steve in the picture, hard at work answering phones at the store). Steve is a senior member in LifeChange, and he like other members in the recovery program, has held progressively responsible jobs at the thrift store or at the Mission working on homeless services.

The thrift store also picks up items for FREE in the greater Portland area. So, if you're upgrading to a new couch, or have other items in good condition to donate, call the thrift store at 503-639-6488 to schedule a pick up.

Here's a picture of the LifeChange team bringing in a donated futon/couch to the thrift store. As you can see, its a fairly large store with a great variety of items.

So- at the Union Gospel Mission thrift store you will get a great deal on whatever you buy, the money from your purchase will help people in addiction recovery, and the store is a place where people in recovery are learning marketable skills as they rebuild their lives and overcome addiction. Now, that's smart shopping.

More info. about the thrift store at http://www.ugmportland.org/thrift.html

Christmas Day at Union Gospel Mission

It's 1:20 pm on Christmas Day, and the snow is falling! (Can you make out the snowflakes on the picture taken in front of the Mission minutes ago?)

Today Union Gospel Mission is serving a meal and distributing clothing to those who are homeless or in need of a meal and companionship on Christmas Day.

As of 1:00 pm we had served 560 meals, and we are on our way to serving about 700 or so.

Here is the scene in Union Gospel Mission's dining hall, where a meal of ham, mashed potatoes, yams, dinner rolls, fruit and pie are served.

Volunteers distributed gifts of clothing, hygiene items and toys for children from our garage entrance. Thanks to adidas, we were able to hand out bags of new clothing to people in need.

A team of volunteers from Union Gospel Mission took to the streets to distribute bags of clothing and reach out to people in need on the street. They stopped to chat with and wish a Merry Christmas to the gentleman with the blue coat and beard. This volunteer team distributed socks, underwear and few plates of food to people they encountered on Burnside street near Union Gospel Mission.

We are very blessed this Christmas to share a meal with people who come to the Mission, the volunteers and the donors who have been so generous.

Merry Christmas!

Getting ready for a Merry Christmas

Christmas is nearly here. In the kitchen the LifeChange addiction recovery residents assigned to the kitchen- Amber, Mary, Lisa are preparing ham, stuffing, yams, mixed fruit, dinner rolls and pie. Union Gospel Mission along with about 200 volunteers will serve the food, and hand out clothing to people in need Christmas Day from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm at 15 NW Third Avenue. We anticipate serving as many as 700 meals. It's not too late to help, you can donate to feed people in need at http://www.ugmportland.org/donate.html

LifeChange recovery residents and Union Gospel Mission staff had an early Christmas party and retreat at the Oregon Coast. It was a great time of prayer, fellowship and some pretty zany fun.

For some reason, many of the pictures from our retreat featured people with something funny on their head:

LifeChange resident Willie sports a furry hat. Actually, this is sort of Willie's signature look this fall and winter- he has several of these hats.

Union Gospel Mission's LifeChange men's facilitator, Dave, has moose antler's on...(no, this isn't Dave's signature look)

In addition to a great time, outings and events for people in LifeChange help residents overcoming addiction learn to have fun without drugs and alcohol. The Christmas retreat was a welcome break for the LifeChange recovery community during the busy holiday season.

Merry Christmas!

Thank you adidas!

You might think from the hats that Santa's elves were at work, but actually, it was an awesome volunteer group from adidas. This is the second group that came to Union Gospel Mission with donations of clothing and hygiene items which will be handed out Christmas Day to Portland's homeless and needy.


The adidas team donated bags as well as clothing and hygiene items. A team of 60 people were here this morning assembling these gift bags, which will be distributed on Christmas Day. For some people, this gift bag is the only Christmas present they will receive.

The adidas team engineered an assembly line in the Mission dining area and quickly put together the gift bags, and labeled them and sorted them! Generous and efficient- who could ask for more?

What a blessing...thanks to the adidas team, people who are struggling will know that people care this Christmas.

It's not too late to help out- For the Christmas event, boneless hams, instant potatoes, and yams are still needed. Clothing and blankets are always welcome in this cold weather.

You can make a donation online at http://www.ugmportland.org/donate.html

Thank you adidas for spreading Christmas cheer!

Kickin' It- the impact of an Oregon "kicker" check

News reports indicate that Oregonians will be receive a very nice "kicker" check, and the average amount of the check is $612 dollars.

Some people are considering donating their kicker check to charities. If you were to select Union Gospel Mission as the beneficiary of your kicker check, this is the impact it would have:

With an average cost of $1.92 per meal, the average kicker check of $612 would purchase 318 meals for people who are homeless or needy. Every weekday, Union Gospel Mission hands out sack lunches at 6:30 am, and every weekday evening, Union Gospel Mission provides a hot meal and a chapel service.

A donation of a kicker check can go a long way in helping someone who is seeking to turn their lives around in Union Gospel Mission's LifeChange addiction recovery program. Many who are in LifeChange were long-term addicts, involved with meth and other destructive drugs. Some were in and out of jail, living on the streets, and their lives turned into a nightmare. When they came to LifeChange, they found a second chance and a way out.

This week LifeChange welcomed two new members, two people who are choosing to break away from addiction and a destructive lifestyle. Anyone who would like to donate their kicker check to support LifeChange would be helping these two residents and other LifeChange members on the road to recovery and a new life.

If you would like to learn more about Union Gospel Mission and LifeChange, check out our website, www.ugmportland.org or give us a call at 503 -274-4483.