Children are resilient. But also vulnerable. By design, they are meant to be cared for, nurtured, protected. Sometimes, however, the plan goes desperately wrong. The adults in their lives lose their way and become incapable of caring for themselves, let alone anyone else. In such crises, children often learn coping mechanisms that increase their chances of survival in the short term but have the potential to damage their spirits over the long haul. Learn More>

Two years ago, Ruby’s life was out of control. An alcoholic, she was hanging out with all the wrong people and realized she had no idea how to raise her four-year-old son, Hunter. In an attempt to give him what she knew he needed – a stable, safe, loving home – she sent him to live with her sister for two years. “I hated being separated from him,” Ruby said, “but I wasn’t strong enough to do right by him.” Learn More>

As you walk through a day in the life of our thrift stores, notice how the simple purchase of a piece of furniture or the donation of a bag of gently used clothing causes one life to touch another and another . . . Everyday interchanges that make the monumental difference between connection and isolation. Learn More>

DezaRae chose a job at the Union Gospel Mission Thrift Store as part of her overall plan of accountability. "This is about staying clean and sober. This is about helping other people. This is about what God wants me to do." Learn More>

We absolutely love our volunteers. They give us their most valuable asset – time. Learn More>

Frank began to wonder if some of the men in the recovery program might be interested in learning to play the guitar. Learn More>

I’m a little embarrassed to admit that when we first began to make plans for an automotive segment to our ministry and even as UGM Motors began to take shape, I never really envisioned a story like the one on our cover. It’s not just that Heather is a woman but that she never had any real interest in cars, and yet, God brought healing into her life through an automotive sales and repair shop. Learn More>

The Union Gospel Mission 2010 Annual Banquet: Impacting Lives had a new twist from banquets past. Rather than a keynote speaker, videos and mini-interviews with audience members contributed to a Big Picture view of the breadth and depth of our various ministries, including the perspectives of long-term volunteers and investors, as well as employees, residents and graduates from our programs. Learn More>

Is it safe – not only for us but for our loved ones, our children? Can we trust this person? Is he or she going to take advantage of our kindness, our good will? Is she being honest? What if he loses his temper? Wouldn’t I be foolish to let my guard down? Can this person really change? Learn More>

“Service brings healing.” That’s the motto at MEAD Alternative High School, and as one of their service projects this year, they collected water bottles for the children attending the Union Gospel Mission’s summer camp at Tshimakain Creek. Learn More>