MissionNews

September 2010

Men’s Shelter | Men’s Recovery Program | Women’s Recovery Program - Anna Ogden Hall
Crisis Shelter for Women and Children | Youth Outreach | Thrift Stores | UGM Motors

“My children were given a new mommy…a

mommy that was learning and growing and
finding out what real love was all about.”
– Naomi

C hildren 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. The ministries of the Union Gospel
Mission are committed to meeting the needs of
children in crisis and restoring the long-term, caring
relationships that allow them to focus not on survival
but on the very important business of growing up.
full story on page 3
 HEART TO HEART | page 2
A Homeless Child’s Greatest Need
I’d like for you to take a moment to consider the following statement
from the National Center on Family Homelessness and ask yourself
what’s missing:
“Children who are homeless need the same things other children
need to grow up healthy and happy: a safe and stable home; access to
quality schools; affordable and reliable health care; healthy meals every
day; opportunities to play in safe neighborhoods; strong attachments
with caregivers.”
What about parents? While they may be implied in the phrases “a
safe and stable home” or “strong attachments with caregivers,” they
Phil Altmeyer, executive director, spending are never directly mentioned. And yet, what is the single greatest need
time at the Anna Ogden Hall nursery. in a child’s life? What is more essential than education, play places,
healthcare, quality daycare or even food and shelter? A parent who is
present, loving and involved in his or her life. Parents are essential. They cannot be replaced by organizations or institutions
– no matter how quality the latter may be.
That’s why at the Union Gospel Mission, we believe that the very best thing we can do for children is to give them back
their parents. So, while we seek to meet their immediate needs for safety and stability, healthy meals, homework help, access
to our medical clinics, safe places to play, we are thinking first and foremost of their long-term welfare. When they leave our
shelters, we want them to be in the care of a mom or dad who is addiction-free, healthy and whole, capable of protecting
them and giving them the care they need. We offer parenting classes, along with job training, counseling and life skills
training, so that when our residents return to society as contributing members, they are also equipped to be good moms and
dads.
Children who grow up with unhealthy parents often become unhealthy parents themselves, and the cycle continues. God
created the family as the original safe and healing environment -- a place to learn what it means to be a man or a woman,
a place to make mistakes within clear boundaries, a place to belong where mercy and forgiveness abound. Our recovery
programs seek to re-create such grace-based environments in order to help men and women heal and stop the negative
cycles of addiction, abuse and homelessness.
In closing, I’d like you to consider another statement, this one from a 9-year-old girl who was staying in our Crisis Shelter
for Women and Children. She had recently been reunited with her mom: “My birthday was coming up, and my dad was going
to get my mom out of jail for my birthday, and that was going to be my big birthday present, but I said, no, that I wanted her
to stay there so she could get clean.” Even children recognize the value of healthy parents.
Friends, when you give to the ministries of the Union Gospel Mission, you are not only helping to provide food, shelter,
clothing and other basic necessities to children in crisis, you are helping to give them the greatest gift possible – whole,
healthy parents. Thank you for partnering with us. ●

THE HARD FACTS

• Over 24,000 Washington children experience homelessness each year.
• 242,000 children live in poverty in Washington.
• Washington ranks 39th in the country for its number of homeless children.
• An estimated 20 % of homeless children do not attend school nationally.
• Those who do attend are suspended twice as often and are more likely to
repeat a grade.
• Only one in four homeless children graduates from high school.
• Homeless children are in bad health twice as often as other children and are
four times more likely to have asthma.
• Homeless children are twice as likely to go hungry as other children.

Statistics from the National Center on Family Homelessness

 FOR THE CHILDREN’S SAKE | page 3
...continued from cover page
Naomi came to the Women’s Rachel stressed
Recovery Program at Anna Ogden again and again that
Hall from the psychiatric unit of a trust is re-established
hospital. Dealing with an abusive over time. Moms often
childhood, an abusive marriage and feel guilty about having
a long history of drug and alcohol let their children
addiction, she had become suicidal. down. Hence, their
Looking back, her love for her girls tendency is to move
– Kierra and Malia, now 5 and 4 in what seems like
years old – was never in question. the opposite direction
In fact, their very existence may and give their children
have saved her life, but “I had everything they want.
turned off my feelings, my What Rachel and the
heart. I was checked out. I had staff of the Women’s
sunk so far into depression I Recovery Program
couldn’t hardly eat or even try to model, however,
barely move at times. My is a Christ-like authority
sweet girls would pull at me – humility, kindness and
and say ‘Mommy, eat.’ But I compassion – and clear,
couldn’t.” consistent boundaries.
When she first arrived In this way, a safe, secure
at Anna Ogden Hall, Naomi environment is created where
often hid in her closet. Even kids are free to be kids.
when she emerged, she Naomi and her girls, who
would stay hidden within have been gone from Ogden for
her hooded sweatshirt. over a year, look back on their
The desire to run away was time there with great fondness
constant. “I had no trust for and gratitude.
anyone.” “Before coming to Anna
Due to her instability, “Each day at Anna Ogden Hall brought Ogden Hall, we were all
Naomi was separated from more and more light into our lives as we trapped in darkness. Each
her daughters during her first day there brought more and
five months in the Women’s
learned more about Jesus and experienced more light into our lives
Recovery Program. While she unconditional love.” as we learned more about
missed them terribly, she also Jesus and experienced
needed the time to heal. unconditional love. We felt so safe and protected,
When Naomi was ready, her girls came to live at Anna probably for the first time in all of our lives. Which gave us
Ogden Hall with her. room to grow. We learned boundaries side-by-side…But
As children’s coordinator Rachel Patton explained, I think the biggest difference made for my children was
reunions – while wonderful – can also be difficult. “When they were given a new mommy. Not a perfect mommy, but
mom’s ready to be the mom again, there’s a transitional a mommy that was learning and growing and finding out
time. She’s strong enough. She’s ready. She wants to take what real love was all about.” ●
care of her kid. She wants to be the mom. But that is a
really long road, and it’s hard both for mom to figure out
how to do it and for the child. They’re really struggling
with the question, Is mom really going to be there for me?
So they’re angry, and they’re so little they don’t know how
Another relationship is
to say, ‘I’m mad at you for leaving,’ but they express it in being rebuilt at Anna
so many ways.” Ogden Hall between
Naomi concurred: “When my girls first came, they resident Ruby and her son,
were out of control! They would throw horrendous fits and
Hunter. Read their story on
test their boundaries every chance they could.”
www.ugmspokane.org
 KIDS AT-RISK | page 4
coming on Wednesday nights for 28 years. In fact, many of
the volunteers in the juvenile detention ministry are among
the Mission’s longest serving: Danny Beard, 28 years; Jerry
McGlade, 26 years; Sherri Hopkins, 24 years; Roy Croswhite,
24 years; Benny King, 20 years; and Don Smith, 18 years.
Danny Beard, who leads the group, explained the
motivation behind his long-term commitment: “Jesus has
called me to be faithful. We come every week and talk to the
kids about what it means to know Christ and live the way He
wants. Someone plants, someone waters, but God causes
the growth. I keep motivated because we are planting seeds
in hearts, and if we don’t, who will?”
The Union Gospel Mission’s Youth Outreach Program seeks
to meet the needs of at-risk children in our community
Prayer requests from Juvenile Hall:
in a variety of ways: Tshimakain Creek Summer Camp,
which is provided free-of-charge to children from low-
income neighborhoods, year-round partnerships with local • Pray with me that God takes charge of my life and
youth groups, and a weekly ministry at juvenile detention. that I stay on track.
• I would like prayer that I stay clean, that my child is
Juvenile Detention Ministry: born healthy, and for my family and friends.
• Pray for me as there is no one to pray for me and
This scene from a recent Wednesday night at Spokane my brother. ●
County’s Juvenile Hall might surprise you . . .

Dressed in varying shades of surgical-like scrubs and rubber “I keep

flip-flops, 23 of the 31 youth currently under confinement mot ivated
were gathered in the detention library for worship and
Bible study with volunteers from the Union Gospel Mission. because we
The girls sat up front, the boys in back. They held worship
books in their laps, requested favorite songs and sang with are planting
apparent sincerity: “Holiness. Holiness is what I long for.” seeds in
Afterward, they divided into small groups to read the Bible,
talk about changing their lives, and share prayer requests hear ts, and
with this faithful group of adults who keeps coming back if we don’t,
week after week.
Benny King, the guitarist who led the group in worship, who will ? ”
was in juvenile detention himself back in 1977. Now, he’s
a business owner committed to helping kids turn their – Danny
lives around. Jill Wyrick, who played the djembe drum, is
a second-generation volunteer. Her mom, June, has been

new cabins at tshimakain creek:

Roy Croswhite, one of the long-term volunteers with the
Mission’s juvenile detention ministry, is passionate about
reaching kids before they get in serious trouble. “Prevention
is better than detention,” he likes to say. Toward that end,
Roy headed up an aggressive fundraising campaign to finance
the construction of new cabins at Tshimakain Creek, and the
response was incredible. The Dealers Auto Auction, local
car dealers and area churches came together to raise over
$43,000, enough to construct two new cabins, and those
two cabins will allow 216 more kids to experience a week at
camp each summer. ●
 UGM UPDATES | page 5

UpcomingEvents MINISTRY NEEDS

Sept. 8 • Meal Server Orientation, 10 a.m. at Union Gospel Mission
September 2010
Sept. 14 • Volunteer Orientation, 6 p.m. at Union Gospel Mission Food Items:
Sept. 15 • Meal Server Orientation, 5:30 p.m. at Union Gospel Mission cooking oil
pepper
Sept. 20 • Women’s Auxiliary, 1-2:30 p.m. at Union Gospel Mission sugar
Sept. 28 • Volunteer Orientation, 6 p.m. at Anna Ogden Hall sliced cheese
Oct. 1 • Fall food drive begins lunch meat
Nov. 24 • Thanksgiving Eve Event at the Spokane Convention Center bacon
salad dressing
Please call 535-8510 to register for the volunteer or meal orientations. coffee

Clothing:
ankle socks
underwear (men’s, women’s and
children’s)
women’s pajamas
bras

Miscellaneous:
toilet paper
napkins
styrofoam cups
diapers & pull-ups
shampoo and conditioner
liquid soap
tampons
deodorant
laundry detergent and softener
DVD players

Back-to-School Needs:
backpacks
composition notebooks
large binders
dividers for binders
3-subject notebooks
3x5 index cards
glue sticks
colored pencils
colored markers
tissue boxes
hand sanitizer
graph paper
“I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat.” gift cards to Walmart, Shopko,
As part of the Union Gospel Mission’s desire that every poor person or Target to purchase jeans and
in our community have a place at God’s abundant table, we are shoes for PE
moving our Thanksgiving Eve Event to the Spokane Convention
Center where the larger capacity will enable us to feed struggling Donations can be dropped off at the
Mission (1224 E Trent Ave. Spokane)
families as well as the city’s homeless. daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

If you’d like to be a part of this

exciting event, watch for details and
early sign-up information on our
website: www.ugmspokane.org.
 MEMORIALS & HONORARIUMS | page 6
Given to Union Gospel Mission Ministries July 10 to august 6, 2010
In Memory/Honor of: The Kind gift of:
Dale R Barbour: Jean Barbour
Ken Batton: Georgie Batton
Byron Benjamin: Edythe Benjamin
Troy Bennett: William Bennett
Stuart & Marion Benshoof: Carol
Haskell-Byron
Paul Bippes: Eva May Hendrickson
Tom Blossom: Robert & Lois Strader
Darlene Bouck: Delbert & Barbara
Williams
Irene Brinson: James Filzen
Almon Brown: Heidi A Penfield
Ruth Bylund: Barbara Flower
Robert Caldwell: Jeanette Caldwell
Clarence Chafin: Dolly Chafin
Clint and Betty Corliss: Anne
Morris
Darin Crockett: Garold & Kitty
Shipley
Tony Culp: Terry & Carole Culp
Joyce Daugherty: Richard & Vicki
Jeffries
Ray Davis: Juanita Edgerly
Joshua Dumaw: Betty A Johnston
Elizabeth Earle: John & Barbara
Montgomery
Florence Eddy: Stephen & Barbara
Eddy Smith
Keith Ehlenfeldt: William
Ehlenfeldt
Mildred Ellis: Wayne & Evelyn
Russell
Irene Eneroth: Donald & Carlene
Eneroth
Norma English: Mark & Sharon
Johnson
Orville Estes: Judith Estes, Marion
A Liebman
Willard G Evans: Gordon Peterson
Richard Evans, Sr: Spokane Shadle
Lions Club
Katherine Fendler: Corrine Becker,
Walter Beyer, George & Karen Kersul,
Mike Schumacher
1224 E Trent Ave. Spokane, WA 99202 | PO Box 4066 Spokane, WA 99220 | 509-535-8510
info@ugmspokane.org | www.ugmspokane.org
Betty Fullmer: Thomas & Phyllis
Hood
Glenn Galbraith: Richard & Sharon
Meyers
Lynn Gould: Paul J Greif
Bill Graedel: Dolores Graedel
R. J. “Speedy” Gunsaulis: Clarence
& Barbara Bennett
Bob Haraldson: Vernon & Carol
Scott, Thomas & Iris Wetherholt,
Elwood & Dinah Widmer
Blaine Harbaugh: Kristin Megy
Elsie Holmes: Wayne & Evelyn
Russell
Cory Hubbard: Anonymous
Buzz Irvin: Evelyn M Irvin
Marilynn Jensen: Gordon Peterson
Harold Johnson: Ethel Johnson
Albert & Anne Kiefer: Patricia A
Severud
Doug Klages: Richard Bockemuehl,
Sandra Ellersick, Douglas & Nancy
Furlott, Milaine McGoldrick, Gary
Peters
Lawrence Knopp: Lawry Knopp
Alfred Larson: Larry & Kristin
Largent
Al Licht: Shirley Colling
Nevin Magnus: Pamela Gail
E. G. “Sonny” Marks: Nathan &
Joanne Marks
Patricia Matsch: Doris Matsch
John McCauley: Juanita McCauley
Bob McHoes: Laura McHoes,
Delbert & Barbara Williams
Bob McNeilly: Janice McNeilly
Sylvia Meuler: Spokane Shadle
Lions Club
Norman Mills: Everette & Jean
Greeley, Derald & Donna Hampton,
Phyllis Hicks, Robert & Ruth Marikle,
Helen Mills, Robert & Jane Papst,
Richard & Dorothy Pierce, Elwood &
Dinah Widmer
Myrene Mindermann: Willow
Alexander, Geraldine Walsh
Daniel Mitchell: Shirley A Mitchell
Steven Morris: Anne Morris
Russell Oleson: Mark & Patti
Weishaar
Arleen Ostness: Rod & Susan Olson
Marjorie Permenter: Richard &
Vicki Jeffries
Jim & Jane Potesky: John & Joann
Simmons
William Quayle: Betty Quayle
Ed Robbins: Ethel Johnson
Frank Rotondo: Elaine Botts
Marjorie Ryan: Karin Baldwin,
Kathleen Carstens, Bill & Joanie
Flynn, Carol Kamm, Arnold &
Mina Mittelstaedt, Glenn & Ruth
Wollweber
Mary Sawchyn: Janet Scarcello
Clarence Sheldon: June Sheldon
Elwin Shook: Alvin Schwartz
Robin Schneider’s Sister: Robin
Schneider
Darrell Smith: Dorothy Smith
Cathy Stohs: Carol McGurk
Patricia Stone: Carolyn Stone
Dorothy Stromberger: Byron &
Sandra Fitch
John & Irene Van Klaveren: Karen
Van Klaveren
Mae Vanek: Sandy Ramsey
Norm Vehrs: Bonita Cheyne
Robert Walsh: Geraldine Walsh
Doris Weishaar: Mark & Patti
Weishaar
Sonny Westbrook: Leila Stewart
Nick Wilcox: Fred & Edna Wilcox
William Wilkins: Sharon Wilkins
Debra Williams: Delbert & Barbara
Williams
Jerome Williams: Regina
Hamacher
Katherine Wilson: Beverly
Cornelius
Franklin Woods: Mary Woods
Barbara Yates: Beverly J Johnson