Kingdom Impact
2024 Summer Partner Report
Patty’s Story
Be Still and Know that I am God
When men and women are walking through the doors at Union Gospel Mission of Salem, there is no rushing; healing is not linear, transformation cannot be hurried, and time slows down. “I’ve been through in-patient: 30 days, 45 days... but it didn’t work. Outpatients? Didn’t work,” says Patty who is a resident at UGM.
Patty spent nearly three years homeless in Salem before she found her way to Simonka Place, UGM’s shelter for women and children; all she had with her was a backpack.
Today she’s enrolled in our New Life Fellowship. NLF programming is very structured; client schedules are booked with chapel, and classes like Bible, math, computer, and job preparation. Work therapy also builds resumes and boosts confidence for the residents.
Patty works 25 hours weekly and can be found dicing veggies or washing dishes in the kitchen at Simonka Place. She appreciates the purpose it provides.
“I’m a recovering alcoholic, so my downfall was too much time on my hands,” she says. “[UGM] is giving us tools to survive out here; education, being accountable, a routine.”
When Patty is not in class or working, she is meeting with her onsite counselor.
“I’m not old, I’m older and I thought it was too late for me,” she says, fearing that too much life was wasted for her future to be healthy and successful.
“Now I don’t think that way.”
In the stillness, when Patty daily comes before God, she is now equipped to know His merciful and gracious character as she looks to the future and lets go of the past.
God is our refuge. God is our strength. God is our help. He is near.
“The most valuable thing I’ve learned about at Simonka Place is Jesus. We can’t do anything without Him,” says Patty. “Every day I wake up excited because of what Jesus is going to do.”
If you feel led, Patty has asked that you pray the Lord will continue to help her stay persistent in her faith and diligent in her healing. Thank you for supporting her through the journey!
January -March 2024 Kingdom Impact
49,127 Meals Served
56 Professions of Faith
57 Jobs Found
16,969 Nights of Rest
66 Homes Secured
1,079 On-Site Health Clinic Visits
56 Lives being restored after incarceration (see next section)
Change. It’s inevitable, it’s the hardest thing to grasp or to direct in a person’s life, and it’s scary! Yet change is the essence of growth.
Here at Union Gospel Mission, we don’t just call it change, we see through the good news of Jesus Christ long-lasting transformation. And hope, and freedom, and new life.
We are our brother’s and sister’s keeper, and God is honored when we look after each other
We are so very grateful that you’ve joined this transformative work with us! Thank you for your eternal investments in our brothers and sisters.
Dan Clem
Executive Director
Being kind to the poor is like lending to the Lord; He will reward you for what you have done.” Proverbs 19:17
Alena Harvey
Welcome your new Donor Relations Manager,
The Community Engagement Department at Union Gospel Mission is pleased to welcome Alena Harvey to the team. She will be serving you as our Donor Relations Manager.
In the book The Giver and the Gift, it says, “It’s genuine care that inspires us to really listen to supporters when they share their stories. It’s when we listen that we have open ears to hear their needs and learn from their experiences. And it’s then that we’re enabled to serve in a whole new way.” In the Community Engagement Department, we are committed to serving our supporters and our many donors in this way.
Alena is 10 years into a career that has included communications, marketing, public relations, and fund development. She has served most recently at UGM as the Women’s Philanthropy Director. A graduate of Corban University, her after-work hours are filled with investments of time with friends and family, and her never-ending quest for knowledge about functional medicine, herbs, and health. You can also find her pouring over recipes and a hot stove on the weekends—she loves to cook!
Alena shared, “I’m honored to serve the Lord by way of fundraising—I understand that giving financial resources is an act of worship for many, and it’s a joy to have a small part to play in that stewardship. I’m excited to serve YOU to the best of my ability.”
Many of you have already heard from or met Alena in these past few months, but if you have not had the opportunity to connect, please reach out to her at aharvey@ugmsalem.org or by her cell phone at 360-567-9143 (text/call).
P.S. When you do meet Alena, ask her what her favorite verse is.
Incarceration to Restoration
Union Gospel Mission’s Transitions Re-Entry Program
You know Union Gospel Mission of Salem provides meals and shelter to men, women, and children. You may even know that we provide a robust 15–18-month recovery program. But do you know about our re-entry program for men coming out of incarceration?
Through UGM’s Restoration House, we provide a safe and sober community for men to live in, easing them back into society and re-establishing trust. The House provides stable shelter, guidance, encouragement, and the love of Jesus.
Eric, a past resident, says, “I had been incarcerated for the last 15 years, and I’ve been in 10 different prisons... I was coming up on my release and had no clue how I was going to reintegrate back into society.”
“Reintegrate” is the key word, here.
UGM changes lives for those currently experiencing homelessness, but Restoration House is a preventative measure against potential homelessness. Institutionalization is often a barrier to healthy and normal functioning. Restoration House is the bridge our community needs between incarceration and independent living, which reduces criminality and minimizes recidivism.
Marion County is one of our critical community partners. “Without what [Restoration House] provides, it makes it more difficult to keep the community safe,” says Sergeant Austin Herman from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. “We don’t have the capacity within our County to do a lot of the things we need to do for our clients in regards to employment, housing, treatment... That’s where UGM has been helpful to us.”
Marion County Sergeant Jordan Juster shares, “I’ve worked with Restoration House for probably 15 years, now. It’s not just about a house or a meal, it’s about having someone they can talk to in moments when they’re struggling.”
While at Restoration House, men are securing work, building a rental history, acclimating to life outside of prison walls, and garnering imperative life skills.
Tom Mann, a volunteer at Restoration House, leads a devotional on site every week. “These folks who I work with are some of the best people I’ve met no matter their backgrounds. They love the Lord, but they need you; they need your wisdom, they need your knowledge, they need you to walk with them, they need your love, and they need your commitment.”
Some of the most powerful stories of transformation and radical change come out of Restoration House.
“The service that [UGM] provides allows, over a period of time, individuals to gradually change their circumstances, change their lives, and recognize they have value outside of who they’ve been in the criminal justice system,” says Herman.
Watch the video between Marion County and UGM as we share a conversation about re-entry.
Renewing of the Mind
by Sarah Lamendola, Learning Center Administrator
Broken. Open. Desperate. These three words describe most people's state when they step into our shelters and decide to join New Life Fellowship, Union Gospel Mission of Salem’s recovery program. After living on the streets, battling addiction, and experiencing repeated trauma, this is their first step to seeking help and life change.
Now, the work begins. The heart work.
The brain work.
That’s where UGM’s Learning Centers comes into play. While the New Life Fellowship focuses on all aspects of recovery, we focus a lot on the brain—renewal of the mind.
At the risk of sounding too scientific, let’s get into the details a bit. In a process called neuroplasticity, the brain can rewire itself to process emotions, decision-making, memory, and outside stimuli differently. When a person has been in a trauma state and abusing alcohol or drugs, often for years, their brain chemistry has literally changed.
Because of the effects of whatever drug of choice, their brains have already been rewired in a way that creates heightened anxiety and paranoia, fewer inhibitions, and poor decision-making skills. In the NLF program, that process of rewiring the brain begins again – this time, to a healthier state. It takes hard, deep work.
It’s much more challenging to go back to a healthy brain state once it is used to the constant dopamine hit from years of addiction.
Going from a hyper-stimulated state to a normal one requires a whole lot of rewiring so one can escape the persistent state of anxiety and begin to feel pleasure in everyday moments again.
The structure of the Learning Center helps with that. In this part of the program, each member participates in classes that help to refocus their heart and mind. We offer classes in life skills, computers, math, writing, and job readiness. We also run a full GED program for those who never graduated high school.
Studying for a GED after being out of school for five, fifteen, or forty years can be incredibly intimidating. Students frequently have doubts about their ability to complete this goal, whether from previous school experiences, poor self-confidence, or anxiety.
However, as students change their mindset, we can actually see a shift in their attitudes, behaviors, and confidence. Just like in their relationship with Christ and their recovery from addiction, this is all part of a story of redemption.
Rewiring the brain creates new memories, new coping strategies, new educational experiences, a release of burdens and anxiety, and a sense of accomplishment.
This is true of all our program participants, not just those who work on their GEDs. They are given the chance to pursue that education and career they’ve dreamed of, with the support of UGM (you!) behind them.