We Feed People

Sign up for the Union Mission Easter Walk for Hunger!

2011-03-14T09:53:00.009-04:00

Walk along to help hurting West Virginians this Easter season!

Union Mission is hosting its first-ever Easter Walk for Hunger. Join us on Saturday, April 23, at 8:30 a.m. and walk, jog, run or bike the seven-mile Kanawha City Bike Path. We'll meet at the NiSource parking lot on MacCorkle Avenue (just look for the signs!) We'll celebrate the return of Spring, enjoy great company and fellowship and, most of all, raise funds to help homeless, hungry and hurting West Virginians throughout the Easter season.

Form a 10-person team for flat registration fee of $100, or take a solo trip of $25 per adult, $15 per student. T-shirts will be provided.

Did you know that Union Mission fed 500,000 in 2010? Help us do even more for needy West Virginians by raising money to support The Mission's vital social services programs. Form an Easter Walk for Hunger team today!

(FYI: You are welcome to sign up the day of the hop. We'll have a registration table up and ready beginning at 7:45.)

Meth Shatters Lives...

2011-02-04T10:50:00.002-05:00

...and The Mission helps rebuild them.

Check out this great story from WOWK-TV here in West Virginia.

This Saturday...

2010-11-15T11:29:00.003-05:00

...is our biggest food distribution of the year. We fed more than 54,000 during our Thanksgiving food giveaway in 2009 through our outreach sites in 19 West Virginia counties.

Needless to say, it's a big week for us.

(By the way, have you read our special report on hunger in West Virginia? You can download the PDF by clicking the link below.)

Union Mission Special Report: Hunger in West Virginia.

Well, at Least the Thief had Some Morals

2010-10-25T08:44:00.003-04:00

Still, I'm having a hard-time coming up with a moral from this story...

The Associated Press: Homeless man mugged, gets all of his stuff back after telling would-be thief he's homeless.

Fight Against Hunger

2010-10-18T10:17:00.002-04:00

Hard to believe, but the holidays are officially here...at least as far as we're concerned.

Today through Friday, October 29, we're once again joining up with WCHS-TV8/Fox11 Eyewitness news to conduct our annual food drive for West Virginians in need.

We hope you'll tune in--and turn out--to visit us at the WCHS television studios...and bring a canned good while you're at it!

Keep coming back to the blog to see photos and videos from this year's Fight Against Hunger.

WV Child Poverty Rate Above National Average

2010-09-29T08:28:00.004-04:00

At best, this is sad. At worst, it's terrifying.

The child poverty rate in West Virginia stands at 23.6 percent, well above the national average of 20 percent. Our state is the 11th in the country, higher than all of our surrounding states except Kentucky.

The statistics were published Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Do You Make More Than $10 a Day?

2010-09-15T14:04:00.001-04:00

Interesting graphic here on income disparities across the world.

Upscale Dinners for the Homeless

2010-08-25T13:52:00.004-04:00

Wow.

Upscale Restaurant Owner in Anaheim, California, Feeding Homeless Kids

Road Rules: Union Mission

2010-08-04T11:35:00.002-04:00

Union Mission, Feed the Children and O.J. Mayo

2010-07-12T14:06:00.003-04:00

Summer food distribution with Feed the Children

2010-07-06T14:15:00.005-04:00

Tomorrow morning and into the early afternoon, we are participating with Feed the Children to provide food and personal care items to 600 families in the Charleston area.

We're particularly excited about NBA star O.J. Mayo being on hand; he and Charleston's own Randy Moss of the New England Patriots purchased two tractor trailer loads of food and personal care items for distribution to Union Mission guests.

Needless to say, this is an exciting time to partner with Union Mission and its efforts to help hurting people here in West Virginia. This economic downturn has hurt a lot of people, many of who are still able to make it. But what about those who were already unable to provide for themselves and their children?

(The event is part of Feed the Children's American's Feeding American's caravan, which is stopping in multiple cities throughout America this summer.)

Union Mission Unfiltered: Susan Jurin

2010-07-01T10:49:00.002-04:00

The latest in our Union Mission Unfiltered video series

Union Mission Unfiltered-Susan Jurin from Union Mission on Vimeo.

Helping the Homeless 101

2010-07-01T09:49:00.008-04:00

Ever wondered what to do for those you meet on the street?

(Reprinted here from our upcoming late summer newsletter, coming August 15)

If winter is when we most often think of the homeless, summer is when we most often meet them.

Does this sound familiar? You’re downtown on an afternoon break, grabbing a cup of coffee. On your way back to the office, it happens: a disheveled man intercepts you and asks the dreaded question: “Do you have any spare change?”

He may tell you a story. His car broke down, and he’s trying to get a bus ticket. He’s a Vietnam vet—and a Christian—who hasn’t eaten for a few days. Can he have a dollar for a sandwich?

Look, we all want to be sensitive to the needs of others. It’s just that those needs are amplified when it’s someone on the street. That’s why it’s so hard to know what to do

So...what do you do?

A few years back, we talked with some of our guests at Union Mission Crossroads and came up with a primer on helping. WIth more and more people ending up on the streets—and because this is the time of year when we most often meet the homeless face-to-face—it’s a good time for a refresher.

First, if you’re going to give, give gift certificates rather than cash.
Look, there is no way to know the intentions of the transient you are helping. That’s why it is best to limit him in how he can use your gift. The next time you stop at a fast food restaurant, consider picking up a few gift certificates to keep in your car. If you come upon a needy person and you’ve run out of certificates, you can always buy food and bring it back to them.

If you don’t feel safe talking to a transient, don’t — but support someone who does. There is no shame in wanting to protect yourself and your loved ones by avoiding an unpredictable person. However, that man or woman is still “one of the least of these” that Jesus encouraged us to help. If not personally, you can still lend a helping hand by donating to local organizations with programs for transients, such as Union Mission’s Crossroads Shelter. (We also invite you to become a partner in our work. You can do so by logging on to our secure server.)

Pray, pray, pray.
Even if you do want to help, remember that transients may be heavily intoxicated and/or emotionally unstable. That leads to a high degree of unpredictability. Do not put yourself in potential danger without first asking God for wisdom in that situation.

Above all, show LOVE.
It’s incredible what some people will do to those they view as beneath them. Motorists will swerve off the road to scare hitchhikers, and sometimes they throw glass bottles. One of our guests shared the story of a man giving him a ride—all the way to the next county and “just to be mean.” Above all, our responsibility is to show God’s love to a world full of hurting people. Even if you encounter a person who is entirely un-loveable, remember that the love you show that man or woman is the love you show for Christ.

Most homeless will tell you it isn’t the money people gave them that means so much. Said one guest: “It’s when someone takes the time to do something for me, like go out and buy me some food. Giving me gloves on a cold day. That means more to me than money.”

Change is Good

2010-06-25T09:32:00.006-04:00

A few years ago, our logo went from this...

to this:

A forward-thinking development staff and marketing committee recruited a group of PR professionals to come up with what we think is one of the most innovative brands among non-profits in West Virginia.

We changed our color scheme. We changed our website. We changed our mission statement. We painted our vehicle fleet, bought new letterhead and pens and mousepads and notepads and, perhaps most effectively, our direct mail program.

The result? We communicated our Mission better, and in more relevant ways. And because of that, giving jumped nearly $3 million from the year before the re-branding initiative to the year after it.

Today, we're feeding more people. We have an exciting and vibrant long-term residential program that's literally re-writing the book on how we minister to men who are committed recovery. It's an exciting time.

But, we've always been well aware that, eventually, the excitement of our new color scheme and the WeFeedPeople.com concept would wane. We are seeing that happen now, with giving down markedly over the last two years.

Sure, some of it has to do with the economy, but the fact remains that we communicate our Mission to you the same as we have been since 2006, with very little variation. We think that's had an impact on the response.

Now, as we head toward our Centennial Celebration in 2011, it's time for us to once again make some changes in how we tell you what we do. You know we feed people, of course. But it's incumbent upon us to shake things up a little to ensure you know just how wonderful a work God is doing in people's lives through Union Mission.

That's why, starting this month, we are changing our direct mail program to better communicate our successes...and our needs.

Typically we'd be mailing out our annual report/calendar this month, but we are shifting that job to the fall, when it will be a typical 12-month, January to December calendar (unlike the current July-June, fiscal year format.) That--combined with newsletters arriving every other month (unlike the current format of three per year)--is the biggest change you'll see in the coming months.

Here's a quick rundown on the new mailing schedule:

Letters

If you receive our monthly donor-partner letters, chances are you'll still get them by the first of each month. What we've decided to do, however, is limit the mailing list by removing churches, businesses, organizations, etc., from the mailing. Also, instead of nine letters, we'll be sending out a letter each month.

Newsletters

Again, this is one of the biggest changes. In the past, we mailed three newsletters a year: in April, a spring newsletter; in October, a fall newsletter; and, in December, a winter newsletter. Instead of a summer newsletter, we sent out our annual report/calendar. That's changing, big time.

Starting in August, we'll be sending out newsletters every other month to keep you abreast of all that's happening around The Mission. The August newsletter is late summer; you'll be getting the fall newsletter in October and a holiday newsletter in December. In February, the winter newsletter will arrive, followed by a spring edition in April. In June, an early summer newsletter is on the new schedule. These newsletters will arrive in your mailbox by the middle of the month, as opposed to the first of the month.

Annual reports

Don't worry...we're still doing annual reports/calendars. We know this is a popular mailing. But it's timing is tough--summer is our most financially strapped time, and it's just not cost-effective to design and print calendars during the summer. Besides, it can often be confusing with a July-June calendar on your wall! Our current plan calls for the 2009 annual report to be in your hands by November, and will feature a typical January-December format.

Bulletins

Remember those churches are are being excluded from the monthly donor/partner letters? We're not forgetting you! Churches, businesses, organizations, etc., will get their own one-page bulletin each month outlining the Mission programs of interest to them.

E-newsletters

We are constantly looking for new ways to communicate, and we're committed to delivering eco-friendly updates to those who would rather hear from us via e-mail. We'll be slowly rolling out e-newsletters as we grow accustomed to those on our mailing list who prefer e-mail.

We hope you'll join us in the coming months and embrace this change, and we look forward to hearing from you.

Nouthetic Counseling-Live!

2010-06-18T19:29:00.000-04:00

Video chat rooms at Ustream

What It's All About

2010-06-04T09:52:00.005-04:00

Just got this note in the mail, along with a donation...

"Please accept my 'love gift.' ... As usual I am busy praying for you and your staff at the Union Mission ... My prayers also include the 'less fortunate' and the homeless ... I always remember what He did for me 23 years ago of healing me of drugs and alcohol addiction and taking me off the streets as a former homeless person in 1990. I now have a nice home ... I cannot tell you all He did for me ... May God richly bless you and all the others at Union Mission Ministries."

That, folks, is what it's all about.

iPhone App for the Homeless

2010-05-10T10:21:00.001-04:00

Not sure how I feel about this.

How about you?

(Post comments here or, even better, on our Facebook page.)

Apathy Towards Homelessness

2010-04-26T10:37:00.005-04:00

A homeless man who thwarted a would-be mugger is dead after an hour of passers-by ignoring him as he lay dying on a New York sidewalk.

(Read the story and see the video here. The video is not graphic, but might upset you. Proceed with caution.)

Kinda reminds you of the story of the Good Samaritan, yes?

Missionary-minded

2010-03-18T14:06:00.002-04:00

Think of missionaries, and your mind inevitable conjures images of men, women and their families working for God in the Third World.

Our mission field is Appalachia. It's where we've been called to minister, and we're blessed that we're called to serve God here.

Recently, one of the teachers in our program, passed around this "prayer guide" for missionaries. It struck him as useful for those who would like to join us as a prayer partner for our ministry. (Thanks, Alan!)

Pray for power

* Power in proclaiming God's truth

* Power in changing people's lives

(Acts 1:8; Acts 13:1-4; 1 Timothy 2:1-4)

Pray for protection

* Physical

*Spiritual

(2 Corinthians 1:8-11)

Pray for provision

* Financially, that we receive the adequate support we need

* Materially, that materials donated will be useful in ministry

(2 Corinthians 8:1-5)

Pray for personnel

* Family (our families, because of their sacrifice, are as much in ministry as we are!)

* Co-workers (unity among Believers)

(Psalm 133)

Pray for productive ministry

* For doors to open

* For that which we currently have

* For that which we need

(Colossians 4:2-4; John 15:16)

Brookside "Graduate" Dedicates Her Life to Giving Back

2010-03-11T11:16:00.003-05:00

Garnette Scholl spent portions of her childhood at what was then called Union Mission Settlement. (Today, we call our women's and children's shelter Brookside Family Life Center.) One of nine children born in Clay County, West Virginia, Garnette's mother died when she was a small child, and her father agonizingly chose to place Garnette and four siblings at The Mission.

Garnette was blessed financially as she grew up and married an Army captain, and later became a prominent fashion model and philanthropist in south Florida.

Today, the 80-something Scholl lives in Punta Gorda, Florida, where she continues to support many causes, including Union Mission. Her philanthropic work was recently spotlighted in her community's magazine, Harbor Style.

You can read the entire story at the Harbor Style website, or download the issue on our full website at unionmission.com. Just click on the "downloads" tab, or get it directly with this link.

Rex Whiteman's February Message

2010-02-02T12:27:00.004-05:00

Candy hearts and cupid. Romantic movies and sappy songs. Fluttering eyes and long goodbyes.

That’s what “love” is to many of us, especially this month. Love is a product, bought on store shelves. It’s a nice candlelit dinner for two, or a weekend trip with your sweetheart. Love for Julia*? It’s making sure her three year-old daughter is safe from an abusive husband and father. It’s working herself to the bone to guarantee that a precious little girl has a warm bed and nutritious food. Love is caring so deeply for someone that she cares nothing of herself. Love is knowing that when Julia greets her daughter’s bright green eyes each morning, she sees hope where there once was none.

At Union Mission, love is what we feel, deep within our hearts, each time someone like Julia walks through our doors. It sometimes hurts, this love; broken hearts are painful. But oh, the joy, when we see those whose lives were shattered pick up the pieces of their broken hearts and make a new life for themselves.

Today, as others around you celebrate the “month of love,” I’d like to ask you to join us in healing broken hearts. Maybe you can give $10. Maybe you can give $500. Maybe it’s something in between. Would you look within your own heart and, as you have done so faithfully in the past, find compassion for someone like Julia? You see, Julia thought she found love. But just three years after the birth of her daughter, her husband turned violent. She explained away the bruises, the scratches and the missing patches of hair. She thought she was in love, after all.

But there was a greater love, you see. It was the deep bond she felt with her daughter. Julia finally fled to safety—only to realize that in leaving her husband, she was left with nothing herself. No job. No income. No home. That’s when it became Union Mission’s turn to show love. With nowhere else to turn, Julia found caring case workers at The Mission who helped her find an apartment.

Once there, we helped fill it with furniture, linen, food—and, above all, love. Today, Julia has a steady job, a church family and a stable home life. It’s a far cry from the days when her heart was broken and she and her daughter’s lives were in danger at the hands of a man who didn’t know how to show love. I am so honored to partner with you in this great work we’re doing together. Thank you! While we are the instrument, it’s your love for others that heals broken hearts. Never forget how important you are in this effort.

Today, another Julia may walk through our doors, three year-old daughter in tow, looking for love. For nearly 100 years, we’ve never had to turn anyone away because we lacked the resources to help them.

By responding to this letter today, you are ensuring we never will.

-Rev. Rex Whiteman

President and CEO
Union Mission

(*while Julia and her story is real, we have changed her name and some distinguishing details to protect her anonymity.)

Volunteers Needed!

2010-01-26T13:38:00.002-05:00

We are facing a shortage of volunteers for vital areas of our ministry. Check out this PDF to see what areas need filled and how you can help. Print, read and share with others.

Volunteer coordinator Adrien Gibbs is at 304-925-0366, ext. 137, and Kaye Leadman can be reached at 304-925-0366, ext. 146. They'll walk you through the process of joing our volunteer team.

While you're at it, take a look at this video from last year's Union Mission Volunteer Appreciation Picnic.

Solidarity for Haiti

2010-01-25T09:42:00.002-05:00

We've had quite a few people contact us to see if The Mission is getting involved in relief for Haiti. Certainly our hearts go out to those devastated by the earthquake and its aftermatch.

It's our belief that there are agencies far better equipped to deal with the humanitarian crisis than we are, and we pledge our support to those organizations who already have a presence and our diligently working to show God's love in Haiti.

We direct you to the following agencies:

Samaritan's Purse

WorldVision

Hand to the Plow

A Special Note

2010-01-04T10:36:00.003-05:00

We got this note in the other day from a donor...it was humbling, to say the least.

"Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve are special to me...I can remember my first Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve as a homeless man who stayed at the Union Mission 25 years ago! Today I have a nice home...I also have a nice church to go to...Thank you for a very humble start at Union Mission. This is the principle of sowing seeds! The Union Mission was an important part of my life then...I also remember every night I pray for you and your staff!"

Needless to say, hearing that made our day! Here's hoping you have a prosperous 2010.

Our Impact in November

2009-12-16T09:57:00.005-05:00

Finally got all of our "impact" numbers from November. We easily served more people this month than in any other this year.

(Keep in mind that these numbers do not reflect the 54,446 people fed at our Thanksgiving food distribution, or the 604 meals served at our Thanksgiving dinner at Crossroads. More on that in a minute.)

As always, the big number to keep your eye on is first-time visits to Union Mission Family Services (that's our social service department which meets with guests on a daily basis to assist with food and clothing vouchers, utility assistance, etc.) No surprise here: 192 people came to us in November that had never been through our doors in 2009. The previous high was in September, when we saw 119 first-time guests.

Let's put this into perspective. Our first-time visit totals hit a year-long low in July, with 44 people. That means November represented a 23 percent increase over our lowest month.

Elsewhere we were somewhat static. Crossroads saw a jump in homeless served, but we're still not seeing the levels of homeless we saw over the summer. But, let's face it, with the cold weather rolling in--and remember, November was unseasonably warm--we are expecting larger numbers there.

Now for the drumroll: we fed 52,196 people in November. That's the second highest number of the year (in July we fed 53,127). But don't forget the Thanksgiving numbers. Add those in, and we're looking at 107,426 people fed in November alone. That's just an astounding level of need.

So, what's your reaction? Were you aware of how hard the recession is hitting our state?

Pizza, Pizza!

2009-12-14T15:39:00.004-05:00

Well, you know it's a busy time of year when we don't have time to blog. But this week is too important to miss out telling you what's coming down the pike.

Little Caesar's Pizza Party
Our latest news--and we just got word of this today--is that Little Caesar's is coming to town this Friday (December 18) to provide free pizza for needy people downtown. It's funny, because Fridays are known as Pizza Days at The Mission; it's the day we serve donated pizza here and at our shelters. What makes this unique is that the company is baking pizzas fresh and handing them out on the street, where there is immediate need. A pizza party for the homeless and hurting...how cool is that?

Electric 102.7/WQBE/Bristol Broadcasting/Kroger food drive
If you've been listening to Electric 102.7 or WQBE--or have visited an area Kroger in the last few days--you'll know that our Christmas canned food and potato drive is going on (special thanks goes out to the IVS Group, which sponsors the Potato Challenge.) Keep listening on the radio for stories about people we've served, and how you can help make sure no one goes hungry this Christmas. Speaking of the food drive...

The Union Mission Annual Christmas Food Giveaway
is this Saturday. All across the state, at 37 sites in 19 counties, we're giving away food baskets to needy families. As you know if you've been following us on Facebook or Twitter, our Thanksgiving food distribution shattered records. In the 98-year history of Union Mission we'd never fed as many people as we did that day. All told, more than 54,000 people received food on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. We gave out enough food to last them for a month, so now it's time to do it again. We've just wrapped up signing families up, and we're expecting another Our biggest distribution site is Bible Center Church here in Charleston, so if you want to volunteer or just attend the service, come on by. It starts at 9 a.m.

Thanksgiving Food Distribution Broke Records

2009-12-02T16:17:00.002-05:00

Thanksgiving Food Distribution This Weekend

2009-11-19T11:59:00.005-05:00

Well, one of the busiest days on Union Mission's calendar is upon us: our annual Thanksgiving food distribution.

Across West Virginia, starting at 9 a.m., needy families will receive food baskets supplied by Union Mission. All told, more than 45,000 people are expected to show up at one of 37 distribution sites in 19 West Virginia counties.

In the Kanawha Valley, we'll be staffing distribution services at Bible Center Church (Southridge Campus); Maranatha Fellowship (St. Albans); Maranatha Baptist (Sissonville); Cedar Grove Baptist (Cedar Grove); Cross Lanes Bible Church (Cross Lanes); and Elkview Baptist Church (Elkview).

To read a press release about the event, click here. To see some facts about our Thanksgiving distribution as well as recent news showing that hunger in America has reached epidemic proportions, click here.

(Stick around here, on Twitter and on Facebook for live updates from the distribution sites.)

Hunger Has Reached Unprecedented Levels

2009-11-18T13:27:00.004-05:00

Just as word spreads that our economic recession is now over--you did get your check in the mail, right? Just kidding--a new report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture says that hunger in this country is at its highest levels...ever.

The New York Times wrote:

"...the number of people in households that lacked consistent access to
adequate nutrition rose to 49 million in 2008, 13 million more than in the
previous year and the most since the federal government began keeping the data
14 years ago....about a third of struggling households had what the researchers
called 'very low food security,' meaning that members of the household skipped
meals, cut portions or passed on food at some point during the year because they
lacked money. The other two-thirds managed to feed themselves by eating cheaper
or less varied foods, relying on government aid like food stamps or resorting to
food pantries and soup kitchens, which have been seeing heavier and heavier
traffic in recent years."

This is troubling, to be sure. That's why we're encouraged by a number of things going on right now that are not only addressing the issue but are doing something about it. For instance, to recognize national hunger and homelessness week, local service providers here in the Kanawha Valley (like Covenant House and the YWCA of Charleston) took part in the annual "Night Without a Home" event.

Like Blessed Sacrament's Cardboard City event we participated in earlier this year, the Night Without a Home brings people together to sleep outside at Magic Island here in Charleston to call attention to the people in our community who experience homelessness on a daily basis.

For our part, we're taking part in the "33 Cans 33 Miles" event, which takes place on the last day of this year's American Baptist Senior High Convention. It's at Hurricane First Baptist Church this Sunday, November 22. The event is raising food for our Christmas food distribution, which takes place on December 19. (Our Thanksgiving food distribution is this Saturday; check back for live updates here, on Twitter and on Facebook.)

If you can make it on Sunday, we'd love to have you stop by and say hello. We'll have a "We Feed People" truck there collecting canned goods.

Food Fight Winners

2009-11-17T10:41:00.004-05:00

After it was all said and done, this year's Food Fight truly knocked out hunger in our community.

All told, more than 30,000 food items were brought in during the three-week food-raising competition; the items are now being sorted into baskets that we'll give away during our Thanksgiving food distribution on Saturday.

The winners were:

Ticketmaster (Grand Champion, and Business Division): 15,792 cans of green beans
Teays Valley Christian School (School Division): 2,820 cans of peas
Amy Baptist Church (Church Division): 1,488 cans of peas
Union Mission Crossroads (Organization Division): 1,275 cans of assorted vegetables

We are so thrilled at the efforts of all of our teams. Nearly 30 teams participated, bringing in a whopping 30,786 food items. Thank you for your efforts, God bless, and we can't wait to do it again next year!

Hope to the Hungry

2009-11-11T12:35:00.004-05:00

We're honored to be a part of this. Everything you see in this video is true of Union Mission as well. We bring them in with food, but once they've eaten we offer so much more.

Will you help us?

Governor Joe Says Give to Union Mission

2009-11-04T11:14:00.006-05:00

For those of you who tuned into the 6 p.m. newscast for WCHS-TV8/Fox 11 Eyewitness News, you saw West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin bringing in his donation for our Fight Against Hunger canned food drive. If you missed it, scroll on for more pictures.

Manchin, who is scheduled to join us in serving our annual Thanksgiving meal to guests at Union Mission Crossroads on Nov. 25 (the day before Thanksgiving), is a big supporter of The Mission, both in donating his time and by bringing in canned goods every year. We appreciate his support immensely.

If you'd like to donate, here's a list of some places that are currently collecting canned food items for Union Mission. (This is not a comprehensive list, and we are adding more locations literally every day. Stay tuned for more locations; we'll add them as quickly as we can.)

Papa John's Pizza
(Patrick Street location: until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, bring in 12 cans of food and get a free large, one-topping pizza!)

The Purple Onion

(inside Capitol Market; Allan Hathaway, the owner of the Purple Onion, is also graciously hosting one of our coin collection boxes. Hint, hint.)

Bible Center Church
(we have a trailer at the Oakhurst Drive Campus, not the new campus past Southridge.)

WCHS-TV8/Fox 11 Studios
(Piedmont Road, Charleston)

Medical Management Professionals, Inc.
(Office is at 3508 Staunton Avenue in Kanawha City; theirs is a white buidling across from Murad's, and they are collecting on the first floor.)

West Virginia State Capitol Cafeteria/Food Court

(located in the basement of the West Virginia Statehouse)

Rock 105

Mattress Warehouse stores

Union Mission warehouse

Oh, and here are the pictures from Governor Manchin's visit to the Fight Against Hunger last night.

Moving the Heart of God

2009-10-30T12:31:00.002-04:00

That's what we're told prayer does: it moves the heart of God, soothes the soul of man, inspires the mind of others.

We're kicking off a new venture here at The Mission. We're recruiting people to join in the Union Mission Prayer Team.

The Prayer Team is a group of men and women who are committed to praying for the needs of Union Mission, the people it serves and the way in which it serves them. In these economic times, we've come to understand something very elementary, yet something we often forget: we are capabale of doing nothing for the homeless, hopeless and hurting in our state without the hand of God moving our efforts along.

The bottom line is that we've been hit by the economic recession, and that hit means we need God now more than ever. Without him, we would never be able to offer the vital services we've been providing this community for nearly 100 years.

We want you to join with us in this effort. Click on this link and join our prayer team.

(Please note: this list will never be used to solicit funds; its sole purpose is to bond people's hearts and minds toward filling our needs through prayer.)

Big Weekend Ahead

2009-10-20T14:47:00.005-04:00

When I came to work here at The Mission back in January, everyone sort of chuckled at my inexperience in Mission work (some might call it naivete...and they would be right.)

Their source of merriment was my contention that I was excited for the fall, when pretty much every day is critical to the success of our food giveaways, coat giveaways, benefit concerts, holiday mailings, etc. A lot of that stuff is generated from the development and marketing department where I work. My attitude was "bring it on."

"Be careful what you pray for," the saying goes. No kidding. The pace is picking up here at The Mission, and that means a lot of work ahead.

But you know what? It also means a lot of opportunity. And for that, I'm excited.

Here's a rundown of things coming up this weekend:

Saturday: Coat Giveaway
This has become our first big event at The Mission each year. We collect coats starting in August, then sort them, hang them and give them away to our guests. Our guys at Union Mission Crossroads and the Union Mission Foundations program, along with the women and children at Brookside Family Life Center get first crack, then we invite our guests from Union Mission Family Services to get what they and their children need to stay warm this winter.

Saturday: Blessed Sacrament's annual Cardboard City
A special shout-out to Michelle Patterson, who works with the youth at Blessed Sacrament in South Charleston. She invited us back in the summer to participate in their event, which helps educate their young people about extreme poverty and homelessness. I'll be speaking at the event and participating in a Q&A afterward.

Sunday: Brown paper bag inserts
Do you get the Sunday Gazette-Mail? If so, keep an eye out for brown paper bags with our signature wefeedpeople.com logo; inside, you'll find some information about our Thanksgiving dinner and how you can help.

Sunday: Jeremy Camp's "Speaking Louder Than Before"
Christian recording artist Jeremy Camp is in town, along with Natalie Grant and Bebo Norman, to put on a concert at the Municipal Auditorium. Tickets are going fast, so get 'em now! Oh, and make sure you bring a canned good with you...we'll have a collection site just outside the entrance as well as a booth set up inside to share The Mission with you. We've also been invited to come onstage and tell the audience a little about what we do here at Union Mission.

Sunday: Bethany Baptist Church's Missions Conference
Bethany Baptist has been a wonderful partner to Union Mission over the years, and we're excited to participate in their upcoming Missions Conference. Our President and CEO, Rex Whiteman, is the keynote speaker for their Sunday festitivies.

I hope you can make it out to one of our events this weekend. We'd love to meet you and share with you our heart for hurting people in West Virginia.

(I'll say this much: I'm no longer naive at how busy Mission work can be.)

Dine Out, Fight Hunger

2009-10-16T09:10:00.002-04:00

Food Fight starts today, so we're all geared up around here for what we hope is a great kickoff to our fall campaign events. Last year it generated enough canned goods to feed more than 23,000 families in the Kanawha Valley. That's amazing, sure, but we're hoping to feed a lot more people this year. And let's face it, the need this year is greater than we've seen in years...and perhaps in The Mission's nearly 100-year history. Yes, the situation "on the ground" is that critical.

With that in mind comes the next chance for people to help out.

This Monday, October 19, Chili's in the Charleston Town Center is graciously hosting a "Chili's Gives Back Night" for Union Mission. It works like this: you eat dinner at Chili's this Monday, making sure to hand in a Chili's Gives Back flyer with your bill, and The Mission gets 10% of the proceeds from your check.

This is late notice, we realize. We just finalized the event, so we need your help to make it a success. So, on Monday, skip cooking and head down to Chili's at the Town Center. Just remember, you must bring this form with you (just click the link, download the PDF and print it off).

We hope to see you there.

West Virginia Executive is Feeding People

2009-09-28T10:29:00.005-04:00

Wow. I mean, wow.

Did I say wow?

So I just got a phone call from the wonderful women of West Virginia Executive magazine. The gist of the conversation was this: Executive is gonna take a BIG step toward fighting hunger in the Kanawha Valley this holiday season.

The particulars? Jennifer, Kensie, April and the gang are challenging businesses across West Virginia to participate in Union Mission's 2009 Food Fight, which gets underway on October 16. Food Fight is a friendly competition pitting teams against each other to see who can bring in the most canned goods. There are categories for churches, civic groups, etc., but West Virginia Executive is offering the winner in the business category a free quarter-page ad in the first Executive edition of 2010.

(I'll say it again...wow.)

For us, this is huge. We have some teams already signed up for Food Fight, but need a lot more if we're going to reach our goal of feeding more than 30,000 families during our Thanksgiving and Christmas food basket distribution. A major part of those baskets is food we bring in during Food Fight, so each can of food means one fewer person that goes hungry this holiday season.

Remember: you must sign up to participate in Food Fight. If you'll send me an e-mail to andrew@wefeedpeople.com, I'll get you an information packet in the mail TODAY.

The gauntlet has been thrown down, business leaders. Will you meet West Virginia Executive's challenge?

Our Impact in August

2009-09-21T13:43:00.002-04:00

The stats from August are finally up over at wefeedpeople.com (click on the 'what we do' link). There are some interesting trends we noticed (and by interesting, I mean troubling).

After a lull in need, we saw some numbers rise sharply in August, even as "experts" are telling us the economic recession is over. For the men, women and children we serve, it's never really over, is it? Indeed, their economic--and emotional--situation is a depression.

Take Brookside Family Life Center, for example. Our women's and children's shelter saw its highest levels of women guests since March. All told, 13 women called Brookside their home in August. That number doesn't include the five children who lived with us last month.

The increase was more drastic at Crossroads, our downtown shelter for homeless men. After a year-long low of 798 overnight stays back in May, we're seeing our highest levels since the bitter cold of January: 1,460 overnight stays were reported in August. That's almost double the number we saw earlier this year.

It's not just the homeless, either. While the 409 guests our Family Services department saw is actually pretty low, the number of first-time visits--a key barometer of conditions out there--was up to 68 (from 44 in July). Our Family Services guests are those who live below the poverty line but have a roof over their heads; they are provided toiletries, money, utility assistance, food, etc.

Foundations Graduation: John Osborne

2009-09-14T09:42:00.003-04:00

We recently witnessed a moving and powerful moment here at The Mission: another of our Union Mission Foundations guys has graduated.

Foundations, in case you didn't know, is our year-long addiction recovery/discipleship program for guys committed to breaking the cycle of destructive behavior, poverty and homelessness.

It works like this: guests staying at our Union Mission Crossroads facility downtown who show a commitment to spiritual, emotional and personal growth are invited into what we call "pre-program." After breakfast at Crossroads, we transport them to our main campus on South Park Road, where they spend the day working in the various areas of our ministry. They return to Crossroads for dinner and evening chapel after their work day is through.

Once they've shown continued commitment and development, they are invited into the Foundations program itself. The benefits are great for the guys. Instead of living at Crossroads, they are invited to our dorms here at Union Mission HQ, where they have access to a television lounge, game room (think pool and ping-pong tables), a weight/exercise room and library. They spend their mornings in class; lessons include (but are not limited to) Bible-based life management skills, debt reduction, how to find (and keep!) a job, tobacco-cessation training, addiction-recovery training, etc. After lunch, they participate in acts of Christian service by working at The Mission.

And that's my lead-in to this video. This is the story of John Osborne, told through his graduation last Friday. He's our most recent graduate, and we're helping him attend Word of Life Bible Institute in Florida next semester; indeed, one of the benefits of completing the program is that we often help guys continue their education.

HUD Secretary on Homelessness

2009-09-10T12:30:00.000-04:00

While we do not solicit nor accept government money--meaning our services come at no cost to taxpayers--we are encouraged when men and women in our government confront the issue of poverty, homelessness and addiction.

Here's a video of HUD secretary Shaun Donovan addressing the National Conference to End Homelessness recently.

We Feed People....With Music

2009-09-01T21:12:00.001-04:00

This Friday night marks the first of a number of music-related events that we're a part of in the next few months. The most interesting part? We really didn't plan on any of it!

First things first: Rock The Mission is this Friday at Gateway Church in South Charleston. Earlier this year, our friend Shane Lowther, the lead singer of a contemporary Christian band called Goodnight Silo, told us he'd like to start holding annual concerts to benefit Union Mission. Needless to say, he didn't have to twist our arms too hard.

We hope you can make it. Doors open at 6:30, and five bucks gets you in. Goodnight Silo and 5 Second Head Start are headlining the show, and they have a special guest coming with them. Three bands, five bucks, one great cause. Can't go wrong, folks.

Next up, in October, contemporary Christian musician Jeremy Camp is bringing his Speaking Louder Than Before Tour to Charleston's Municipal Auditorium (with guests Natalie Grant and Bebo Norman, both of whom could easily headline their own show). Jeremy is a very missional guy, and he selects a local charity to partner with on every show he does. We were so very blessed to hear that he picked us as his benefit organization for his October 25 show. Bring a canned food item and make sure you visit the Union Mission/WeFeedPeople.com booth at the show. Visit his tour date site for more info. Trust us: this is gonna be a big show, and we are absolutely thrilled to be a part of it.

Finally--and this is just in the planning stages right now--but Hurricane First Baptist Church has invited us to participate in an annual youth convention they are hosting on November 21 and 22. The headline act is the Christian group 33 Miles. We'll be telling you more about this as the time gets closer.

Hope to see you soon.

An Open Letter to our Community

2009-08-18T13:42:00.002-04:00

(From Rex Whiteman, President and CEO, Union Mission Ministries)

Helping hurting people is a challenge.

Just ask Dave and Susan. For most of their marriage, they’ve dedicated their lives in service to others, working as missionaries in Africa. Nearly all of their financial support came directly from the agency for which they worked.

That all changed in a heartbeat. As the economic recession deepened, the organization cut in half its support for overseas missions work. With their source of support gone, Dave and Susan had to return to America.

But serving in Africa left them unprepared for the challenging workforce back home, where unemployment continues to rise. While they continue to look for work while staying with friends, the harsh reality is that there’s just not enough to pay the bills.

Yet Dave and Susan found a safety net: the rough waters are calming thanks to Union Mission. Here, they’ve had their needs met, whether it’s been food, clothing and even emotional and spiritual support during these confusing times.

Dave and Susan aren’t alone. The fact is many Christian organizations are facing critical shortages amid this economic recession. It’s a perfect storm: the need is increasing even as financial resources to meet those needs dry up. That’s the reality facing Union Mission today. That’s why we need your help.

We understand that just about everyone has been impacted in some way by the economy. That’s why I often find it hard to share our needs with you.

But the fact remains: now, more than ever, we need you. Even as signs point to an improving national economy, it still holds that there are thousands of people in our community who desperately need our help. They desperately need your help.

I’m asking you to take a moment and consider partnering with us in the work of Union Mission. Your gift ensures that we can continue providing vital services to our community.

With your help, more homeless men will come in out of the cold. More women and children will find a refuge from an abusive home. More unemployed families will have a nutritious meal. More men, ravaged by their addictions, will find the resources they need to heal from their devastating disease.

We invite you to meet those needs by supporting Union Mission with a gift today.

(While Dave and Susan's story is real, their names and some distinguishing details have been changed to protect their anonymity)

Union Mission: Faces of Hope

2009-08-12T18:53:00.005-04:00

We hope you like our newest video, produced by our friends at Advantage Business Connection. They, in turn, hired Motion Masters to develop this video.

We commissioned it for a specific purpose. This video is roughly four minutes long, which is a tad bit too long for YouTube standards, but perfect for a short presentation to churches, civic groups, businesses, etc. It allows us to present The Mission in a brief 10-minute session. First, we show the video, then take about six minutes or so to go into a little more detail about what we do.

We hope you like the video and will provide us with some feedback.

Poverty in the Local Spotlight

2009-08-06T22:55:00.008-04:00

I got an e-mail the other day from One.org, the anti-poverty advocacy organization founded by Bono (of the rock band U2). The group is organizing meet-and-greet opportunities in communities around the country to coincide with the August legislative recess, when U.S. senators return to their districts. The purpose of these meetings is to urge our legislators to take action in addressing poverty.

Also, there's this AP story, which ran in the Charleston Gazette this week. It turns out a handful of advocacy groups are coming here to discuss poverty in light of the ongoing recession. That's very timely. We can attest that there is a greater need in these times--and fewer resources to address them.

It's always good to see people coming together to shine a light on issues that are a daily reality for us at The Mission. While it's our belief that combating poverty, homelessness and addiction is best handled by private organizations like ours (and not the federal government), we hope our community is galvanized by these upcoming events, realizes the struggle many in our area face and, most importantly, that our community takes action. It's the old "think globally, act locally" mindset that we hope to see.

If that's your reaction, we hope you'll take some time to come see what Union Mission is all about--and how you can help.

Thank You, Volunteers!

2009-07-30T16:15:00.004-04:00

Please...Don't Donate a Land Mine

2009-07-24T13:10:00.003-04:00

We're thankful for every little donation that comes into the Union Mission Thrift Store from generous folks around the Kanawha Valley. For instance, did you know that about 50% of our total gifts each year come, not from cash, but from donated goods? It enables us to use what we would otherwise have to buy; give away what needy families would otherwise have to buy; and sell to support the work of The Mission (by the way, in 2008, 7% of our income was from thrift store sales.)

But, please...leave those land mines alone. Seriously, we can use a lot of things. Just not land mines.

If you aren't familiar with the Union Mission Thrift Store, here's a brief rundown on the process.

We accept donated items during normal business hours, Monday through Saturday. (You can get directions here.) You'll find a helpful group of fellas at the loading dock who will unload your items for you and provide you with a receipt that you fill out; for tax reasons, we can't put a value on anything that you provide, so we'll ask you to tell us what you think your items are worth, then you're on your way!

Of course, you may want to stop and shop a little. Inside our two-story store you'll find computers, furniture, housewares, books, decorations and bric-a-brac on the first floor as well as a very helpful staff if you're looking for something in particular.

Upstairs, the place is literally full of clothes. Women's clothes. Men's clothes. Little boys' and girls' clothes. Shoes. Belts. Hats. You name it. Everything you see has been donated by someone else and inspected upon arrival for defects.

But don't worry about the defective, stained or otherwise unusable clothes. We don't throw them away. We were green before being green was cool (and we're not just talking about our trucks, either!) Excess clothing is bailed up and shipped either to a recycling facility or to missionaries in Third World countries for distribution there. Nothing is wasted around here.

That's the Union Mission Thrift Store in a nutshell. If you want to know more, simply stop in and say hello. We'll be happy to see you, whether you're shopping or giving items away.

Just, please...don't donate a land mine.

Number of Homeless Families on the Rise

2009-07-23T11:44:00.003-04:00

Voice of America is reporting a rise in homeless families as the nation's economy continues to struggle.

The story points out the effect in Washington, D.C., but there is anecdotal evidence that this phenomenon is here in our area, too. For instance, social service providers in Morgantown say there is a veritable explosion in that city's homeless family population.

Let's face it, it's hard to notice a homeless family. They often live out of cars or in rural areas, out of view of the general public. It's not hard to see single men and women who are homeless. Those are the people we see walking to lunch downtown, or standing off of Interstate exit ramps.
How might we, as a community, be more aware of the growing population of homeless families? How might we be more responsive to them?

We hope you'll take some time and share your thoughts with us.

Caption Contest Winner

2009-07-16T14:52:00.007-04:00

And the winner is...

"Back in my day, we used to hit balls with our bare hands, not some wooden stick...."

Congratulations, Paul.

Hope everyone enjoyed playing along. We've decided to give some goodies away to everyone who participated, so please send me your snail-mail address to andrew@wefeedpeople.com, and I'll get your prize pack in the mail right away!

Keep coming back to the blog. We have some more fun contests on the horizon, plus we need your help in making Food Fight 2009 and our annual fall coat drive a success.

Upcoming Events

2009-07-15T13:07:00.006-04:00

Believe it or not, we're already gearing up for our fall campaign here at Union Mission. It's always a very busy time for us. There's the annual Food Fight, our fall coat giveaway, our food drive, Adopt-A-Family and, of course, our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

We'll be getting details of these events out in due course, but I wanted to get the word out about the 2009 Food Fight and the Fall Coat Giveaway.

Food Fight is now in its second year. It's a friendly competition where participating teams are sorted into categories, with each assigned its own non-perishable food item to gather. Teams can gather food in any way they wish (provided its legal, of course!), with all of the food going to feed needy families at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The 2009 Food Fight starts on World Food Day—Friday, October 16, and runs until Saturday, November 7. Each team captain will be contacted on the day of the Food Fight kickoff and informed of the kind of food they’ll be collecting. All food must be turned in by November 7 to participate in the 2009 Food Fight.

Last year we had a great turnout and participation, but this year we want this thing to explode. In fact, our goal is to bring in enough food that we can meet our community's need without dipping into our financial resources. You can help make that happen!

If you are interested in participating, please call us here at Union Mission. You can direct inquiries to Director of Development Andrew Beckner by calling 304-925-0366, ext. 133, or by e-mail to andrew@wefeedpeople.com.

The Fall Coat Giveaway is scheduled for Saturday, October 24 here at Union Mission. We will need donated coats before that time, so please start thinking about donating now.

Caption Contest!

2009-07-06T14:12:00.008-04:00

So, just how witty are you?

Whatever your answer to that question, we'll be the judge of that!

From now until the end of next week, we are holding a contest to see who can come up with the wittiest, funniest, cleverest (you get the picture...pun intended) caption for the photograph below.

What do you win? Glad you asked.

The author of the winning caption will get his or her very own WeFeedPeople.com prize package containing a T-shirt, calendar, mousepad, notepad, ink pen and support bracelet.

Wait, there's more! (Yes, that is an homage to the late Billy Mays.) After the winning caption, we'll randomly draw another caption, and that person gets their very own WeFeedPeople.com mouse pad.

And that's not all, folks! We'll do yet another random drawing of runner-ups and give that person their very own WeFeedPeople.com notepad and ballpoint pen set. Talk about a deal!

(To see photos of the prize pack and individual items, check out our Facebook page.)

So, without further delay, here's the picture (drumroll, please...)

OK, folks...write your best caption, and tell your friends.

The Annual Report is on its way!

2009-06-29T12:37:00.005-04:00

If you are on the Union Mission mailing list, keep your eye out for our 2008 annual report/calendar, which is just about ready to go to the post office. We're pretty excited about it.

On the cover is D.J. Johnson, a guest of ours at Union Mission Crossroads. I had the opportunity to interview D.J. a few months back, and I uploaded it to our YouTube channel and our Union Mission Unfiltered video series.

So, in honor of D.J.'s place on the annual report cover, here's his video. Take a look, and then head on over to our other videos on YouTube. As always, any feedback you may have is greatly appreciated!

Union Mission: All Access

2009-06-23T20:46:00.003-04:00

Welcome!

We are holding a press conference on Wednesday, June 24, starting at 2 p.m. We hope you'll tune in to watch. After all, this is our first live Union Mission: All Access show, so we're pretty excited.

You can also tune in directly via our Ustream channel at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/union-mission-all-access. Or you can watch it right here on the blog. It's up to you. When we go live, that dark screen down there will light up and we'll be off and running.

Thanks, and we hope you'll tune in and share your thoughts!

Live Broadcasting by Ustream

Notes From Donors

2009-06-23T08:39:00.000-04:00

As we pointed out last month, we get a lot of notes from those who give financially to The Mission. Again, there aren't always opportunities to get them out so that others can see them, but it's important for us to share their thoughts.

Needless to say, a blog is the perfect place for publishing some of the notes we get. Hope you enjoy reading them as much as we do.

"We remember you and The Mission in prayer. You do a mighty work for our Lord. As I have said many times. you are His hands and feet in our area. I always know that my money sent to you is used to help hurting people and to life up our Lord...thank you again for all that you do. You have shown your love and concern for us. We praise God for friends like you."
(S.E., Lindside, W.Va.)

"The best to you and all those who have found their way to The Mission. I continually thank God that my brother and sisters were blessed to have the card and guidance as children. This has remained with us and I am always talking to friends about The Mission."
(G.S., Punta Gorda, Fla.)

"I thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything that you have done...I never dreamed that I would have to call on The Mission for help. You have bee more than willing to help! I will always be grateful to you."
(J.H., Charleston, W.Va.)

"We appreciate so much the work you are doing to help all of those affected by the recent floods. May God bless you and your work."
(E.B. & G.B., Scott Depot, W.Va.)

"May the good Lord continue to bless His work to the needy in spite of the economy. He is not bankrupt!"
(T.L., St. Albans, W.Va.)

"As usual, I appreciate your relating the stories of God's performances with help through you, His obedient servants. God bless you!"
(D.W., Seminole, Fla.)

Non-Profit Times: Facebook/Social Media Boosting Fund-Raising

2009-06-19T14:10:00.005-04:00

The June 15 edition of the Non-Profit Times just found its way into my inbox (my old-school inbox...you know, the one where they put this stuff called paper? And I walk downstairs to get it out of the admin office? On the actual, physical first floor of our building? Oh, forget it.)

It's nice to see the article point out non-profits who are making a buck through social media in general and Facebook specifically. One of the big questions everyone has about social media is, of course, "what do I get out of this?" I don't know the answer, honestly...and this is coming from someone who considers himself a social media evangelist.

The question for the here and now becomes this: is sharing information enough? Sure, social media shares a lot of information, engages communities, etc. But whether or not it is having an impact on the bottom line remains to be seen.

Oh, sure, there are exceptions. Zappos does very, very well on social media. So does Dell (in fact, Dell's success marketing on Twitter during the holiday season gave birth to a rumor that Twitter was going to start charging companies for using its service; I sure hope they don't do that to non-profits, but that's a discussion for another day.)

Then there are those non-profits that are seeing tremendous success on Facebook. The Nature Conservancy raises the most through its Facebook cause, bringing in $214,468. That may not sound like a lot, but as the NPTimes article points out, updating Facebook is a heck of a lot less expensive and time-consuming that sending out a solicitation letter. Hence the appeal of this form of communicating with potential donors. It's one of the myriad of reasons we're committed to reaching out this way.

But at the end of the day, whether Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or blogs helps bring in donors remains to be seen. Yes, it raises awareness, which has its own enormous value, to be sure. One question I've always had is how do you track financial contributions that may or may not come from social media channels? Right now it simply can't be done. I can tell you to the penny how many people gave to Union Mission as a result of our decidedly old-school appeal letter that went out to donors in June. But I have no clue--and may never know--how many (or if any) dollars came in because someone is a Union Mission fan on Facebook, or because they joined our Facebook cause.

So...do you forsee a day when we'll be able to quantify, in dollars and cents, how valuable social media is to a non-profit? Is it worth the time I spend, on a weekly basis, updating content across all of our platforms?

Hope you'll share some insights with us.

Viva La Volunteers!

2009-06-11T13:38:00.005-04:00

If you are a current or past volunteer of Union Mission, we want to say thanks!

We'll be at Kanawha State Forest shelters 5, 6 & 7 on Monday, July 13. Things are getting underway at 6 p.m., and we'll go until the park rangers show up and kick us out of there.

We hope you’ll all be able to be able make it. It’s hard to express how much our volunteers mean to us, and this is just a small way for us to say "Thank you" for all that you do. You are more than volunteers—you are partners with us in God’s work at Union Mission.

Directions:

From Interstate 64 (either east- or west-bound), take Exit 58-A.
Stay right on the exit ramp; at the end of the ramp, turn right onto US-119 South
Merge into the left lane on US-119; after approximately half of a mile, turn left at the stoplight intersection onto Oakwood Road.
Following the brown routing signs to Kanawha State Forest, take a left just before George Washington High School to remain on Oakwood Road.
After approximately half a mile, turn right at a stop sign onto Bridge Road.
Stay straight at the stop sign intersection of Bridge Road and Louden Heights Road.
Turn right onto Connell Road.
Follow Connell Road until it ends at the intersection of Kanawha Forest Drive; take a sharp left onto Kanawha Forest Drive.
Follow Kanawha Forest Drive to the entrance of Kanawha State Forest. Shelters 5, 6 & 7 are near the entrance to the forest.

Power at The Mission

2009-06-09T11:36:00.005-04:00

God's love has, throughout, been shown in amazing and heroic ways.

It is Jesus, telling a mob, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

It is Pat Withrow, our founder, opening his home to vagrants and vagabonds.

It is a firefighter, racing up a stairwell in a burning building on 9/11, intent on saving people he does not know--even if it costs him his life...which it does.

You can find God's love everywhere...even in a bag of mulch.

One of the most important acts of service here at The Mission are those that require workers to get their hands dirty by making our campus look nice. You may think, 'Hey, it's just a bunch of flowers and some mulch. What's the big deal?"

Our guests come from broken lives. They live in poverty, their daily existence a portrait of broken glass, cracked sidewalks, cigarette butts and sirens. When they come here to Union Mission, they deserve a place that is warm and inviting. In short, we want our guests to arrive here resting in the arms of God.

It's why we strive to give everyone we see a smile, a kind word, an opened door. And it's why beautification projects, as trivial as they may seem, are so important to us.

So a big 'thank you' goes out today to the three team members of the West Virginia Power who are spreading mulch in our flower beds. It may not seem like much. But God's love isn't always witnessed in great acts of heroism. Very often, it's a still, small voice.

God's love in a bag of mulch? That's real Power.

CLA: Food Bank Levels Down

2009-06-01T13:34:00.004-04:00

I ran across an interesting tidbit in the summer issue of Outcomes (the magazine of the Christian Leadership Alliance, of which many Mission staff is a member).

It seems food banks across the country are facing big shortages; indeed, as many as 72 percent are either not meeting the need in their community or are decreasing the amount they give out to each family.

There are two causes of this, the CLA is reporting: one, food prices continue to be at historically high levels. Guess what No. 2 is? Yep, you guessed it. The economy. More and more middle-class families seeking assistance means a greater strain on food banks which have been used to stable levels of need in recent years. Now that the need has spiked, the amount in food bank warehouses have gone down.

Some are clamoring for Congress to step in and throw some stimulus money at the problem. We can't speak for other organizations which are repsonsible to their boards and God for confronting issues as they see them. Here at Union Mission, we don't accept government money.

Don't misunderstand. No one here is saying taking federal assistance is a bad thing. Again, other organizations must do what they deem necessary. But we've found that our ministry is capable of making it through the provision of our individual and corporate donors.

Is that the right stance to take? Why or why not? Is there a one-size-fits-all solution to this kind of problem?

Thanks for reading, and we hope you'll share your thoughts either here or on our Facebook page.

The Heart of a City

2009-05-20T15:08:00.006-04:00

There is simply no other way to describe what is happening but this: we are overwhelmed.

The heart of the Charleston community has truly been revealed these past two weeks. You have spoken with a collective voice that has demonstrated immeasurable love to the vicitms of this month's catastrophic flooding in southern West Virginia.

In the original New Testament text, the Greek word for God's love is "agape." It's a very specific word, reserved for the highest demonstrations and expressions of love. What I've seen this week comes pretty doggone close to agape love. And for that, we cannot say thank you enough.

Here are some pictures from today's Flood Aid 2009. Keep visiting the site for more updates.

2009-05-19T23:07:00.006-04:00

When: 5 a.m. until 11:30 p.m.

Who: Union Mission and WCHS Eyewitness News

What: Flood relief drive and telethon benefiting flood victims in Mingo County; cash and gently used furniture are needed

Where: At The Mission's South Park Road campus (the telethon), and at the WCHS studios on Piedmont Road (the relief drive)

How: Because of YOU!

Portrait of a Disaster

2009-05-16T04:37:00.003-04:00

It looks like first-hand accounts of the 2009 southern West Virginia flood are starting to find their way online. I ran across a few videos on YouTube when I was checking on our own video (which you can find via our YouTube channel: youtube.com/wefeedpeople).

Mark your calendars: this Wednesday, May 20, we are once again partnering with the wonderful folks at WCHS-TV to have one more big flood relief drive. We are still ironing out all of the details, but the early plan calls for a huge day-long event, with live broadcasts throughout the day, telephones set up to take cash donations and as many of our signature, bright-green WeFeedPeople.com trucks as we can fill up. We'll have more details as soon as we have them.

In the meantime, here are some videos I ran across on YouTube. Now, our folks who have been to Mingo County say there is no way to describe the level of destruction down there, but perhaps these shots will give you a bit of an idea of what these communities are facing.

Keep praying. Keep giving. Keep loving.

Flood Relief Drive: Day Four

2009-05-14T14:10:00.005-04:00

Remember, there is still much to do. Here's a partial list:

Tonight is Volunteer Night at Appalachian Power Park, and we'll have one of our WeFeedPeople.com box trucks at the APP for folks who want to donate. Thank yous are in order for the wonderful folks at Volunteer WV and, of course, our good friends at WCHS-TV.

Both Bible Center Church and Maranatha Fellowship are challening their congregations to give supplies during church services on Sunday, and we'll be providing transportation to those donations on Monday.

Clark International is providing to military-type cargo vehicles. We're arranging for those vehicles to be driven to Mingo County for their use in recovery efforts there.

We also invite you to watch the video below as well as peruse some photos from today's activities.

Keep coming back for more updates on the flood recovery effort!

Flood Relief Drive: Day Three

2009-05-13T15:12:00.003-04:00

Things are picking up! We've been extremely busy these past 24 hours...and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Remember: we're still accepting donations of bleach, cleaning supplies, non-perishable food items, drinking water, diapers, shovels, trash bags, etc., at WCHS-TV on Piedmont Road. You can also purchase your items and drop them off at any Kroger location.

Here's what's happening in the next 24 hours:

We're running a three-truck caravan (two tractor trailers and a box truck) to Mingo County beginning first thing Thursday morning. Kroger is delivering a truckload of bleach and water that we purchased wholesale with your donations. That will make up one of the loads, and your donations of supplies will make up the remainder. A big thank you goes out to Russ Shannon and the folks at S&K Transport who are providing a rig to haul one of the loads.
This evening at the top of the 6 p.m. WCHS Eyewitness News cast, our President and CEO, Rex Whiteman, is accepting a $1,000 check from Charleston Mayor Danny Jones. That will broadcast live. Mayor Jones is challenging others to donate as well.
Tomorrow night is Volunteer Night at Appalachian Power Park, and we'll have one of our WeFeedPeople.com box trucks at the APP for folks who want to donate. Thank yous are in order for the wonderful folks at Volunteer WV and, of course, our good friends at WCHS-TV.
Both Bible Center Church and Maranatha Fellowship are challening their congregations to give supplies during church services on Sunday, and we'll be providing transportation to those donations on Monday.

Keep coming back here for more news and the latest developments in our emergency flood relief effort for those affected areas in Mingo County...and keep those donations coming in!

Flood Relief Drive: Day Two (UPDATED)

2009-05-12T01:10:00.015-04:00

UPDATE: Our first truck is out the door and on its way to Mingo County. Those pictures at the top of the page show some highlights from the second day of the drive. A HUGE thanks goes out to WCHS for hosting the drive (make sure you watch Eyewitness News!), and for Kroger for participating. We'll be taking another down there tomorrow, another on Friday and another on Monday. Keep coming back to the blog for more details and updates as we move along.

The waters are back where they belong--in their banks--and now the cleanup work begins.

We are in the process of mobilizing to provide emergency assistance to Mingo County families affected by the recent floods. We specialize in rapid response; indeed, we were the first relief agency to come through the area on Saturday...as the water was still rising. Now that things have dried out, we're heading back.

The problem, however, is that our warehouse is relatively empty of the kinds of goods needed. That's why we're partnering with our great friends from WCHS-TV 8 and Kroger to provide emergency assistance. We're asking people in our community to bring bleach, household cleaning products, non-perishable food, drinking water or a cash/check donation to the WCHS parking lot on Piedmont Road in Charleston (near University of Charleston Stadium/Laidley Field).

You can also purchase items at Kroger and donate them after you're finished shopping. We'll be making pickups at area Kroger supermarkets during this drive.

Folks, the need is immediate, and our response must be rapid. We want to take a load of supplies as soon as possible, so that means we need to get our truck full within the next 24 hours. Please consider coming by the WCHS lot to donate needed items. You're also welcome to stop by and see us at our main campus on South Park Road in Kanawha City.

(Like that picture of Rex holding our 'flood relief' banner? That's Charleston Daily Mail photographer Craig Cunningham taking the shot...and here's the story where you can see his photo! Thank you, Daily Mail, for helping us spread the word.)

Emergency Need! (UPDATED)

2009-05-11T10:32:00.013-04:00

Now that the persistent rains in our area have (hopefully) stopped, it's time for recovery for the thousands of residents hardest hit in our communities.

(Photos clockwise from top left: WCHS reporter Meredith Wood interviews Union Mission President and CEO Rex Whiteman; some goods loaded in one of our signature trailers; Rex holds a 'flood relief' banner for Charleston Daily Mail photographer Craig Cunningham; an example of the tremendous devastation in Mingo County is shown in this Tom Hindman photo courtesy of the Charleston Daily Mail)

We need your help. We are currently holding an emergency collection for flood relief. Our friends at WCHS-TV are hosting the drive at their parking lot starting at noon today. After we've collected enough items, we'll be delivering them to the areas south of us where the floods wreaked havoc over the last few days. You can also purchase and donate items off at any Kroger location; we'll do a pickup at those locations as well.

We need:

Bleach

Cleaning supplies

Drinking water

Non-perishable food

Financial contributions

Please keep those in southern West Virginia in your prayers as they fight to recover what's been lost in these floods. We appreciate your support as we do God's work. Thank you for your donations!

(A big thank you to the Daily Mail and the Charleston Gazette for helping us get the word out!)

Our Impact in April

2009-05-06T09:51:00.005-04:00

It was a mixed bag for our guests at Union Mission in April. While we're happy to see some of the numbers that went up so drastically last month come back to earth just a little bit, there are still some warning signs about the deepening recession and its impact on those most vulnerable in our community.

Over at Union Mission Crossroads, we are continuing to see steep increases in the number of men housed. In March, we saw 375 men. In April, we were up to 416. By contrast, you may recall we saw 120 men in February. I was over there on Tuesday, and chaplain Jake Moyer told me they are currently filling about 45-50 beds. He said that number typically rises as we move deeper into the month. The bottom line, then, is that we are seeing more and more men facing homelessness now than in previous months. But as we always say, there is opportunity amid crisis. Case in point? The dedicated chaplains over at Crossroads--Moyer, Calvin Ford, Clyde Burns, Wade Wiseman and Crossroads Director David Sneade--provided individual counseling for 310 men in April. In March, we counseled 92. So, we're thankful for those seeking wisdom and guidance while visiting Crossroads.

We stayed pretty steady in April at Brookside Family Life Center. We had 42 total guests--same as last month--with 13 of the women being new to our program.

The first number I always look for in Union Mission Family Services' monthly report is the number of first-time visits. Some of our guests are steady, but the first-timers are what we have to keep an eye on. It's a barometer of what's going on out there. That being said, the 63 first-time visits in April is back down to our first-time-visit average. That's after a spike from 64 in February to 84 in March.

(To see some of the numbers, head over to wefeedpeople.com, and click on the 'what we do' page.)

All told, we fed 47,042 people in April (both physically and spiritually.)

Notes From Donors: March, 2009

2009-05-04T12:29:00.002-04:00

We get tons of letters from folks who give to Union Mission. We usually pull some particularly touching comments and include them in newsletters, appeal letters and things like that...but only when space allows.

But here on the Web, we've got all the space we need, so I thought I'd start sharing exerpts from these letters. My prayer is that they'll inspire you to learn more about The Mission...and perhaps become a partner in prayer, time or treasure yourself.

"I am 89 years-old and my husband is 93. At present time medical bills and hospitalization runs high, but God has been so good to us. We are meeting all of our expenses. I realize I don't have a lot to spend but with God's help, it will help."
-C.D.
Poca, WV

"When I receive the letters telling of the needy, desperate ones that have been helped at Brookside (Family Life Center), I'm so thankful for the part I have in The Mission. May the Lord continue to bless you and His work. I trust the Lord will bless each one as you serve (Him) in your own capacities: the mothers as they seekl to do the Lord's will and you...as you try to help and encourage them."
-T.L.
St. Albans, WV

"We remember you and The Mission in prayer. You do a mighty work for our Lord. As I have said many times, you are His hands and feet in our area. I always know that money sent to you is used to help hurting people and to lift up our Lord...Thank you again for all that you do. You have shown your love and concern for us. We praise God for friends like you."
- S.E.
Lindside, WV

Union Mission Unfiltered: John's Story

2009-05-01T09:21:00.002-04:00

I had some changes I needed to make to this video after talking with John Osborne, the young man that is a part of our Union Mission Foundations program. If you'll recall, we helped send John on a missions trip to Latvia, and he came back excited about how God is going to use him in ministry.

So, here's the updated video, which you can also see on our YouTube channel at YouTube.com/WeFeedPeople.

Brookside Family Life Center: Our Impact in March

2009-04-22T15:18:00.002-04:00

We got our March numbers in from Brookside Family Life Center and, like those of our other ministries, we saw some increases from previous months.

Back in January, we "fed" four at Brookside; that is, we housed four people. The number jumped in February to 30, then jumped again to 42 this past month. That comes out to 22 women and their 20 children.

Needless to say, that's a pretty big number.

Points to ponder:

* Do we, as a culture, have more of a moral responsibility to care for women and children than men? Why? Why not?

Our Impact in March

2009-04-17T09:59:00.004-04:00

The reports are all in from our ministries (well, at least some of them!) and we have some interesting numbers to report.

As suspected, the number of people receiving assistance is up across the board as the country moves deeper into this recession. But, again, we're focusing on opportunity here rather than crisis.

Union Mission Crossroads saw it's biggest jump in individual stays. In January and February, we housed around 120 separate men. In March, it ballooned to 375. That's a big jump.

There was also an increase in food services provided to Union Mission Family Services guests. In February, we provided food to 416 households through Family Services. March? It jumped to 525. Counseling sessions, prayer, utility assistance, appliances provided, furniture given...they all increased from Feburary to March. And, again, total visits for the month were up, from 421 in February to 525 in March, with first-time family visits--that is, families who had never been to Union Mission before--up from 64 in February to 84 in March.

The numbers for Union Mission Outreach were actually down in March; not sure how to analyze that. We served 49,648 individuals in February. In March, we were down to 38,973. That's still a huge impact, of course.

(Numbers for Union Mission Foundations and Brookside Family Life Center are not yet available; we'll have them on wefeedpeople.com when we get them.)

To see the numbers for yourself, visit wefeedpeople.com, and click on the "what we do" button. We update those statistics each month, so keep coming back.

From Rex: Join in the Revolution of Generosity

2009-04-16T09:37:00.003-04:00

Meet Rex Whiteman. Rex is our president and CEO, the pastor, if you will, of Union Mission. Here's his latest letter to our donors, volunteers and prayer partners.

"You don’t need me to tell you that these are difficult times. Unemployment is at record levels. Once-strong companies are closing their doors. The cost of basic goods are rising.

Of course, here at Union Mission, we see things a little differently. We have to. That’s because, since 1911, we’ve provided basic services to the helpless, hopeless and homeless…and we’ve done it all through the generous donations of our ministry partners like you.

Indeed, every penny of our multi-million dollar budget comes from donors. That is an amazing testament to the faithfulness of our friends, and in these hard times, I can’t thank you enough.

As we near the halfway point of 2009, we’re committing ourselves to look at the opportunity the current economic climate provides, not the crisis everyone seems to focus on. And, sure, it’s easy to get bogged down in all of the bad news. After all, none of us are immune.

Indeed, we see its effects every day. From my office, I just need to take a few brief steps into the reception area of Union Mission Family Services to witness the hard, cold reality of this recession: it’s written in the faces of the men, women and children seeking help. Friends, that room is nearly always full.

The bottom line is this: we are seeing a reduction in our donations while, at the same time, an increase in the number of people who need our help. That’s the simple reality of this recession: there are more people in need, and fewer resources to meet those needs. Again, we see this reality each and every day.

It would be easy for us to throw up our hands, pull out our hair and shout, ‘We give up!’ But I can’t possibly look in the faces of the small children playing with their toys in our reception area and tell them I can’t help.

Can you?

This is a call to arms, a time for what some have called ‘a revolution of generosity.’ We refuse to give up. We refuse to rest in the comfort of our blessings while turning a blind eye to the struggles of those around us.

Can I be frank with you a moment? Our current flow of donations is making it difficult to continue providing our vital services to those in need. That’s the simple reality of our current economic climate.

But remember, we’re focusing on opportunity here, not crisis. The crisis is that as our financial needs are strained, the number of people who come to us for help is on the rise. What a wonderful opportunity! Simply put, the more people we see, the more we can share our message of God’s love.

You have an opportunity, too. I invite you to be a part of ministering to the needs of the downtrodden, the hurt and the oppressed. We need your prayers. We need your time. And, yes, we need your financial gifts, especially now. This is your opportunity to join the revolution of generosity!

Times are tough for all of us. Let me take a moment to thank you for the support you’ve so generously provided in the past. Because of you, roughly 55,000 people are being fed this month alone.

Now that’s what I call making the most of opportunity!"

Sincerely,

Rex Whiteman,
President & CEO

A Missions Trip...to West Virginia

2009-04-09T13:40:00.006-04:00

Meet Adrien Gibbs. Adrien, along with Kaye Leadman, is one of our volunteer coordinators. It's her job to recruit volunteers to Union Mission and make sure their time with us is profitable for both The Mission and for the volunteer personally.

Adrien wanted to share some stories from a recent volunteer group's experience here.

"If anyone said you have to go overseas to take a mission trip they are sadly mistaken. Just ask the group from Compassionate Heart International.

Compassionate Heart International is a not-for-profit charitable organization committed to enriching the lives of people in communities around the world. This past week I had the privilege and honor to work with this group of eight volunteers based out of Winston Salem, North Carolina.

When the group first arrived I did not know what to expect. Yes, I have worked with groups before, but this group was going to stay for an entire week. We had a schedule of tasks that we wanted to accomplish before the week was over, but I never expected that this group would have accomplished so much. They wanted to do anything The Mission needed, and they were eager to learn all about The Mission. They were “blown away,” as one of the volunteers put it. They simply could not believe all The Mission does for people.

They said our organization is the first organization that they have been to that is so well put together and has several aspects that make up The Mission. At the beginning of the week, they painted the handrails at Brookside Family Life Center and cleaned the grounds of leaves and debris. They also cleaned up the flower beds at our Administration building. Every evening for dinner they served at Union Mission Crossroads, our men’s shelter, and on Thursday of that week they had a devotion and special music. At the end of the day they were so eager fellowship with the men at Crossroads and everyone else that came to get a hot meal. By the end of the week they knew several of the men by name and they honestly wanted to know about each and every person there.

On Wednesday we headed up to Summerlee, a small town near Beckley, West Virginia, to a church called Hand and Hand Mission. It's one of the sites we serve through Union Mission Outreach. We hosted a food giveaway and presented the gospel to 135 families. Six people dedicated their lives to Jesus that morning and you could feel God's presence in that old coal camp store building. It rained the whole way up and the rain did not stop for us, but that did not damper our spirits as we passed out food, toiletries and mining boots. When we were leaving Summerlee the group could not stop talking about how they have truly been touched.

Thursday and Friday the group got to experience the different areas of The Mission. They shadowed Union Mission Family Services and learned how the process works for people to get vouchers for food and clothing. They also got to go to the warehouse and give out food to the clients, work in the Union Mission Thrift Store sorting and hanging clothes, and work at Brookside Family Life Center, our woman’s and children’s shelter.

Our biggest surprise from the group was that out of the eight people two of them were IT specialist. At that time we were currently in the process of rewiring the entire building and setting up networks. When our only IT employee found out about the men he said he had been specifically praying for help and that they could help get it done faster than he ever could alone. “It was an answer to prayer," he said. One night they took advantage of the empty offices and pulled wire until 4 in the morning...and they were back by 9 that same day. At the end of the week they were still not finished--so one of the volunteers said that he would be back on Monday to help finish the IT job. This group was truly God sent and came to the mission at the perfect time.

One experience that I will remember is the morning Kaye Leadman and I shared devotion and communion the group. We got to share what God has done in our lives and embrace the Holy Spirit. By the time it was over we were all crying.

I wish all the best to this amazing group and hope we can host other groups just like this one."

To get an idea of our ministry, visit wefeedpeople.com. Want to dig a little deeper? Click on the "learn more" button.

Union Mission. We Feed People. It's what we do.

Union Mission: Unfiltered

2009-03-30T10:04:00.003-04:00

I get humbled a lot. I'm not sure what that says about me (or maybe it's just that I'm afraid of what that says about me!) but it seems as if God is always providing me with subtle reminders of who I am, what I have...and how often I take it all for granted.

It happened again last week, when I met Robert Brooks. Robert is in culinary school just outside of St. Louis. He just arrived there, in fact. His instructors, classmates and new friends out there might not know it to look at him, but Robert's life story is one of tragedy and triumph, of the cruelty of humanity and the redemption of God. Ever since I met Robert, I can't get him out of my mind. It's the blessing--and, sometimes, curse--of working with those in need.

This, in a nutshell, is Robert's story:

Quick sidebar: I am currently in the process of compiling the Union Mission Annual Report. If you're not familiar with it, ours comes as a fiscal year calendar, running from July to June. Each month we spotlight someone--with a ministry, an outreach site or those we've helped--and tell their story. (Click here to download a PDF of last year's Annual Report).

This is one of the best parts of my job here. I have the privilege of meeting these people and spending some time getting to know them while they tell me how God changed their life through Union Mission.

I would like to introduce you to a new side project. I'm calling it Union Mission: Unfiltered. While visiting these folks, I've been bringing along a video camera and just catching some candid moments. You just watched a few moments of my conversation with Robert.

Unfiltered is exactly like it sounds. It is The Mission's beneficiaries, in their own words, uncensored and unfiltered. Oh, I'm adding some titles to it to help tell their story. But the videos are without any lighting, sound equipment or professional production. It's our people's stories. The stories are real. The stories are raw. And they are stories that speak to the life-changing impact that God is having on the lives of people in our community through the work of Union Mission.

It is our hope that through these stories you'll join with us in prayer for those whose lives are forever changed by God's work at Union Mission. We hope you'll visit with us here and take a tour of our facilities. You are always welcome to do so. Perhaps that will stir you to volunteer your time and a little bit of your treasure so that we can all, together, help people like Robert find the peace they so richly deserve.

Weekly Wrap

2009-03-22T20:45:00.004-04:00

I'm going to sound like a broken record until April is up: why don't you join us in taking The Feinstein Challenge? For every gift you send to Union Mission through next month, the Feinstein Foundation will send a portion of $1 million to fight hunger. We have an entire section of our website now set up to tell you more about The Feinstein Challenge. Just visit us there and click on the "Feinstein Challenge" tab.

There's a great piece on Google news right now about Sacramento, California's "Tent City." It's a community of homeless living on the banks of the American River, and with the current economic crisis its population is swelling.

Points to ponder: is it possible that conditions could get that way here in Charleston? Why or why not? What conditions would have to exist for there to develop a swell in our homeless population?

I was fortunate enough to connect with Mark Horvath on Twitter the other day. Horvath's story is a great one. Formerly homeless, he now runs InvisiblePeople.tv, a web portal "dedicated to capturing the stories of the homeless." (Follow them on Twitter here.) We're always excited to meet other people dedicated to social justice, and it's more proof of just how meaningful relationships can be formed using social media. If you don't already, sign up for Twitter (it's free) and make sure you follow us there. We're at Twitter.com/WeFeedPeople.

(By the way, Mark is currently out of work and in need of God's provision, so I would ask you to pray for his situation.)

Points to ponder: what is your reaction when you encounter a homeless person on the street? Do you turn away? Do you engage in conversation? What's the best way God would have us handle those moments when we meet someone in need?

Finally, I had the opportunity to speak during a church service Friday, and I thought I would share the message with you. You can read the text of it here.

I hope you'll take a moment to connect with us and join the conversation on how we can all help feed people in our community. Join us here, on Twitter, on Facebook, Flickr or YouTube. Heck, connect with us on them all!

Union Mission and the Feinstein Challenge

2009-03-18T09:20:00.004-04:00

I want to tell you a story about Alan Shawn Feinstein. You may have never heard of him. Or you may recognize him as the guy who helped end "The Curse of the Bambino."

He's an unassuming man, a Red Sox fan, living a relatively quiet life in Rhode Island. Some years back, he got into the collectibles market, amassing a large fortune while self-publishing books on building personal wealth. He made national news back in 1993 when he bought the contract the Red Sox used to send Babe Ruth to the Yankees.

When, 11 years later, the Sox finally won the World Series, Feinstein sold that contract for nearly $1 million. And that, strangely enough, is where Alan Shawn Feinstein enters the conversation about Union Mission.

When we say We Feed People, we're not alone. So does Feinstein. He donated the proceeds of the Babe Ruth contract to anti-hunger agencies across the world. He is the founder of The Feinstein Foundation, which has donated millions to worthy causes worldwide.

For Union Mission, his help comes in the form of the Annual $1 Million National Campaign to Fight Hunger. We're in the middle of that event now, and every dollar donated to Union Mission from March 1 to April 30th--and is designated by the donor to go to the Feinstein Challenge--is matched.

Here's Feinstein's letter to Union Mission:

"My name is Alan Shawn Feinstein. For the past 11 years, I have been giving away $1 million each year to anti-hunger agencies throughout the country.

This year, I am doing it again. WHATEVER YOU DONATE TO THIS AGENCY, I WILL ADD MONEY TO IT. THE MORE YOU GIVE, THE MORE OF MY $1 MILLION THEY'LL GET--THANKS TO YOU!

Why am I doing this? Because I believe each of us was put here on earth to do what we can to help those in need. You got this letter because we feel that YOU believe that too.

This has become the greatest grass roots campaign every to fight hunger in our country. Your donation makes you a partner in it with me!

My money started this campaign, but it is YOU who will help decide how many needy people in your city or town will be fed this year. All that will matter to us someday is that what we did while we were here to help those who needed us. We Are Needed Now!

Please give whatever you can. I will gladly add some of my money to yours. (My $1 million will be divided in full proportionately among the agencies receiving donations toward my offer.)

Thank you for sharing my heart, and the hope that--someday--no one will ever go hungry.

Sincerely yours,

Alan Shawn Feinstein"

We're asking that all donations to Union Mission in the months of March and April include some kind of note telling us the gift is designated for the Feinstein Challenge. Remember: the more you give, the more we get.

So, if you write us a check, mark "Feinstein Challenge" on the memo line. Donating online? Send us an e-mail to donate-online@wefeedpeople.com and let us know you want your gift designated for the "Feinstein Challenge."

Dramatic Rise in Women, Children Homeless

2009-03-09T09:40:00.008-04:00

Last November, The Association of Gospel Rescue Missions, of which Union Mission is a proud charter member, released its 20th annual survey of the homeless. What it found was dramatic.

According to the study,

Women with children made up 66 percent of the homeless families counted in the survey, a jump from 55 percent in 2007 and the highest figure recorded in the last eight years.

This was, to say the least, alarming news. Union Mission exists--as does AGRM--because we recognize the need to serve and minister to what Jesus called "the least of these."

In today's language, we minister to those "at-risk" segments of the population. What's so troubling is to see two segments merging. Women with children are our most at-risk people, and they represent the highest segment of homeless families. What's worse, that number is increasing.

Sure, we're all God's children. Men. Women. Children. But isn't there something to be said for ensuring that we take care of those who face the biggets obstacles to helping themselves? Indeed, that's the crux of Christ's call to His followers to practice social justice.

Now, as our recession deepens, shouldn't we focus all that much more on providing the helping hand of love to those who most need it? That's our mission.

What's yours?

Some thoughts for discussion:

* In what ways can you actively help hurting families in your community...specifically women with children?

* Financial support is so important to service providers. For you, personally, is it enough? It's OK if it is. Providing assistance is a deeply personal decision. How did you come to that decision?

* How might the 2009 AGRM Survey of the Homeless look? Will this trend continue? What steps can we take to combat it?

* What are the root causes of homelessness for women with children? Are they the same as for single men? Are they the same as for single fathers? Why or why not?

We invite you to share your thoughts by commenting right here to join us in having this important conversation. Or, you can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube, among others.

News and Notes

2009-03-02T12:31:00.004-05:00

Sorry it's been so long! Things are certainly busy here at Union Mission. I think there is often a sense that the only time we feed people is in November and December. And while it's true there is great need in the midst of the Thanksgiving and Christmas season, in many ways that need is worse in months like February and March. That's because the public's conscience isn't as focused on helping those in need when there's not a common rallying cry like there is during Christmas. You've certainly heard the phrase "need knows no season." While it's perhaps trite, it's also very true.

There's big news to share: we now have a newly designed website. It was a comprehensive overhaul of design, and we'll be updating content more regularly now. Also, keep an eye out for changes to WeFeedPeople.com, our mini-site. We're updating it to serve as the focal point for our multi- and social media initiatives, with UnionMission.com retaining its role as our place for comprehensive information about our ministry of Helping Hurting People in Jesus' Name.

In other news, a local boy that made good--South Charleston High School graduate and Team USA Baseball member Jeremy Cummings--returned to the Kanawha Valley to present us with token of his support.

Cummings was a part of the United States' 2008 baseball team that competed in the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. He was gracious enough to get the entire team to sign a baseball bat, which was raffled off by West Virginia Federal Credit Union. The proceeds went to us here at Union Mission.

Check out the photo of Cummings presenting the check to our President and CEO Rex Whiteman. Thank you, Jeremy, and thank you West Virginia Federal Credit Union!

Finally, Union Mission participated in Housing Day at the West Virginia Legislature last month. We set up a booth and educated those attending on our ministry, specifically our Project Development Initiative. The picture below is of Development Associate Terry Hodge (left) and Volunteer Coordinator Adrien Gibbs.

Brookside Family Life Center Needs Your Help

2009-02-13T09:22:00.004-05:00

Ministering to people is the common calling the Lord has placed on our hearts. Union Mission has been raised up to minister to needy folks who, often in time of personal crisis, have nowhere to turn. We believe that we, as part of the greater “church” of Jesus Christ, are here to meet the needs of people who have some desperate circumstances to deal with and need help immediately.

Currently we have seen an increase in the number of women and children who are facing critical circumstances in their lives. Rejection, substance abuse, unplanned pregnancies, economic dire straits and other issues have risen in these recent days that have increased the number of women and children needing help. With the increase of help there is also a commensurate demand for people to be “helpers” of these needy souls.

Union Mission is looking to fill several paid, full-time and part-time positions at our Brookside Family Life Center. We are also looking to see some volunteer positions filled. If you have some Spirit-filled, mature, Godly women in your congregation who you believe could minister to other women who need a strong, steady influence in their lives, would you direct their attention to our needs at Union Mission? You may know some ladies in your congregation who have a heart of compassion, a head of clear-thinking, and the resolve to see things through to the finish who might just be what we need. Please let them know of our needs. Or, have them call us for more information about the opportunities that are open right now.

Thank you for giving this request you time and thought. May God bless you as together we minister to people for whom Christ died and now lives to make them like Himself.

(from Dick Corbin, Director of Church Relations, Union Mission)

For more information about this opportunity, visit www.unionmission.com, and click on "job opportunities."

Faces in the Crowd: Part Three

2009-02-10T15:52:00.000-05:00

Union Mission in the News

2009-02-08T20:45:00.003-05:00

Not only could the closing of Century Aluminum in Jackson County result in an increase in the number of people who need our services, its fallout could reach other areas as well, WOWK's Gil McLanahan reported (see the video here). With Century making up a large chunk of Appalachian Power's customer base, its loss could force a rate increase for other customers to make up the difference.

For ministries like ours-we rely 100 percent on donors, accepting no government money-increased utility costs could have an effect on what we're able to do.

Of course, we always trust that God will supply our every need. It's up to His people to support our cause of Helping Hurting People in Jesus' Name.

Faces in the Crowd: Part Two

2009-02-04T02:05:00.001-05:00

Faces in the Crowd (Part One)

2009-01-31T00:09:00.002-05:00

Ministry 2.0

2009-01-25T22:25:00.005-05:00

Radio has been a preferred media format for spreading the Gospel for more than 100 years.

Indeed, the first-ever radio program--conducted on Christmas Eve, 1906 by a scientist named Reginald Fessenden--broadcast the song "O, Holy Night" and passages from the Bible to ships off the Massachusetts coast.

In our own age, we've seen television become another medium used effectively for ministry. Some channels exist solely to spread the Gospel, and many church congregations purchase airtime to broadcast worship services and sermons to reach a wider audience.

But in this, the first decade of the 21st century, we are seeing a radical shift in how Christian organizations use media to tell others about Jesus. That's according to The Non-Profit Times, which reported in its January 15 issue that some ministries are moving all of their multi-media operations to the Internet. An exerpt (read the entire story here):

"The Internet and innovative technological advances are rapidly changing how people consume media. With radio, people will either hear the broadcast or not. Online audio gives the users the power to access programs whenever its convenient for them and ministries are tapping in."

Examples include:

Desiring God, the ministry of Dr. John Piper, has dropped radio entirely. The ministry's multi-media content is now exclusively online, and its page views have risen 356 percent. Donations to the ministry are also up.
Living on the Edge, a teaching ministry in Georgia, moved its operations onto the Internet and saw the average age of its users go from 44 to 38; more than 30,000 people signed up for LOTE's online community.

"A lot of folks think of the Web site as a project that we work on and then finish," Chris Larson, executive vice president of Ligonier Ministries, told The Non-Profit Times. "Web sites can't be approached like that. They are organisms that need to be continually nurtured and fed. Web site development is a project that just matures over time. It's never a project that's finished."

Here at Union Mission, we recognize this paradigm shift--and welcome it with open arms. We intend to use this technology that God has gifted us with to glorify Him through serving His children. We Feed People...it's what we do. And we'll use whatever tools God has given us to do it.

In what ways can Union Mission utilize the Internet to help the homeless in West Virginia?
Is being able to interact online with Union Mission make you more likely to volunteer your time and finances to the West Virginia ministry?

Share your thoughts!

We Feed People...In Words

2009-01-22T20:58:00.001-05:00

The Pre-eminence of Christ

2009-01-22T15:55:00.003-05:00

"And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." (Colossians 1:18)

As we embark upon the journey life will take us on in 2009, let's ask God to have preeminence in every area of our lives. Personally, that means giving Him preeminence over

Your thoughts
Your conversations
Your attitude
Your home life
Your relationship with your spouse and children
Your playtime

Here at Union Mission, we've dedicated ourselves to making Christ preeminent in our ministry. But how often to we make it a priority in our daily conduct? Placing Christ over all that we do to help feed people in our area is, of course, of the greatest importance. Yet we often forget the personal nature of our relationship with Jesus. To be truly effective ambassadors to those in need requires a personal devotion to making Him preeminent over all aspects of our lives.

What is your personal plan to making Christ preeminent in your life in 2009? Share your thoughts with us!

Welcome!

2009-01-22T15:43:00.002-05:00

The mission of Union Mission is quite simple, really.

We Feed People. It's What We Do.

We feed people spiritually. We feed people emotionally. We feed people physically.

Since 1911, Union Mission has been a ready, active hand of help to the needy of West Virginia. Our mission is "helping hurting people in Jesus' name," and as such, we unabashedly share the gospel of Jesus Christ even as we minister to the physical needs of the downtrodden. We have seen God work in amazing ways through our various ministries to improve lives and draw people closer to Him. All over our state, the Union Mission has gained a reputation of being there for those who have nowhere to turn.

Union Mission's scope of ministry is wide but largely consolidated in five established areas:

Brookside Home - A residential program for single women with children as well as single mothers-to-be

Crossroads Homeless Shelter - Our downtown rescue shelter facility for men

Family Services - Offering food, clothing, and counseling to struggling families in 17 West Virginia counties

Outreach Ministry - Satisfying physical and spiritual hunger in 46 West Virginia counties

Thrift Store - Turning bargains into blessings Union Mission ministers in other ways as needed, particularly in times of emergency; flood relief, for example, has been an area of ministry in which the mission has participated significantly in recent years.

Union Mission receives absolutely no local, state, or federal support of any kind. Since 1911, our freedom to address the physical and spiritual needs of thousands of people has been purchased solely with the donations of those who choose to partner with us financially.

We hope that you will support this ministry through prayer as well as donation and volunteering as we go about "helping hurting people in Jesus' name."