GiveBIG 2023

We want everyone to know that no matter their circumstances, they are loved and cared for, by us and by God. Partner with us as we aim to address root causes and break the cycle of homelessness by meeting urgent physical needs, building relationships, and offering long-term recovery programs.

GiveBIG today to join us in helping more people like Alvin move into living healthy — thriving lives.

While homeless, Alvin spent his nights sleeping by a trash can in an abandoned, rat-infested garage. Alvin says his lack of self-care was his lowest point. “I didn’t care about anything,” he says. “Didn’t care about myself. Didn’t care about anybody. I didn’t have the willingness or the drive to get up … It’s a bad place to be.”

Eventually, Alvin found help at a local rescue mission. “The real delivery for me was Jesus Christ,” he says. “When I was willing to turn my will over to Him and confess, things started changing for me.” Alvin graduated from the mission’s program and became a staff member. “I wound up taking some courses and became an ordained pastor and serving the homeless population,” he says. He even started a local church.

Sadly, Alvin, in his own words, took his “eyes off the prize.” He quickly relapsed. He started drinking and using crack cocaine. In less than two weeks, he says, “I went through all of my credit cards, went through all of my savings … lost the car. Lost the keys to the apartment.” Alvin says he was locked in a motel room and began to have suicidal thoughts. “That, to me, is a rock bottom.”

Alvin knew he needed help. He found it at Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission. “They opened their arms and embraced me, gave me another opportunity,” he says. “Spoke the truth to me.”

Alvin’s time at the Mission has inspired him. “Now I’m the Support Services Administrator at the Mission,” he says, “because my love is for the homeless. So, I want to go down there and help out down there as much as I can and be a light. Maybe someone will see something in me that will help them change their life.”

Alvin’s life today is full of hope. “I am in a real good spot,” he says. “It was a rough going there for a minute, but I’m so excited what the Lord has for me … God has given me a testimony … I want to share the stories with someone else, and maybe, they won’t go through what I went through.”

Your support helps more hurting people experience the healing power of Christ.

Through GiveBIG, your gift will help our homeless neighbors find the kind of unconditional love and resources they need to overcome addiction and homelessness.