December 5, 2024 • 30 mins
Jessamyn is joined by Scott Cleveland of Seattle's Union Gospel Mission, who shares his journey and pasison for his community. He tells us why helping others, even just one at a time matters so much He also explains to us the services SUGM provides and the success stories he's seen.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Jasaman McIntyre, your host of Seattle Voice, your
community Voice, presented by iHeartRadio Seattle, and right now I
am joined by Scott Cleveland from Seattle's Union Gospel Mission.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Scott, how are you today?
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Biling? Pretty thankful? Thanks for having me on this morning.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
I'm really excited to talk to you.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
And let's start by introducing you to the audience and
tell me a little bit about.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
What you do.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Yeah. Well, my name is Scott Cleveland, obviously, and I'm
the vice president of program here at the Seattle's Union
Gospel Mission. I've actually been with a mission for twenty
five years, so a lot of you here working with
people experiencing homelessness in our community. But currently I oversee
all three of our long term residential recovery programs here
(00:44):
at the Seattle's Union Gospel Mission.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
And how did you get involved?
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Yeah? I always tell people I came to the mission
the hard way, and so in nineteen ninety nine, I
actually came through the front doors of the Seattle's Union
Gospel Misis and my brother and I actually were out
in southern California, and you know, we lost focus of
really the importance of life and ended up, strung out
(01:11):
on drugs and alcohol and experiencing homelessness, and eventually both
of us ended up in a hospital. And the story
is the social service agencies. They contacted my mom and said,
you might want to come down here to southern California.
Your son is in a coma. That was my brother. Oh,
(01:32):
they weren't sure if he was going to make it
out or not, and if he did make it out,
they just weren't sure what his condition would would be like.
And so they were pretty prepared to see Bobby, but
they were unprepared to see me. And I had a
pretty big absence on my right side. And my mom
had she had been a nurse all over her life,
and she immediately got me into the intensive care unit there.
(01:53):
You know, I vividly remember waking up in that I
see unit. I was just being bolb super small hospital
and you know, the smell of that room, sound of
that heart monitors did today as it was, you know,
twenty five years ago. And you know, I thought to myself,
you know, it's the end of the story, it's the
last chapter. But the reality is that was that's really
(02:13):
the beginning of our stories. When my folks had discovered
the Seattle's Union Gospel Mission and made some phone calls
and made arrangements for me to enter program. Bob would
follow About a month later. He came out of that
coma and yeah, that's how we entered into the Union
Gospel Mission twenty five years ago.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Wow, that's crazy. Was that heart monitor maybe a wake
up call for you?
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Yeah, it really was. I you know, there is something
too coming to the end of yourself. As I've even
watched other people come to the mission and start their
recovery process, it seems like once you kind of come
to the end of yourself or bottomed out, you have
a bit of a better chance of actually gaining the
(02:56):
tools to be clean and sober, be ready for program.
Your readiness for change seems to be a little bit higher.
So you know, in retrospect it's probably it's probably a
good thing.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Yeah, it's it's hard to I mean, I almost want
to say rock bottom then you start climbing right.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Absolutely, it was for me, and I've seen countless other
folks who have had this life changing experience here at
the Union Gospel Mission as well, where you know, will
be a little bit older, they don through multiple treatment programs,
and yeah, the readiness that change just seems to be
a little bit higher than maybe some of the younger
folks that we serve.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
I want to dig down into the programs a little bit.
This is Jesson the McIntyre, host of Seattle Voice, your
Community Voice, presented by iHeartRadio Seattle, and I'm joined by
Scott in Cleveland of Seattle's Union Gospel Mission. But I
want to go a little bit back into your involvement
and talk about what actually, you know made you so passionate.
(03:54):
They saved you essentially, So why did you actually start
on and you said twenty five years? What is your
initial experience like when you join them on the other.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Side, Well, you know, I always say that, you know,
love and belonging doesn't go out of style, and so
it's you know, I think it's the folks that we
serve here, that we actually employ at the mission. They're
just really good at loving people in spite of themselves.
You know, they get it. It's like homelessness doesn't define you.
(04:24):
It's like, okay, that's an experience, you're going through that
right now, but it doesn't define you. And so they're
really good at realigning you with community, with yourself and
with the Lord. And once you get once you get
realigned that way, things just start getting better. It doesn't
take long before you know you find the home church,
you find people that are r in the same direction,
(04:46):
and you find hope.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
I think that's beautiful. I am all about community, and
that's what the show is about. And I think it
also doesn't matter exactly how you find your community, as
long as it has love and support, and it doesn't
need to be a specific religion. It doesn't need to
be a specific thing that you're driving towards, as long
as it comes with love and happiness and welcoming and togetherness.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Absolutely, I think you just hit the nail on the head.
You know, we understand that, you know, people are hurt
in the context of relationship, but they're also healed in
the context of relationship.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
I think that's a beautiful statement. I'm going to write
that down. Actually, I really love that again. Scott Cleveland
with Seattle's Union Gospel Mission. Let's go back into your
first experiences. What did you start out doing well.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
I started out doing an internship at the program. I
you know, my mentor and it was the director at
the time. You know, he could just simply see something
in me that I couldn't see at in myself, and
he said, you know, this guy, I feel like God's
got a calling on your life, like there's a reason
for you being here. And you know, I really just
took that to heart. So I went back to school,
(05:54):
I earned my credentials, I became a substitute disordered professional,
and h yeah, I think it just feel like, you know,
you know, I always say God doesn't waste a thing,
and so you know, all of those experience otherwise might
have just been you know, thrown away or just been hardships.
God has used that to really, I think craft my
heart just broke my heart for folks that have gone
(06:16):
through or going through the same thing. And so I
think I just have a level of compassion that maybe
not everybody has for folks that are hurting, just because
I know that the hope does lie on the other side.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
I agree, and I think everyone has it in them.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
But it's hard to see the forest through the trees sometimes,
And you know, it takes a certain level of experience,
and you know your life and what you push towards
through your own adversity and how you can help other people.
So how did that you know, you entrance, that's what
you first did. How did you continue moving on to
(06:52):
the position.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
You have now?
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Yeah, more education, more experience, and then just opportunities. So
you know, at some point time I became a director
of all three of our men's program, and then for
the last three years I've been VP of program, which
has been great because you have more influence with these
job titles, right, And so one of the things that
I've been able to do is to really take a
(07:15):
really close look at the way that we do overnight services.
And for many years we would just you know, offer
a cot, a nice warm place to sleep, and then
but in the morning they would leave. And then during
the co pandemic, it just gave it give me an
opportunity to really, I guess think my teeth into like
how could we serve people better? And we did come
up with the n HAT shelter model, and so now
(07:38):
we don't just offer overnight shelter, but we offer really
what we call the Enhat shelter. So folks that are
coming to spend the night with us, they receive a
bed instead of a cot, a place to safe store
their belonging, so get some out of what I call
survival brain, and then they receive case management as well.
So this really helps them break some of the barriers
(07:58):
they keep them stuck in a cycled home homelessness. So
really proud of that. And then I've been pretty instrumental
in one of our programs on Capitol Hill. It's a
co occurring disorder, very unique to the city of Seattle
and maybe even the nation. It's a long term residential
recovery program. Of course, our programs are free, but not
only does it address drugs and alcohol that issue, but
(08:20):
it also addresses mental health issues as well. What we've
discovered is that folks that have experienced homelessness that is
a trauma in and of itself, and then all of
our gents have some sort of trauma issues that they're
dealing with as well as chemical dependency issues. So just
a wonderful way to serve people and help them break
(08:40):
break the cycles and keep them stuck in homelessness and addiction.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Yeah again, this is Scott Cleveland of Seattle's Union Gospel
Mission joining me.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Jessaman McIntyre.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
This is Seattle Voice, and you wear a lot of
hats as you describe your job. Can we drill down
into them individually, because there is homelessness, there's addiction, and
there those coincide quite a lot of the time. Can
you just talk about the services that Seattle's Union Gospel
Mission offers to people who are suffering either or both.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Yeah, So if you if you're to look at it
like from the tail of it to the end of
it all, we'll start with the beginning to the end.
You've probably seen our Certi and rescue bands out on
the streets, and so that is the initial way we
like to make contact with people. Always say we go
into places that nobody else wants to go into, through dark,
(09:31):
hard places, but we know that you know, homelessness again,
it doesn't define you. It's a moment in time. And
so and I think I said before that you know,
people are hurt in the context of relationship and they're
healed in the context of relationship. It's a bit of
a double buy though, because that means that people have
to risk relationship. So when we're out in our search
(09:53):
and rescue bands, it could take multiple times to get
a person's name, build their trust, and try to get
them thinking about change and coming into our programs. So
their initial experience with us into program will be usually
our in hat shelter and so super little barrier meeting
people where they're at. They can spend the night with us,
(10:14):
they can stay the day if they want to, or
they can leave and come back at night. They'll receive
some services with us, maybe get their driver's license back,
or start working on their mental health issues. Perhaps they'll
be looking for employment. And then some of them will
stay and go through our long term residential recovery programs.
We offer those for men and women alike. And then
(10:35):
you know, of course we're a holistic ministry, so we're
working on the whole person or other with us. We
have our own dental program, we have our own legal program,
and you know, basically we're relational ministry. Again, love and
kindness doesn't go out of style. I feel like that's
just it's just something we do well. And of course
we're the Seattle's Union Gospel Rescue Mission, and so the
(10:57):
gospel is our middle name, and we give people an
opportunity to get to know who they are in Christ
and develop their spiritual learns. Why they're with us, Thank you?
Then that's all so you know, guys are guys are
going to graduate our long long term recovery program and
we just committed to walking with them for life. So
we do have aftercare that walks with folks helps them
(11:20):
get employment and housing and those types of services as well.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Well. It is very clear that you care about those
that you serve, and I'm wondering how long you stay
in touch, and you know, if you could share a
few stories of some of the successes you've seen.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Yeah, well it's pretty fun. I was walking out of
churches last week and you know, a guy was pulling
out to get his kids, and I wasn't really paying
much attention. He say, hey, Scottie, and I look up
and it happened to be a cliss that had come through,
you know, a couple of years ago or what. And
I mean, what a blessing was to see him pull
up and you know, the kids are loading into the
car and I'm like, hey, last time I checked with you,
you're going to school. He's like, yeah, I'm just about
(11:56):
wrapping that up. And so, you know, go on on
to go to school and get his degree and you know,
family reunification and you know, just being all that he
could be. I mean, it's just I mean, there's nothing
better than seeing transform lives. At the Union Gospel Mission
are running into people that you served as they've come
to the doors. But I mean the stories are endless.
(12:19):
I mean, I think about I think about Darnell, who
was in program back with us maybe ten years ago.
He went on to go to the University of Washington,
got his degree, worked for the city, got married, you know,
bought his own home. I mean, these are just these
are these are stories that we get to hear day
in and day out, and so we're just we're simply
(12:40):
not satisfied with just just helping people spend the night
and you know, maybe be in a revolving door of homelessness.
We really want to provide an opportunity for folks to
be all that they can be.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Again, this is Scott Cleveland, Seattle's Union Gospel Mission joining
me here on Seattle Voice, Jessamin McIntyre here with you.
I love these beautiful stories and I hate to go
in this direction, but there must be pain involved in
this job, and it must be tough. I would like
you to share a little bit of the challenges that
you face.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
Yeah, I mean it's life or death. And that's I
think that's really what motivates me every day to come
to work and put my best foot forward, because the
realities are not everybody makes it, and it's painful, and
it's super hard. It's hard on the families, it's hard
on our staff, it's hard on the community. And so yeah,
(13:36):
we've seen, you know, people that you know, have not
been able to break the cycle of addiction and unfortunately
have perished. And we've seen people that have come to
our doors many times before they get it right. I
think the really cool thing that we do, I always say,
you know, we leave the light on. We know, statistically
take about eleven times for folks to go through program
(13:57):
before they actually get it, and so we know that
we lapse is part of the process, you know. I
think our cities and our nation are dealing with betan
all and the effects of that right now, and it's
unforgiving and so not everybody makes it out, which makes
it really really difficult, but it also motivates us to
do our best.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Yes, I mean, failure is a motivation as much as not.
I'm not calling that a failure, but you fall down,
you get back up.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
And unfortunately, I.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Have witnessed some alcoholism with friends in the past, and
I have you know, it's that three days. I don't
know if you know that you're in substance abuse education
and you know all about it, but you know, when
they make it to three days, I think everybody around
them thinks, yes, okay, and then it happens again, and.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Yeah, I think people need to be educated.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
I'd like you to weigh in on some of the
things that you can witness if you are not in
a substance abuse, if you aren't personally affected by it,
but those around you, those lives ones are what are
some signs and how can people help in their own lives?
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Well, I mean, I I think some of the signs
are you know what we see are you know, people
isolate a lot when they are starting to use. I mean,
you see things that don't seem right. It's that, you know.
I like to key in on those things. Problems with work,
problems with family, job disruption and things like that. Any
of those things that I mean, I try to key
(15:27):
into those, there's usually something else that's driving that. And
the reality is, you know, you're just seeing the behaviors, right,
and so there's something that's there's actually something that's broken
inside folks, and I think that's what the mission's really
good as well. We understand that we're seeing the behavior
(15:47):
like whatever you know, people are doing to get drugs
and alcohol and all of that bad stuff you see
on the outside, But the reality is there's something that's
happening on the inside. And what we've discovered it's usually
abuse of bandons, wi neglect, And if you can name that,
then you can start, you know, start the healing process.
I would say that if you're out in the community
and you see people that are obviously experiencing homelessness, what
(16:11):
we understand is that you know, people that are in
that space, they really feel invisible, they feel lost and unseen.
And so if you want to be part of the
part of a person's healing process, we always say, you know,
try to get to know somebody's name. It's super beneficial,
it's honoring, it's caring, and it doesn't enable folks that way.
(16:34):
So if you can get to know somebody's name and
then point the point them to an agency that you
know does good for your city because they have the
tools that can actually help people break the cycle of
addiction and homelessness.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
I think that's absolutely great. I would really love for people.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
I guess.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
I want to reflect on a story that I had.
I used to run marathons and I ran the same
route on my training routes every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning,
and it was very early in the morning, and there
was one guy who sat on a bench every day
and he had a brown bag.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
But I would always just fist bump him on.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
My way, and he got a little nervous when he
didn't see me. One day, I had an early meeting
so I couldn't do my regular training run, and the
next day. I'm not going to share his name because
I don't know if he'd want it out there. This
is years ago, but I'm still going to keep that private.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
He cared so much that I wasn't there.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
He was still drinking at seven and eight in the morning,
and it was just a little bit of sunshine. You
can bring to someone's life. You might not change their life,
but I feel like people need to know that they
can make an impact in their every single day occurrences
with people.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Lead with love, not anger.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
When you're frustrated, don't take it out on someone else,
like we all have a lot of anxiety.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Anger.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
COVID put a lot of people in bad ways, both mentally, financially, physically,
and it sounds like that is kind of a message
that you guys are putting out there.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Just be kind, Just be kind love on people. These
are somebody's moms and dads and brothers and sisters, and
they were all created in God's image. They all have
values and they should have respect as well. Your story
reminds me of a story that I'd love to share
with you. You know, I get off the freeway, you know,
my day through Friday, same place, same time, and there was,
(18:20):
you know, a guy standing there with a sign, and
you know, all it took was for me to roll
my window down and like, hey, I work for the
Sales and Gospel Mission. My name's Scott. What's your name?
And you know, I got his name. And then the
next time I came through him like hey, what's going on?
And I knew his name right yeah, and I and
I would invite him in. I'm like, hey, you know,
if you get tired of doing this, like you know,
(18:41):
we're just around the corner if you want to come
and have a meal, you know where we're at, and
it's like, hey, I'll think about it, and you know,
over time, you know, you know, I would just I
would get opportunity to say a few more things to
him and got to know him a little bit better,
and eventually he took me up on my offer. He
came up for a buye of food. And I don't
know what the rest of the story was, but I
(19:03):
know that when he came to the Union Gospel Mission,
somebody cared for him, somebody loved on him, somebody honored him,
got to know his name until he had a good
experience with us. So oftentimes we're just planning seas.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Yes, exactly.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
All it takes is that one interaction, and I try
to tell myself, I'm from New York, Scott so I
was not a very patient driver when I moved out here,
and I'll just be honest about that. But then you
just you know, it's those small things when I'm frustrated
and you know, I'm mad at someone for cutting me off,
Well you just got to think, Okay, maybe that was
an accident. Maybe that person is a jerk, you know,
(19:36):
but you just don't know. Maybe they're rushing to get
to their kids' sports game.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Who knows.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
And I think a little bit of kindness can go
a long way against Scott Cleveland. Seattle's Union Gospel Mission
is joining me Jessaman McIntyre here with Seattle Voice. I'd
like to open the floor for you to tell our
audience how people can help.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Yeah, well, the reality is, it takes money to do ministry.
It is what it is. We're a nonprofit organization. We
don't take money from state or government. We've been around
ninety one years serving our homeless neighbors, caring for folks
that are struggling with addiction and have mental health issues.
So I mean it is Christmas time, it's the season
(20:19):
they give. It takes money to do ministry, so you
can always give or go to our UGM website UGM
dot org and donate. And then also we're a volunteer
driven organization. If you want to get involved, if you
want to make a difference. They have so many opportunities
here at the Mission. You can come in and you
can be a mentor sponsor, you can serve a meal,
(20:43):
you can help with our buildings. There's just tons and
tons of outreach that you can get involved with so
plenty of opportunity to do that as well.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
I'm on the website right now, and for just two
dollars and eighty cents, it provides a meal that seems
like a pretty good deal than a cup of coffee
these days, and so that's amazing. How do you make
that work two dollars and eighty cents for a meal, Well.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
It's a lot of two dollars and eighty cents that
we have to put together to serve the number of
people that we serve at the mission. We're serving over
two hundred and fifty people just alone at our downtown shelter.
So it's just I mean, I feel like our community
knows the Mission has done good work for a very
long time, and they bought into the vision, and you know,
we've been really blessed by Seattle and the community around us.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
It seems as though in our nation right now, because
we are a melting pot, that there's a lot of divide.
Gospel is your middle name, But people don't have to
subscribe to a specific gospel to gain help from you.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
Is that correct?
Speaker 3 (21:48):
Absolutely not. You know, we're definitely going to expose people
to you know, to the gospel. But we have people
that come to our program that you know, they never
accept Jesus and you know that that that's not going
to be part of their story, but it doesn't change
who we are. Like, you know, we believe that, you know,
Jesus can change people's lives from the inside out. And
you know, we're going to continue sharing the message, but
(22:10):
we're also just going to continue loving on folks.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
I think that was so.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
I was raised Irish Catholic, so I went through it
all and you know, went to Bible study and everything,
and what I took away because I'm a reader, I'm
an avid reader, and what I took away from that
was the love. And I think that more people need
to see the loving message. And it doesn't matter what
religion you subscribe to. I read for the good and
I'm sure you do too. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
Amen, Love and kindness have not gone out of style,
and people will react to that. They will respond to
that over anything. And so and that's where we're trying
to meet people at their point of willingness, their point
of need. You know, we're trying to just you know,
we're just trying to be who we are, who God
has created us. To be and just care for our
homeless neighbors. We know that we have an opportunity to
(22:58):
restore dignity and provide a pathway back to a healthy,
thriving life. And you know, that's who we are.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
That's what we do, and that's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Seattle's Union Gospel Mission Jessaman McIntyre here Seattle Voice. So
a lot of times I get the inkling because you know,
I get Thanksgiving off, and my family's in New York
and sometimes I have to stay here so I can't
visit home for this holiday. So I always want to volunteer.
And I met with a lot of We get the
most volunteers during this time because it's Thanksgiving. Everybody wants
(23:28):
to give it around this time, and then Christmas comes up.
I've adopted families who are in need for Christmas and
buy the kids Christmas presents anonymously.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
It's a really great thing to do.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
But it seems like that kind of peters off when
they say we're full, we have all these volunteers, How
can people help year round?
Speaker 3 (23:45):
Yeah, I think that's a really great point, Like, just like,
you know, the need is greater than ever our programs are.
They're matched out right now, they're full, let's cold outside.
You know, it's kind of a motivator to get into program.
And in the summertime, I think people do kind of
they forget about it. There's always opportunity to serve at
the Union Gospel Mission. So yeah, think about that in
(24:06):
the summertime, in the fall and in the spring, because
the need is really great here in our city.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
It absolutely is.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
And that's another point I wanted to see talk to
you about because there is a stigma around homelessness as
it coincides with crime. There's a lot of petty crimes
that are happening throughout our city and people want to
blame the overarching homelessness community for that, and you know,
it does coincide. There are you know, there there are
(24:34):
people who are digital drugs who do commit rhymes, but
there is an absolute stigma. What would you tell people
who are hesitant to help to kind of change that
point of view?
Speaker 3 (24:44):
Homelessness is very complicated and finding your way out of
homelessness can be equally complicated. But these are these are people,
these are folks that didn't sign up for you know,
in seventh grade, when the teacher said, basi this piece
of paper. You know, what do you want to be
when you grow up? Doctor? Lawyer, homeless? Like nobody wrote
(25:05):
that in there, right, And so I mean, honestly, what
we're seeing folks that come to our program, they've suffered
some sort of trauma and so when you see it
through that lens, it kind of breaks your heart. Yeah,
so that's an alcohol it's a symptom of the cause.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Yes, it absolutely is.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
It's like diagnosing a cold almost okay, or you know,
for COVID it's I have a fever, I have this,
I have that, Okay, you have this, But there is
no diagnosis for homelessness. So you know again, I just
Scott Cleveland with Seattle's Union Gospel Mission joining me, Jessamin McIntyre,
Seattle Boys. I just want to know what people can
(25:44):
do if they can't donate monetarily. Right now, there is
an option by the way to give monthly to Seattle's
Union Gospel Mission, just knowing that you're helping people and
you can just give meals two dollars and eighty cents
a meal to go to men, women and children. How
many family situations are you with when people come with
(26:05):
kids or is that something that you guys do.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
Yeah. Absolutely, we've served women and died and our programs
are again they're full winter time, so we serve a
number of women who are being domestic violence or or
experience in homelessness for one reason or another. So yeah,
we certainly see our fair share of women and children
who have been displaced as well.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
That's aus It break my heart, actually, but it is
just a testament to what you do. I was talking
to Kenny Mean in last week's episode and we talked
about how he fundraises for veterans and wounded veterans to
get them a device to make them able to walk.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
Essentially is what he does.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
And I quoted this poem and I think I'm going
to use this every single week, but it was one
that I read growing up, where a little girl is
on a beach and there's hundreds of washed up starfish
and she's filling I'm into the sea one at a time,
and the guy kind of talks to this little girl
and says, there's no way you're going to be able
(27:07):
to put them all back into the sea. It doesn't matter,
and she goes it matters to this one and flings
one into the sea and it was something that's stuck
with me since childhood. And it sounds like you are
taking joy in that one that you help every single day.
Speaker 3 (27:24):
Absolutely, And you know, I think that the realities are,
you know, people that you know figure it out and
want to get back, like life short, Like giving is
so important, right, and so you know, we've seen so
many volunteers come to get back in our staff and
really I'm just speaking about me personally, and you know,
you come in with it. You know your hard to
you know, help people and get back and do what
you can. But the realities are, you know, you get
(27:46):
changed in the process. Like you know, we're all on
this journey together and you know, we're all getting better together.
And I feel like some of the best growth I've
ever had personally is by by giving back. And so yeah,
I mean if we can change a life, I mean, man,
you think it's just a life, right, I think it's
(28:07):
just one person. But beyond that one person, there's there's
a family. There's you know, there's brothers and sisters, and
you'd be surprised the impact that one life can have
on just their brothers and sisters, not to mention their
kids and the impact that they can have by changing
their life around, and those kids who will have kids
(28:27):
who had something really great model to them, and how
their lives will forever be changed because someone cared enough
to lend a hand or to give to somebody that
was struggling with addiction or homelessness.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
Okay, Scott Cleveland, Seattle's Union Gospel Mission, let's one more
time talk about how people can give during the time
when people need the most and we're giving things.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
Yeah, I mean, I mean the easiest way to do
it is just to go to our website UGM dot org.
There's a ton of opportunities to give there. You can
get finance, and of course we take clothes and things
of that nature. We always need socks. We'll actually need
some turkeys right now. To tell you the truth, it's
really close to Thanksgiving. I think we're serving a fifteen
hundred folks internally, and then the need is great in
(29:14):
our city for giving away a ton of turkeys as well.
I want to make sure people are able to sit
around the dining room table and have a nice meal
on Thanksgiving. So there's a few opportunities. Of course, it
takes money to do ministry if you've got a little extra,
please think about some of the folks who we get
to serve every day here in King County.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
Well. I certainly will be this Thanksgiving. Scott.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
It is absolutely wonderful to meet you over the phone,
and I'm sure I will come down to meet you
in person very soon.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
Thank you so much for your.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
Time, Thanks for having us have you Thanksgiving.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
Happy Thanksgiving, and thank you for all that you do.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
This has been Seattle Voice presented by iHeartRadio in Seattle
Jasamin McIntyre. For show ideas or to find out how
your voice can be heard, email Seattle Voice at iHeartMedia
dot com.
This is Jasaman McIntyre, your host of Seattle Voice, your
community Voice, presented by iHeartRadio Seattle, and right now I
am joined by Scott Cleveland from Seattle's Union Gospel Mission.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Scott, how are you today?
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Biling? Pretty thankful? Thanks for having me on this morning.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
I'm really excited to talk to you.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
And let's start by introducing you to the audience and
tell me a little bit about.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
What you do.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Yeah. Well, my name is Scott Cleveland, obviously, and I'm
the vice president of program here at the Seattle's Union
Gospel Mission. I've actually been with a mission for twenty
five years, so a lot of you here working with
people experiencing homelessness in our community. But currently I oversee
all three of our long term residential recovery programs here
(00:44):
at the Seattle's Union Gospel Mission.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
And how did you get involved?
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Yeah? I always tell people I came to the mission
the hard way, and so in nineteen ninety nine, I
actually came through the front doors of the Seattle's Union
Gospel Misis and my brother and I actually were out
in southern California, and you know, we lost focus of
really the importance of life and ended up, strung out
(01:11):
on drugs and alcohol and experiencing homelessness, and eventually both
of us ended up in a hospital. And the story
is the social service agencies. They contacted my mom and said,
you might want to come down here to southern California.
Your son is in a coma. That was my brother. Oh,
(01:32):
they weren't sure if he was going to make it
out or not, and if he did make it out,
they just weren't sure what his condition would would be like.
And so they were pretty prepared to see Bobby, but
they were unprepared to see me. And I had a
pretty big absence on my right side. And my mom
had she had been a nurse all over her life,
and she immediately got me into the intensive care unit there.
(01:53):
You know, I vividly remember waking up in that I
see unit. I was just being bolb super small hospital
and you know, the smell of that room, sound of
that heart monitors did today as it was, you know,
twenty five years ago. And you know, I thought to myself,
you know, it's the end of the story, it's the
last chapter. But the reality is that was that's really
(02:13):
the beginning of our stories. When my folks had discovered
the Seattle's Union Gospel Mission and made some phone calls
and made arrangements for me to enter program. Bob would
follow About a month later. He came out of that
coma and yeah, that's how we entered into the Union
Gospel Mission twenty five years ago.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Wow, that's crazy. Was that heart monitor maybe a wake
up call for you?
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Yeah, it really was. I you know, there is something
too coming to the end of yourself. As I've even
watched other people come to the mission and start their
recovery process, it seems like once you kind of come
to the end of yourself or bottomed out, you have
a bit of a better chance of actually gaining the
(02:56):
tools to be clean and sober, be ready for program.
Your readiness for change seems to be a little bit higher.
So you know, in retrospect it's probably it's probably a
good thing.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Yeah, it's it's hard to I mean, I almost want
to say rock bottom then you start climbing right.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Absolutely, it was for me, and I've seen countless other
folks who have had this life changing experience here at
the Union Gospel Mission as well, where you know, will
be a little bit older, they don through multiple treatment programs,
and yeah, the readiness that change just seems to be
a little bit higher than maybe some of the younger
folks that we serve.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
I want to dig down into the programs a little bit.
This is Jesson the McIntyre, host of Seattle Voice, your
Community Voice, presented by iHeartRadio Seattle, and I'm joined by
Scott in Cleveland of Seattle's Union Gospel Mission. But I
want to go a little bit back into your involvement
and talk about what actually, you know made you so passionate.
(03:54):
They saved you essentially, So why did you actually start
on and you said twenty five years? What is your
initial experience like when you join them on the other.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Side, Well, you know, I always say that, you know,
love and belonging doesn't go out of style, and so
it's you know, I think it's the folks that we
serve here, that we actually employ at the mission. They're
just really good at loving people in spite of themselves.
You know, they get it. It's like homelessness doesn't define you.
(04:24):
It's like, okay, that's an experience, you're going through that
right now, but it doesn't define you. And so they're
really good at realigning you with community, with yourself and
with the Lord. And once you get once you get
realigned that way, things just start getting better. It doesn't
take long before you know you find the home church,
you find people that are r in the same direction,
(04:46):
and you find hope.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
I think that's beautiful. I am all about community, and
that's what the show is about. And I think it
also doesn't matter exactly how you find your community, as
long as it has love and support, and it doesn't
need to be a specific religion. It doesn't need to
be a specific thing that you're driving towards, as long
as it comes with love and happiness and welcoming and togetherness.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Absolutely, I think you just hit the nail on the head.
You know, we understand that, you know, people are hurt
in the context of relationship, but they're also healed in
the context of relationship.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
I think that's a beautiful statement. I'm going to write
that down. Actually, I really love that again. Scott Cleveland
with Seattle's Union Gospel Mission. Let's go back into your
first experiences. What did you start out doing well.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
I started out doing an internship at the program. I
you know, my mentor and it was the director at
the time. You know, he could just simply see something
in me that I couldn't see at in myself, and
he said, you know, this guy, I feel like God's
got a calling on your life, like there's a reason
for you being here. And you know, I really just
took that to heart. So I went back to school,
(05:54):
I earned my credentials, I became a substitute disordered professional,
and h yeah, I think it just feel like, you know,
you know, I always say God doesn't waste a thing,
and so you know, all of those experience otherwise might
have just been you know, thrown away or just been hardships.
God has used that to really, I think craft my
heart just broke my heart for folks that have gone
(06:16):
through or going through the same thing. And so I
think I just have a level of compassion that maybe
not everybody has for folks that are hurting, just because
I know that the hope does lie on the other side.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
I agree, and I think everyone has it in them.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
But it's hard to see the forest through the trees sometimes,
And you know, it takes a certain level of experience,
and you know your life and what you push towards
through your own adversity and how you can help other people.
So how did that you know, you entrance, that's what
you first did. How did you continue moving on to
(06:52):
the position.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
You have now?
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Yeah, more education, more experience, and then just opportunities. So
you know, at some point time I became a director
of all three of our men's program, and then for
the last three years I've been VP of program, which
has been great because you have more influence with these
job titles, right, And so one of the things that
I've been able to do is to really take a
(07:15):
really close look at the way that we do overnight services.
And for many years we would just you know, offer
a cot, a nice warm place to sleep, and then
but in the morning they would leave. And then during
the co pandemic, it just gave it give me an
opportunity to really, I guess think my teeth into like
how could we serve people better? And we did come
up with the n HAT shelter model, and so now
(07:38):
we don't just offer overnight shelter, but we offer really
what we call the Enhat shelter. So folks that are
coming to spend the night with us, they receive a
bed instead of a cot, a place to safe store
their belonging, so get some out of what I call
survival brain, and then they receive case management as well.
So this really helps them break some of the barriers
(07:58):
they keep them stuck in a cycled home homelessness. So
really proud of that. And then I've been pretty instrumental
in one of our programs on Capitol Hill. It's a
co occurring disorder, very unique to the city of Seattle
and maybe even the nation. It's a long term residential
recovery program. Of course, our programs are free, but not
only does it address drugs and alcohol that issue, but
(08:20):
it also addresses mental health issues as well. What we've
discovered is that folks that have experienced homelessness that is
a trauma in and of itself, and then all of
our gents have some sort of trauma issues that they're
dealing with as well as chemical dependency issues. So just
a wonderful way to serve people and help them break
(08:40):
break the cycles and keep them stuck in homelessness and addiction.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Yeah again, this is Scott Cleveland of Seattle's Union Gospel
Mission joining me.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Jessaman McIntyre.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
This is Seattle Voice, and you wear a lot of
hats as you describe your job. Can we drill down
into them individually, because there is homelessness, there's addiction, and
there those coincide quite a lot of the time. Can
you just talk about the services that Seattle's Union Gospel
Mission offers to people who are suffering either or both.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Yeah, So if you if you're to look at it
like from the tail of it to the end of
it all, we'll start with the beginning to the end.
You've probably seen our Certi and rescue bands out on
the streets, and so that is the initial way we
like to make contact with people. Always say we go
into places that nobody else wants to go into, through dark,
(09:31):
hard places, but we know that you know, homelessness again,
it doesn't define you. It's a moment in time. And
so and I think I said before that you know,
people are hurt in the context of relationship and they're
healed in the context of relationship. It's a bit of
a double buy though, because that means that people have
to risk relationship. So when we're out in our search
(09:53):
and rescue bands, it could take multiple times to get
a person's name, build their trust, and try to get
them thinking about change and coming into our programs. So
their initial experience with us into program will be usually
our in hat shelter and so super little barrier meeting
people where they're at. They can spend the night with us,
(10:14):
they can stay the day if they want to, or
they can leave and come back at night. They'll receive
some services with us, maybe get their driver's license back,
or start working on their mental health issues. Perhaps they'll
be looking for employment. And then some of them will
stay and go through our long term residential recovery programs.
We offer those for men and women alike. And then
(10:35):
you know, of course we're a holistic ministry, so we're
working on the whole person or other with us. We
have our own dental program, we have our own legal program,
and you know, basically we're relational ministry. Again, love and
kindness doesn't go out of style. I feel like that's
just it's just something we do well. And of course
we're the Seattle's Union Gospel Rescue Mission, and so the
(10:57):
gospel is our middle name, and we give people an
opportunity to get to know who they are in Christ
and develop their spiritual learns. Why they're with us, Thank you?
Then that's all so you know, guys are guys are
going to graduate our long long term recovery program and
we just committed to walking with them for life. So
we do have aftercare that walks with folks helps them
(11:20):
get employment and housing and those types of services as well.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Well. It is very clear that you care about those
that you serve, and I'm wondering how long you stay
in touch, and you know, if you could share a
few stories of some of the successes you've seen.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Yeah, well it's pretty fun. I was walking out of
churches last week and you know, a guy was pulling
out to get his kids, and I wasn't really paying
much attention. He say, hey, Scottie, and I look up
and it happened to be a cliss that had come through,
you know, a couple of years ago or what. And
I mean, what a blessing was to see him pull
up and you know, the kids are loading into the
car and I'm like, hey, last time I checked with you,
you're going to school. He's like, yeah, I'm just about
(11:56):
wrapping that up. And so, you know, go on on
to go to school and get his degree and you know,
family reunification and you know, just being all that he
could be. I mean, it's just I mean, there's nothing
better than seeing transform lives. At the Union Gospel Mission
are running into people that you served as they've come
to the doors. But I mean the stories are endless.
(12:19):
I mean, I think about I think about Darnell, who
was in program back with us maybe ten years ago.
He went on to go to the University of Washington,
got his degree, worked for the city, got married, you know,
bought his own home. I mean, these are just these
are these are stories that we get to hear day
in and day out, and so we're just we're simply
(12:40):
not satisfied with just just helping people spend the night
and you know, maybe be in a revolving door of homelessness.
We really want to provide an opportunity for folks to
be all that they can be.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Again, this is Scott Cleveland, Seattle's Union Gospel Mission joining
me here on Seattle Voice, Jessamin McIntyre here with you.
I love these beautiful stories and I hate to go
in this direction, but there must be pain involved in
this job, and it must be tough. I would like
you to share a little bit of the challenges that
you face.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
Yeah, I mean it's life or death. And that's I
think that's really what motivates me every day to come
to work and put my best foot forward, because the
realities are not everybody makes it, and it's painful, and
it's super hard. It's hard on the families, it's hard
on our staff, it's hard on the community. And so yeah,
(13:36):
we've seen, you know, people that you know, have not
been able to break the cycle of addiction and unfortunately
have perished. And we've seen people that have come to
our doors many times before they get it right. I
think the really cool thing that we do, I always say,
you know, we leave the light on. We know, statistically
take about eleven times for folks to go through program
(13:57):
before they actually get it, and so we know that
we lapse is part of the process, you know. I
think our cities and our nation are dealing with betan
all and the effects of that right now, and it's
unforgiving and so not everybody makes it out, which makes
it really really difficult, but it also motivates us to
do our best.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Yes, I mean, failure is a motivation as much as not.
I'm not calling that a failure, but you fall down,
you get back up.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
And unfortunately, I.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Have witnessed some alcoholism with friends in the past, and
I have you know, it's that three days. I don't
know if you know that you're in substance abuse education
and you know all about it, but you know, when
they make it to three days, I think everybody around
them thinks, yes, okay, and then it happens again, and.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Yeah, I think people need to be educated.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
I'd like you to weigh in on some of the
things that you can witness if you are not in
a substance abuse, if you aren't personally affected by it,
but those around you, those lives ones are what are
some signs and how can people help in their own lives?
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Well, I mean, I I think some of the signs
are you know what we see are you know, people
isolate a lot when they are starting to use. I mean,
you see things that don't seem right. It's that, you know.
I like to key in on those things. Problems with work,
problems with family, job disruption and things like that. Any
of those things that I mean, I try to key
(15:27):
into those, there's usually something else that's driving that. And
the reality is, you know, you're just seeing the behaviors, right,
and so there's something that's there's actually something that's broken
inside folks, and I think that's what the mission's really
good as well. We understand that we're seeing the behavior
(15:47):
like whatever you know, people are doing to get drugs
and alcohol and all of that bad stuff you see
on the outside, But the reality is there's something that's
happening on the inside. And what we've discovered it's usually
abuse of bandons, wi neglect, And if you can name that,
then you can start, you know, start the healing process.
I would say that if you're out in the community
and you see people that are obviously experiencing homelessness, what
(16:11):
we understand is that you know, people that are in
that space, they really feel invisible, they feel lost and unseen.
And so if you want to be part of the
part of a person's healing process, we always say, you know,
try to get to know somebody's name. It's super beneficial,
it's honoring, it's caring, and it doesn't enable folks that way.
(16:34):
So if you can get to know somebody's name and
then point the point them to an agency that you
know does good for your city because they have the
tools that can actually help people break the cycle of
addiction and homelessness.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
I think that's absolutely great. I would really love for people.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
I guess.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
I want to reflect on a story that I had.
I used to run marathons and I ran the same
route on my training routes every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning,
and it was very early in the morning, and there
was one guy who sat on a bench every day
and he had a brown bag.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
But I would always just fist bump him on.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
My way, and he got a little nervous when he
didn't see me. One day, I had an early meeting
so I couldn't do my regular training run, and the
next day. I'm not going to share his name because
I don't know if he'd want it out there. This
is years ago, but I'm still going to keep that private.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
He cared so much that I wasn't there.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
He was still drinking at seven and eight in the morning,
and it was just a little bit of sunshine. You
can bring to someone's life. You might not change their life,
but I feel like people need to know that they
can make an impact in their every single day occurrences
with people.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Lead with love, not anger.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
When you're frustrated, don't take it out on someone else,
like we all have a lot of anxiety.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Anger.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
COVID put a lot of people in bad ways, both mentally, financially, physically,
and it sounds like that is kind of a message
that you guys are putting out there.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Just be kind, Just be kind love on people. These
are somebody's moms and dads and brothers and sisters, and
they were all created in God's image. They all have
values and they should have respect as well. Your story
reminds me of a story that I'd love to share
with you. You know, I get off the freeway, you know,
my day through Friday, same place, same time, and there was,
(18:20):
you know, a guy standing there with a sign, and
you know, all it took was for me to roll
my window down and like, hey, I work for the
Sales and Gospel Mission. My name's Scott. What's your name?
And you know, I got his name. And then the
next time I came through him like hey, what's going on?
And I knew his name right yeah, and I and
I would invite him in. I'm like, hey, you know,
if you get tired of doing this, like you know,
(18:41):
we're just around the corner if you want to come
and have a meal, you know where we're at, and
it's like, hey, I'll think about it, and you know,
over time, you know, you know, I would just I
would get opportunity to say a few more things to
him and got to know him a little bit better,
and eventually he took me up on my offer. He
came up for a buye of food. And I don't
know what the rest of the story was, but I
(19:03):
know that when he came to the Union Gospel Mission,
somebody cared for him, somebody loved on him, somebody honored him,
got to know his name until he had a good
experience with us. So oftentimes we're just planning seas.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Yes, exactly.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
All it takes is that one interaction, and I try
to tell myself, I'm from New York, Scott so I
was not a very patient driver when I moved out here,
and I'll just be honest about that. But then you
just you know, it's those small things when I'm frustrated
and you know, I'm mad at someone for cutting me off,
Well you just got to think, Okay, maybe that was
an accident. Maybe that person is a jerk, you know,
(19:36):
but you just don't know. Maybe they're rushing to get
to their kids' sports game.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Who knows.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
And I think a little bit of kindness can go
a long way against Scott Cleveland. Seattle's Union Gospel Mission
is joining me Jessaman McIntyre here with Seattle Voice. I'd
like to open the floor for you to tell our
audience how people can help.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Yeah, well, the reality is, it takes money to do ministry.
It is what it is. We're a nonprofit organization. We
don't take money from state or government. We've been around
ninety one years serving our homeless neighbors, caring for folks
that are struggling with addiction and have mental health issues.
So I mean it is Christmas time, it's the season
(20:19):
they give. It takes money to do ministry, so you
can always give or go to our UGM website UGM
dot org and donate. And then also we're a volunteer
driven organization. If you want to get involved, if you
want to make a difference. They have so many opportunities
here at the Mission. You can come in and you
can be a mentor sponsor, you can serve a meal,
(20:43):
you can help with our buildings. There's just tons and
tons of outreach that you can get involved with so
plenty of opportunity to do that as well.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
I'm on the website right now, and for just two
dollars and eighty cents, it provides a meal that seems
like a pretty good deal than a cup of coffee
these days, and so that's amazing. How do you make
that work two dollars and eighty cents for a meal, Well.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
It's a lot of two dollars and eighty cents that
we have to put together to serve the number of
people that we serve at the mission. We're serving over
two hundred and fifty people just alone at our downtown shelter.
So it's just I mean, I feel like our community
knows the Mission has done good work for a very
long time, and they bought into the vision, and you know,
we've been really blessed by Seattle and the community around us.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
It seems as though in our nation right now, because
we are a melting pot, that there's a lot of divide.
Gospel is your middle name, But people don't have to
subscribe to a specific gospel to gain help from you.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
Is that correct?
Speaker 3 (21:48):
Absolutely not. You know, we're definitely going to expose people
to you know, to the gospel. But we have people
that come to our program that you know, they never
accept Jesus and you know that that that's not going
to be part of their story, but it doesn't change
who we are. Like, you know, we believe that, you know,
Jesus can change people's lives from the inside out. And
you know, we're going to continue sharing the message, but
(22:10):
we're also just going to continue loving on folks.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
I think that was so.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
I was raised Irish Catholic, so I went through it
all and you know, went to Bible study and everything,
and what I took away because I'm a reader, I'm
an avid reader, and what I took away from that
was the love. And I think that more people need
to see the loving message. And it doesn't matter what
religion you subscribe to. I read for the good and
I'm sure you do too. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
Amen, Love and kindness have not gone out of style,
and people will react to that. They will respond to
that over anything. And so and that's where we're trying
to meet people at their point of willingness, their point
of need. You know, we're trying to just you know,
we're just trying to be who we are, who God
has created us. To be and just care for our
homeless neighbors. We know that we have an opportunity to
(22:58):
restore dignity and provide a pathway back to a healthy,
thriving life. And you know, that's who we are.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
That's what we do, and that's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Seattle's Union Gospel Mission Jessaman McIntyre here Seattle Voice. So
a lot of times I get the inkling because you know,
I get Thanksgiving off, and my family's in New York
and sometimes I have to stay here so I can't
visit home for this holiday. So I always want to volunteer.
And I met with a lot of We get the
most volunteers during this time because it's Thanksgiving. Everybody wants
(23:28):
to give it around this time, and then Christmas comes up.
I've adopted families who are in need for Christmas and
buy the kids Christmas presents anonymously.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
It's a really great thing to do.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
But it seems like that kind of peters off when
they say we're full, we have all these volunteers, How
can people help year round?
Speaker 3 (23:45):
Yeah, I think that's a really great point, Like, just like,
you know, the need is greater than ever our programs are.
They're matched out right now, they're full, let's cold outside.
You know, it's kind of a motivator to get into program.
And in the summertime, I think people do kind of
they forget about it. There's always opportunity to serve at
the Union Gospel Mission. So yeah, think about that in
(24:06):
the summertime, in the fall and in the spring, because
the need is really great here in our city.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
It absolutely is.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
And that's another point I wanted to see talk to
you about because there is a stigma around homelessness as
it coincides with crime. There's a lot of petty crimes
that are happening throughout our city and people want to
blame the overarching homelessness community for that, and you know,
it does coincide. There are you know, there there are
(24:34):
people who are digital drugs who do commit rhymes, but
there is an absolute stigma. What would you tell people
who are hesitant to help to kind of change that
point of view?
Speaker 3 (24:44):
Homelessness is very complicated and finding your way out of
homelessness can be equally complicated. But these are these are people,
these are folks that didn't sign up for you know,
in seventh grade, when the teacher said, basi this piece
of paper. You know, what do you want to be
when you grow up? Doctor? Lawyer, homeless? Like nobody wrote
(25:05):
that in there, right, And so I mean, honestly, what
we're seeing folks that come to our program, they've suffered
some sort of trauma and so when you see it
through that lens, it kind of breaks your heart. Yeah,
so that's an alcohol it's a symptom of the cause.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Yes, it absolutely is.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
It's like diagnosing a cold almost okay, or you know,
for COVID it's I have a fever, I have this,
I have that, Okay, you have this, But there is
no diagnosis for homelessness. So you know again, I just
Scott Cleveland with Seattle's Union Gospel Mission joining me, Jessamin McIntyre,
Seattle Boys. I just want to know what people can
(25:44):
do if they can't donate monetarily. Right now, there is
an option by the way to give monthly to Seattle's
Union Gospel Mission, just knowing that you're helping people and
you can just give meals two dollars and eighty cents
a meal to go to men, women and children. How
many family situations are you with when people come with
(26:05):
kids or is that something that you guys do.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
Yeah. Absolutely, we've served women and died and our programs
are again they're full winter time, so we serve a
number of women who are being domestic violence or or
experience in homelessness for one reason or another. So yeah,
we certainly see our fair share of women and children
who have been displaced as well.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
That's aus It break my heart, actually, but it is
just a testament to what you do. I was talking
to Kenny Mean in last week's episode and we talked
about how he fundraises for veterans and wounded veterans to
get them a device to make them able to walk.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
Essentially is what he does.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
And I quoted this poem and I think I'm going
to use this every single week, but it was one
that I read growing up, where a little girl is
on a beach and there's hundreds of washed up starfish
and she's filling I'm into the sea one at a time,
and the guy kind of talks to this little girl
and says, there's no way you're going to be able
(27:07):
to put them all back into the sea. It doesn't matter,
and she goes it matters to this one and flings
one into the sea and it was something that's stuck
with me since childhood. And it sounds like you are
taking joy in that one that you help every single day.
Speaker 3 (27:24):
Absolutely, And you know, I think that the realities are,
you know, people that you know figure it out and
want to get back, like life short, Like giving is
so important, right, and so you know, we've seen so
many volunteers come to get back in our staff and
really I'm just speaking about me personally, and you know,
you come in with it. You know your hard to
you know, help people and get back and do what
you can. But the realities are, you know, you get
(27:46):
changed in the process. Like you know, we're all on
this journey together and you know, we're all getting better together.
And I feel like some of the best growth I've
ever had personally is by by giving back. And so yeah,
I mean if we can change a life, I mean, man,
you think it's just a life, right, I think it's
(28:07):
just one person. But beyond that one person, there's there's
a family. There's you know, there's brothers and sisters, and
you'd be surprised the impact that one life can have
on just their brothers and sisters, not to mention their
kids and the impact that they can have by changing
their life around, and those kids who will have kids
(28:27):
who had something really great model to them, and how
their lives will forever be changed because someone cared enough
to lend a hand or to give to somebody that
was struggling with addiction or homelessness.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
Okay, Scott Cleveland, Seattle's Union Gospel Mission, let's one more
time talk about how people can give during the time
when people need the most and we're giving things.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
Yeah, I mean, I mean the easiest way to do
it is just to go to our website UGM dot org.
There's a ton of opportunities to give there. You can
get finance, and of course we take clothes and things
of that nature. We always need socks. We'll actually need
some turkeys right now. To tell you the truth, it's
really close to Thanksgiving. I think we're serving a fifteen
hundred folks internally, and then the need is great in
(29:14):
our city for giving away a ton of turkeys as well.
I want to make sure people are able to sit
around the dining room table and have a nice meal
on Thanksgiving. So there's a few opportunities. Of course, it
takes money to do ministry if you've got a little extra,
please think about some of the folks who we get
to serve every day here in King County.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
Well. I certainly will be this Thanksgiving. Scott.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
It is absolutely wonderful to meet you over the phone,
and I'm sure I will come down to meet you
in person very soon.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
Thank you so much for your.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
Time, Thanks for having us have you Thanksgiving.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
Happy Thanksgiving, and thank you for all that you do.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
This has been Seattle Voice presented by iHeartRadio in Seattle
Jasamin McIntyre. For show ideas or to find out how
your voice can be heard, email Seattle Voice at iHeartMedia
dot com.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy And Charlamagne Tha God!
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.