Jesika's story is one of resilience. Homeless for years and battling addiction, she found herself pregnant and alone under a bridge in Portland. Hope arrived with Kristi, a UGM Outreach Worker, who offered unwavering support and kindness unlike anything Jesika had ever known.

Our Search + Rescue team works to connect with those experiencing homelessness, offering support and a path forward. Today, we share a story that beautifully illustrates the lasting impact they can have. Ana Lopez found herself facing homelessness in Portland from 2017-2019. Lost and battling addiction, she and her partner encountered our Search and Rescue team in Delta Park. The team offered not just a helping hand, but genuine care and understanding.

Johnny and his wife Melissa have a young son who has autism. One of their biggest goals is to keep life as stable as possible for him. For years, they lived in the same apartment. However, a rent hike shattered their stable life, forcing them to vacate their apartment. Despite having two incomes, finding a new home they could afford proved impossible, leaving them to live by the river in their truck.

Victoria experienced horrific abuse when she was just six years old. She didn’t tell anyone about it for years and instead tucked her pain deep inside, where it haunted her. At 13, she got her first glimpse of relief when her friend’s uncle invited them to try what he was smoking. Victoria doesn’t remember what it was, but she remembers how it made her feel: numb to the pain she’d been feeling for years, even though she was just a teenager.

Evaristo, a resident of Union Gospel Mission’s LifeChange recovery community, has helped save four people from overdose in the last year.

A few years ago, Kris wanted to die. He was more than a decade into addiction and had reached the end of his rope. “Every single morning I’d wake up just miserable,” he says.