 In 1932, at the height of the Great Depression, Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission got their start as a soup kitchen, feeding and caring for those who were suffering. Their programs have evolved in the 91 years since they began, but their mission and vision are unchanged. UGM’s mission is to bring the love of Jesus and hope for a new life to their homeless neighbors. Their vision is to see every homeless neighbor – beloved, redeemed and restored. They support the greater Seattle area – including South King County – in a variety of ways. Survival This is the most visible stage where we see people living on the streets, in the midst of addictions and barely surviving. The volunteer-driven Union Gospel Mission provides Survival Programs to proactively offer lifesaving assistance through:
Stabilization UGM meets basic needs as people work through detox and try to move forward with their lives. UGM does this through Stabilization Programs:
Recovery UGM offers long-term residential recovery programs to support their clients with counseling, relapse prevention and more. Their recovery programs include:
Post-Graduation Once an individual has graduated from a recovery program, the mission helps with housing, job training, continuing education, connecting with a church community, and more. Post-graduation programs include:
In 2022, UGM’s 90th year, the 501(c)3 nonprofit:
The majority of UGM’s funding – 64% – comes from individual contributions. In 2022, the organization received total contributions of $35,519,975, including $22,565,755 from individual contributors. UGM also received support from local churches, companies and organizations, foundations, estates, in-kind contributions and events. Seattle's Union Gospel Mission tells their story this way: "We search. We listen. We walk alongside. We offer hope. We work to break the cycle of homelessness and addiction. It all starts with dignity — in the form of a blanket, a hot shower, a home-cooked meal, a warm place to sleep, and friendship. It continues with addiction recovery, one-on-one counseling, and long term solutions." Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission joined the Covington Chamber in August 2023. To learn more about Seattle’s UGM, or to learn how you can help, visit UGM.org online. (Photos courtesy of Seattle's Union Gospel Mission.) "Homelessness is not a resource issue. It is a relationship issue."
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 Founded by Weidi Shen and wife Yoyo, Glow Tea started doing pop-up events as a side gig. The couple had always wanted their own restaurant, and the idea to expand Glow Tea was born. Why Glow Tea? The light bulb design was inspired by an uncle who lived in poverty in China. When a light bulb burned out, he hollowed it out and used it for glassware. The light bulb design honors his legacy. The couple opened the first Glow Tea store at the Auburn Outlet Collection in 2019, using all their savings to fulfill their dream. They developed a following from their pop-up events which helped keep them afloat and eventually grow. In August 2022, Glow Tea opened their Covington location outside Fred Meyer, and earlier this year, they opened a third location in the Tacoma Mall. They are still doing events, including the Covington Makers’ Market, and are considering possible expansion and offering franchise opportunities. At their Covington location, they hope to add seating to encourage people to come and hang out while enjoying their favorite Glow Tea beverage – Boba milk tea, real fruit tea, Boba smoothies and lemonade splashes. Visit their website for flavors and availability. The most popular Glow Tea drinks are:
The Glow Tea team makes Boba fresh daily. In addition to their delicious drinks, Glow Tea offers waffle cones with ice cream, macarons, cream puffs, frosted cookies and Boba cookies. Besides the wonderful flavors and light bulb designs, something else makes Glow Tea unique. They want to help save the world. They encourage customers who buy their drinks in the environmentally friendly light bulb to reuse them. They can bring it back for $2.99 refills which saves the customer money and keeps plastic out of landfills. The refills are very popular among Glow Tea fans. David Okamoto, director of business development for Glow Tea, told us they just launched a monthly membership – Glow Tea Club. For a limited time, the membership is $12.99 a month, and members can get up to 12 refills a month! And Glow Tea is now offering catering. Stay tuned for more announcements! Weidi is a proud Navy veteran, so Glow Tea offers a military discount. They also offer a 10% Covington Chamber member discount with the promo code CP9C0N2023, so stop in and try a fresh, tasty, healthy organic tea beverage! And be sure to say “hi” to the Glow Tea team at the Covington Makers’ Market on Saturday, October 7 (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) at Real Life Church (26201 180th Ave SE, Covington, WA 98042). |
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