Lewiston homeless shelter breaks ground (WITH VIDEO)

Feb. 24—Weighing 64 pounds, Brianne Trout was at risk of losing her children when she checked into recovery.

The onetime Lewiston-Clarkston Valley resident had completed a 30-day program, but she knew she had more work to conquer an addiction that began in her late teens with a prescription to narcotic pain medication.

That's where Union Gospel Mission filled the gap, supporting her to do the hard work that allows her to live today as a mother, employee, friend and daughter, Trout said.

She spoke to a crowd of more than 150 people Friday at the groundbreaking of the Union Gospel Mission's high-barrier, 92-bed homeless shelter at 501 Snake River Ave. in Lewiston. The mayors of Lewiston and Clarkston were both present.

"(UGM) changed my life and I am forever grateful to God for the work that is done within the walls of UGM," she said. "To God be the glory."

Backers of UGM referenced Bible verses as they outlined their hopes for the organization's new Lewiston site.

"In our mission statement, we declare that we're determined, we're striving (and) we're passionate about reaching the poor with the love and the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ," said Jeremy Stevens, director of the LC Valley for UGM.

"We are about bringing full transformation to people," Stevens said. "That's mind. That's body. That's strength. That's soul. That's the whole person."

UGM is a staff-supported, volunteer-run organization, he said.

"So just to see the support here today, what I'm looking out on is future volunteers, future fundraising volunteers, future people that will give to this mission, that have a part, that have blood, sweat and tears," Stevens said.

Stevens and his wife, Bonnie Stevens, are both Lewiston natives. They will be relocating to the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley from Hayden Lake, Idaho.

He joined UGM as an interim director of its Crisis Shelter for Women and Children in 2022 after working at United Parcel Service in a number of capacities, including as a delivery driver. Both of the Stevenses have completed training in biblical counseling and are certified in the Genesis Process, the counseling program UGM uses. She worked at UGM for three years before becoming a full-time, stay-at-home mother.

In Lewiston, he will be responsible for the UGM program on Snake River Avenue where two new buildings are being constructed. They are anticipated to be done in a year to 18 months, with Kenaston Corp. as the general contractor.

One is a two-story, 14,500-square-foot dormitory with 46 beds for men on the ground floor and 46 beds for women and children on the second floor. A separate, 7,000-square-foot, single-story building will have a kitchen and dining room.

Discussions are ongoing about if it makes the most sense to remodel a 6,700-square-foot building on the back of the lot or construct something new.

The shelter will provide services to those who meet its criteria such as being drug- and alcohol-free and making progress toward goals that will enable them to be self-sufficient.

The services include meals, counseling, employment resources, child care, spiritual support and referrals to UGM programs in Coeur d'Alene and Spokane.

As construction starts, UGM is continuing to raise money for the Lewiston shelter. The organization is about $1 million short of its $8.9 million goal. Of that amount, $8.2 million is for construction and $700,000 is for the first year of operating expenses. A previous estimate of building costs was $6.8 million, but the construction bid was higher than anticipated.

The effort to reach this stage began decades ago, said Phil Altmeyer, executive director of UGM.

Rich Copeland, an entrepreneur with close ties to Clarkston, served on the UGM board when he was living in the Spokane area, Altmeyer said.

A onetime partner in Plywood Distributors, a wholesale building materials company, and later CA Company, Copeland had raised his family in Clarkston before relocating.

Copeland returned to Clarkston after he retired and became involved in the efforts of the ROC Rescue Mission, which ran a day center for homeless individuals in North Lewiston.

Copeland purchased property in North Lewiston for a shelter that never materialized, but the proceeds of the sale of the land went to UGM's Lewiston project, Altmeyer said.

"He wanted to see a shelter in this valley, because this valley had nowhere for homeless people to go," Altmeyer said.

Copeland died two years ago. He was represented by his son, Rich Copeland Jr., at the groundbreaking.

The elder Copeland and many others in the community backed UGM during the "long journey" of getting approval for the shelter, Altmeyer said.

Numerous individuals opposed it, including residents who live near where the shelter is being constructed.

"I just want to say to many of you out there, 'Thank you,'" Altmeyer said, "because if you wouldn't (have stepped) forward, we wouldn't be where we're at today. To be able to put a shovel in that dirt, is going to be awful nice."

Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.