Sunrise Mission names new executive director
‘My heart is truly for the downtrodden,’ says Tracy Bouren
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ALPENA -- Sunrise Mission recently welcomed a new executive director, Tracy Bouren. Bouren says that her goal for the center is to change the community's perception of homelessness. She said that she wants to keep the center centered around family and a "safe place" for people struggling.
Bouren is a licensed builder but she was approached with the director position while leading a program called Every Heart Restored at Northeast Sanctuary Church in Alpena. Bouren led the program for eight weeks which teaches faith-based guidance and healing in response to abuse related trauma.
Bouren lives in a small town called Bliss, outside of Harbor Springs. She said she drives two hours one way to get to work.
"I'm a strong person," she said. "My faith is very strong, but my heart is truly for the downtrodden, and just people in general."
She said that her husband encouraged her to take the job.
"I said, 'That's a two-hour drive and that's a commitment.' And he said, 'I think this could be a good thing,'" Bouren said.
She added that her pastor agreed with her husband.
Bouren said that she's been in her director role at Sunrise Mission for two months. She also said that despite being understaffed, her administrative staff has helped her transition into her new role.
"The Sunrise Mission family ... the people that support me ... they are absolutely incredible," she said. "They know their job very, very well. They're incredible at their craft but they're also more than that. They're very service oriented. I couldn't do it without them."
Bouren stated that her staff have helped her learn the inner workings of the shelter and have assisted her in making hard decisions.
"At times you have to make hard decisions," she said. "I don't want to make every decision black and white, we will always follow the rules and stay within those parameters."
With 33 beds, serving 365 days a year, Bouren said that guests are required to follow rules and stipulations to stay at the shelter so that shelter staff can assist guests in becoming self-sufficient once again.
"I want to make sure that we do it with compassion, dignity, and really seeing people through God's eyes," she said. "Loving people through God's eyes."
The shelter does not allow guests to stay who have been convicted of any criminal sexual conduct crimes and guests must maintain sobriety.
"There are rules," she said. "There's sobriety of all forms."
She explained that the sobriety requirement addresses any mind altering substance, and that marijuana and tobacco products must be kept in lockers.
"Helping one person and endangering the rest of my home is not acceptable," she said. "Our whole goal is to see that people are enriched and stable and successful. That's what gives all of us great joy."
Bouren explained that her mission is to rewrite the perception of a homeless shelter and what homelessness can look like in the community.
"Do we make a series of poor choices that can sometimes get us in situations, but on the flip side of that, some of us, just living life, have a series of sad choices happen to us. So whether it's by our own doing or through some other providence, in whatever way that is ... that's why this is so near and dear to my heart."
Bouren explained that her husband recovered from a terminal illness in 2020 that the doctors said was a miracle. At this time she said her family was financially well off and stable.
"I was on the top of the world with my business," she said. "Then suddenly, I found ourselves where we decided that none of that mattered."
She said that her husband's recovery baffled doctors and inspired her family to reconsider what was important in life.
"He was prayed for and miraculously healed, even the doctors confirmed it," she said.
During that time, Bouren said she realized that "really anybody" can find themselves in dire circumstances despite all the right choices they make. She said this gives her the ability to empathize with guests.
Though she's only been in Alpena for two months, she said that Alpena is a giving and charitable community.
"People are very protective of one another, which I love," Bouren said. "There's a kindness. I'm constantly looking out the window and people are always pulling up and donating. It's a very generous community. They give first, and if they ask questions, it's always after."
She said that she'd like to see the shelter expand one day to house more people. The organization also recently received a facade grant with the Alpena Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to improve and update the curb appeal of the shelter.
"Alpena has gifted us this and we're going to make them proud," she said.
Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.