Small group outcomes

Note: if you were in one of these groups and wish to add a revision to any of these notes, please add a comment at the bottom of the page!

What actions would transform the level of empathy for individuals and families living without adequate shelter?

• • Reaching people, bring them into proximity.

  • Dispersed housing that integrates neighborhoods across socioeconomic status

  • Replicate Opportunity Village

  • Increase income & education for all(?)

  • Increase personal connections. Antagonism between neighbors comes from a lack of knowledge and understanding.

  • Bring together older housed and younger unhoused populations

  • Neighborhood Associations and faith congregations could create opportunities for connecting with homeless.

  • To foster connection between housed & unhoused:

    • Structured lunch program 

    • First Aid classes in sanctioned camps

    • Community service projects that satisfy common concerns

    • Community day centers

  • Church leadership setting the tone  

What are the 1 or 2 things that churches could do working together to make a significant change in this community?

• • New family center

    • Working together is more sustainable; difficult for one congregation to provide meals solo.

  • Increase awareness

    • i.e., "Under the bridge" movie would add detail to the generalizations people have about homelessness.

  • Lobbying

    • i.e., advocate for re-purposing of empty school buildings for shelter

    • before city council or county commission to waive system development charges or allow deed restrictions

    • refer to Leviticus 23:22 - "you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap"

    • Inventory of vacant or open apartments, advocate for limits on time they are left empty.

    • Remind city council of the emergency nature of homelessness.

  • Contribute as a group to more informational advertising

  • Utilize church property to develop housing with agencies like St. Vincent's or Sheltercare (see below *)

  • Create a clearinghouse/information hub to identify what's missing (such as SOAR?)

How does walking the talk of our religious faith change the moral climate of the entire community?

• • A community has to rebuild itself when social bonds begin to break down and anomie increases. (ref. Chris Hedges)

  • A church can provide programs and other ways for non-church members to serve others.

    • When meal programs were started by one church, it became a model for other churches as well as attracted community volunteers.

    • People of faith can make the first steps

    • Churches can organize into fellowship groups

    • Dalai Lama: compassion without action doesn't mean anything

    • Once people see constructive programs in action it encourages others to help

    • Human action, small gestures = God loves you, we love you

  • We need to be better informed about such things as public/private partnership, funding, etc.

  • NIMBY! How does one overcome negative attitudes about poor people? Seeing the examples of others helping, not being fearful.

    • Every church should do something in their own backyard.

  • One church has a different project every month, working in homeless shelter, supplying goods & services.

* Internet research has documented that there are at least 66 local places of worship who offer food, clothing or shelter to unhoused people, representing the resources and energy of thousands of motivated volunteers. In addition, a satellite photo survey has revealed that there are an equal number of religious properties with potential sites for hundreds of conestoga huts, tiny homes or family-sized cottages.