Photo by rjs1322.
Mayor Vince Gray officially launched the One Congregation, One Family portion of the 500 Families, 100 Days campaign today, saying that by “partnering with faith community we can engage the tremendous healing power of faith.”
Described as “a faith-based approach to ending homelessness and housing instability,” the program matches a homeless family with a “Faith Mentor Team” from a congregation. The program is meant to enhance the 500 Families, 100 Days program, a campaign to identify 500 units for homeless families and make placements by mid-July.
Gray said about 400 units have been identified thus far, but he was unable to provide an exact number of placements. A request for those numbers from the Department of Human Services has yet to be returned.
With 80 percent of units theoretically found, Gray said finding the final 20 percent has been a “challenge.” In late May, the mayor placed an ad in the Washington Business Journal as part of landlord outreach after it became apparent the campaign was in danger of not meeting its goal. While Gray said there’s been “some additional interest” because of the ad, interest has come in a “variety of ways.” This includes about 100 units that have been identified by families themselves.
With One Congregation, Gray says groups — 20 have signed up so far — are not being able to make a financial investment but rather provide “emotional” and “spiritual” support. Outgoing DHS director David Berns said getting a family in an apartment is often not enough. “We can’t do it all,” he said, adding that a sense of community is something that can be derived from faith communities.
Berns said Faith Mentor Teams — made up of four to six families from a congregation — will include at least one and perhaps several “real good moms” — “People who have raised their own children, who can give [advice] on what the kids need” — and an educator who can handle tutoring. “Maybe there will be some business people or folks that have worked successfully on jobs” who can advice, Berns said.
Interested mentors will be trained at the Virginia Williams Family Resource Center in July. Gray said it will be made clear to participants that proselytizing is not a part of the program.
“That is a very clear message from day one, that while we want to engage the faith community, we don’t want you trying to encourage you to join a particular [house of worship],” Gray said. “Your there to bring the faith experience to their lives, not to get them to engage in discipleship.”
The program is also “completely voluntary” for families, Berns said, but many have already expressed a desire for that support.
Kamesha Nelson, a participant in the 500 Families, 100 Days campaign and One Congregation, said through tears she’s “very grateful.” The mother of a four-year-old and a four-month-old said she had been in a hotel for six months, but is now housed in an apartment.
“I expect to accomplish more goals now,” she said. “I’m thankful for the people that were put in my life. People come in your pathways, they are blessings.”
