Faith Based Groups Important Partners in Ending

Homelessness

2015 National Conference on Ending Family and Youth Homelessness

February 19-20. 2015 San Diego, California

Kay Moshier McDivitt Technical Assistance Specialist National Alliance to End Homelessness kmoshiermcdivitt@naeh.org

1.5 Faith Based Groups Important Partners in Ending Homelessness

Faith-based groups play a key role in ending family homelessness as they provide many resources including shelter and permanent housing assistance. This workshop will highlight strategies for Continuums of Care (CoC) to engage faith-based providers in their work, as well as strategies for faith-based groups to work with their CoCs in a more coordinated way

Our Speakers

Jim Amstutz, Lead Pastor of Akron Mennonite Church and Co-Chair of the Lancaster County Coalition to End Homelessness in Pennsylvania

Steve Brubaker, Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission, Philadelphia, PA

Lisa Gustaveson, Director of the Faith & Family Homelessness Project, School of Theology & Ministry, Seattle University, Seattle, WA

Kay Moshier McDivitt, National Alliance to End Homelessness, Washington, DC (Moderator)

• Common Agenda

• Shared Measurement Systems

• Mutually Reinforcing Activities

• Continuous Communications

• Backbone Support Organizations

• Common Agenda

• Shared Measurement

Systems

• Mutually Reinforcing

Activities

• Continuous

Communication

• Backbone Support

Organizations

...individuals and families

who become homeless

return to permanent

housing within 30 days.

…homelessness will be

rare, brief, and non-

recurrent.

• Common Agenda

• Shared Measurement

Systems

• Mutually Reinforcing

Activities

• Continuous

Communication

• Backbone Support

Organizations

• Reduce the number who

become homeless

• Reduce length of

homelessness

• Reduce return to homelessness

Crisis Response System Systemic Approach

This takes work to include all homeless service providers,

including the faith based and non-federal funded providers

WHY?

1. Collective Impact

– Together we accomplish more

– Broader perspectives creates broader solutions

– Those we serve benefit

2. HEARTH Act requires systemic inclusion of all providers

3. Working together tells the bigger story; complete data is critical

4. Right thing to do

Getting Started

• Identify FBO’s in your continuum to be brought to the table

• Identify the right “convener”

– Negotiator vs. Champion (trusted by both secular and faith providers)

• Know circles of influence with that organization

– Who do you already know/work with

– Start with front line staff

– Persons of faith working in “secular” organization

• Develop the sell for each organization, do your research-a different plan for each one

Challenges

• Be prepared for bumps along the way

– Staff changes within organizations may mean starting

the process over/re-educating

– Philosophical shift from traditional models to “housing

first” or “rapid exit” system model

– Faith based providers reconciling local CoC strategies

vs. directives from national affiliations

• Don’t assume there will be resistance

– Sometimes our perceptions get in the way

• Focus on the win/wins for everyone

National Alliance to End Homelessness

Jim S. Amstutz, Co-Chair

Lancaster County Coalition to End Homelessness

jamstutz@akronmench.org

The Role of Faith-Based Providers

Lancaster County Coalition to End Homelessness

Why join the Coalition?

What’s in it for us?

Potential Barriers

Organizational mission may be challenged

Cooperation not the same as Compromise

No single provider can serve everyone

Staying true to identity and core values

Look for compatible connections

Why participate in HMIS?

Add to collective and consistent data base

Assist with community Point In Time count

Coordinated Assessment

Different Organizational Cultures

No HUD, State, or Local funding

Faith-based funding has community buy-in

Freedom to add faith dimension without making

it a barrier

Can fill gaps with underserved populations

Often appropriate in rural/suburban

communities

Deep financial and people resources

Potential Gains Strength in partnerships

Peer learning from other providers

Share best practices

Recognition of own limitations

Contribute to the collective good

Avoid silo mentality and ministry

A vital voice along the Continuum of Care

Moral companion to civil society

Lancaster City/County 2014 PIT

Type Faith

Based

Federal/State

Government

Funded

Totals

Emergency

Singles

122 10 132

Emergency

Family Units

21 20 41

Transitional

Singles

59 86 145

Transitional

Family Units

38 44 82

Getting from There to Here

Beyond Good Intentions

Beyond Pray and Pay

Beyond Fix-It and Forget-

It projects

A Framework for

Understanding poverty

Build a Local Theology

Holistic approach to

disconnectedness

Connecting with Faith Based Partners

Listen to their story. Seek to understand.

Start with where they are

Invite them to the table as partners

Seek out points of convergence while taking

seriously points of divergence

Help make mutually beneficial connections

Validate their place along the Continuum

Nurture deep change as the opportunity arises.

Co-create a community-wide collaboration

Thank You!

Our Vision

…a world where the cycle of family homelessness is broken

through the creation of new relationships, platforms and

models for successful faith-based responses.

Our Top 5

1. Be Patient

2. Find the “Leaders”

3. Don’t be Afraid of Prayer

4. If You Build it They Will Come

5. Each Congregation is Unique

Communicate

The Big 3

Translate

Bridge Best & Promising Practices What’s Next for Your Congregation

Poverty Workshops Continuum of Care/10YP

UGM Pilot Jewish Family Services

Church Council Homeless Bill of Rights

Yesler Terrace Collaborative SFM: Journalism & Spirituality

Blog:14,000 views Facebook Page:250 likes

Mailing List: 500+

Tools You Can Use #1

Sponsor Events Share Stories Create Experiences

Tools You Can Use #2

Get their attention

Get to Work

Tools You Can Use #3

Meet the Needs

Share Good Ideas

Lisa Gustaveson | gustavel@seattleu.edu To Learn More: Faithandfamilyhomelessness.com Projectonfamilyhomelessness.org Facebook: facebook.com/seattleustmFFH facebook.com/SUProjectOnFamilyHomelessness Twitter: @lisagustaveson @chinrichsen_su

Faith-Based Groups: Important Partners in Ending Homelessness

Ending Family and Youth Homelessness

National Alliance to End Homelessness

San Diego, CA

February, 2015

Advantages of the Continuum of Care (CoC) and the Faith-based Organization (FBO) in Partnership •Need – No one entity alone can resolve

homelessness

•Breadth/Reach – Each organization reaches different demographics, pockets of need, etc.

•Resources – Each organization brings unique insight, capacity, people, expertise

• ‘Hybrids’ – Those with a ‘foot in both worlds’ can be leveraged to bridge any divide between the CoC and the FBO

Cultivate relationship

From the CoC Perspective • Find points of common

concern

• Listen for what an FBO values

• Educate re: the CoC

• Collaborate about who needs to be at the table

• Identify need/gaps in service, etc.

• Define a clear, mutual goal

From the FBO Perspective • Guard against ‘knowing it

all’ • Get to know those in the

‘homeless business’ • Serve on a relevant

committee • Listen for what the CoC

values • Work to understand the

big picture (10-year plan, etc.)

Things to keep in mind

For the CoC: • Do not expect the FBO to

change long-held mission/vision/values

• Have examples of successful collaborations

• Remember that FBO’s can’t use usual funding streams

• Remind that the goal is not to solicit the FBO’s donor base

• Be okay with trying something and failing

For the FBO: • Remember that people

outside your faith journey are well-intentioned, caring and competent

• Salt and light only work when used

• Look for a common issue where resource can be applied

• You will not be expected to sacrifice M/V/V

• Be okay with trying something and failing

Moving the Partnership Along …

• Use a subcommittee – smaller, less threatening, more focus

• Establish co-chairs, one from the CoC, one from the FBO

• Regularly remind of respectful candor in conversation

• Keep clarifying organizational identity (M/V/V)

• Use a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MOU) – when agreeing to disagree

Examples of Good Partnership

• Point-in-Time Count • Goal: get an accurate count of unsheltered homeless

• A unique aspect: the school district, the police, the faith-based community connected well

• Church-based revolving winter shelter • Goal: provide safe, overnight shelter for those choosing not

to be part of the shelter system • A unique aspect: the local synagogue provided initial

management expertise

• Day shelter for ‘hard-to-shelter’ homeless • Goal: provide a low-demand connection place for the

chronically homeless • A unique aspect: an FBO provided space; a non-FBO provided

management

Discussion and Sharing

1. What are some partnerships you have formed in your communities?

2. What has been the most significant thing you have done to create those partnerships?

3. What are some challenges and how have you addressed those challenges?

1.5 Faith Based Groups Important Partners in Ending Homelessness