Trinity Solidarity and Partnership with the Homeless

Trinity Solidarity and Partnership with the Homeless

There are societies in the world that simply do not allow its members to become homeless. Homelessness is often physically dangerous, emotionally devastating and can create a mental spiral of alienation and fear that can be extremely difficult to climb out of. For people facing homelessness, especially for the first time or suddenly due to a crisis in their lives, being cut off from mainstream culture can be as frightening and disorienting as having no place to call home.

One small church cannot close the gaps in a social and economic system that allows some people to easily become and stay homeless. We cannot immediately change the fact that residential mental health facilities were closed down en mass, or that so many resources are put into criminalizing substances but not into treating the illness of addiction. We cannot by ourselves solve the cripplingly high unemployment rate, the foreclosure crisis, or the fact that one medical emergency can drive a family into bankruptcy and onto the streets. 

But we can do something. 

Trinity donates a food and/clothing/toiletries offering to the 6th Street Youth for Change each month. Parishioners bring their offering to church the first Sunday of every month for distribution.

We have a table each Sunday where we sell Fair Trade Coffee, Tea and Chocolate. We make a small profit on each sale which we then donate to an agency that is in partnership, with homeless individuals and are desiring a roof over their head. To date that has been C.H.A.T, Habitat For humanity or 6th Street Youth For Change.

We are participating not out of charity or sacrifice, but because the New Testament suggests to us in many places that our own spiritual enrichment can be found in standing with people who are facing hard times. We can’t fix people or take away their challenges—but we can let someone know that there are caring folks who are aware of his or her situation. And we can open our hearts and minds to members of a population that are too often invisible and neglected and an unnecessary source of fear among us.

For people interested in participating in some capacity—large, medium, small, or yet unknown, in this effort, please catch up with Gary Estep at church, or via email: gestep3457@aol.com, or Suellen Rowlison at suellen@garlic.com or pastor David Vallelunga.

Blessings to all.