Faith-based Organizations Unite to Fight Homelessness

Last month, the Faith Collaborative to End Homelessness (FCEH) Summit brought together members of faith-based organizations with one main goal: to find ways Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) can join forces to fight homelessness.

Around 300 people from diverse faiths visited Fuller Theological Seminar in Pasadena to listen to over 30 panelists discuss various topics, including housing, serving special populations, collaboration and prevention. The event was sponsored by LAHSA, Fuller Theological Seminar, HOPICS, The Hilton Foundation, and the LA County Homeless Initiative. LAHSA and FCEH have a history of working in tandem, building bridges between government agencies and FBOs, organizing capacity building, developing new targeted funding initiatives and sponsoring two FCEH summits so far.

“We wanted to gather faith leaders from all over LA County to talk about collaboration, partnership, funding and ultimately, ministering and serving folks experiencing homelessness,” said Steve Smith, National Director for Partnerships at Fuller Theological Seminar.

During the “It Takes a Village: Partnering Together for Change” session, leaders did just that: imagined what that collaboration among groups would look like. Providers Beacon Housing, Serve LA, and Dream Center explored ways organizations can rely on one another. Representatives from the organizations agreed that a powerful approach is joining forces with other organizations with a different set of skills. This leads to complementing one another and becoming stronger with better reach.

The session “Traditional vs. Innovative Housing Solutions” explored ways to apply for funding and explained how to navigate Request for Proposal applications, which can be arduous. Another vital session was “How Your Faith Community Can Serve Women, Older Adults, and Families Experiencing Homelessness.” Increasing rents, safety, and privacy are key concerns for special populations. A key takeaway was the vital role faith-based organizations can play by encouraging landlords to rent to historically underserved populations.

The “Advocacy, Policy, and Civic Engagement” session focused on communication. Participants agreed that to bridge advocacy with action, organizations must communicate in the clearest way possible. The panel also noted that citizens must know their rights as tenants, which helps prevent homelessness.

Smith from the Fuller Theological Seminar sees this as a key moment for these leaders and their institutions. “Seeing a gathering like today –the energy and the people in the room–gives me a sense of hope, but that is tempered by the magnitude of the problem. I think for too long faith communities have been a bit internal and have not been as much of an influence in their communities. Hopefully, the tide will turn.”