The Biblical story of the Exodus tells how the people of God are set free from bondage as a slave people and — against tremendous odds — are free to live as they chose, hopefully choosing to live in right relationship to one another and with God. This is a tale of another difficult Exodus journey, out of the bondage of homelessness. Like the captivity of slavery, the captivity of homelessness chokes the life out of individuals and the community in which homelessness is allowed to reside. Captured by homelessness, one has little hope of freedom and reconciliation, unless there is help.
Known as the “church that stayed,” Central Church [PC(USA)] has a 150-year history of ministering to those who live in and near downtown Atlanta, Ga. In 1997, the church’s Outreach and Advocacy Center (OAC) became a non-profit organization. Its mission is to work in partnership with individuals and families to assist them in avoiding or recovering from homelessness and to advocate on their behalf.
Everyday, OAC is swamped with 100-150 guests who live on the streets or are threatened with homelessness. Over the past two years, the OAC board of directors has wrestled with the growing need for services and the increasing diversity of the guests accessing the services. Board members and staff have been engaged in a faith struggle attempting to balance crisis-care ministry with services that might actually break the bonds of homelessness and move individuals into new possibilities.
In 2007, with funding from the Healthcare Georgia Foundation, OAC made an environmental scan and Needs Assessment Survey to determine the reality of homelessness today. More than 200 guests completed surveys or interviews. According to our guests, they are homeless (or threatened with homelessness) because of loss of family support, loss of income, or due to an illness that results in job loss or overwhelming debt.
Enlightened by the study outcomes, the directors and staff of the OAC designed and made a commitment to a new program — The Exodus Journey.
The goal of the Exodus Journey is to support guests in moving out of homelessness and to assist them in making lasting changes in their lives. Guests would be able to recover from homelessness by obtaining permanent affordable housing, viable employment, a bank account, and if necessary, graduate from an addiction recovery program. Only 10 individuals or families who meet the established criteria would be included in the program at one time. Progress on individual goals of housing, mental health counseling, addiction recovery, and employment would be evaluated at 30 and 90 days. Each individual/family will continue in the program for up to six months based upon evaluation results.
Two primary strategies support the goals of the program.
First, each guest has a personal mentor with whom they will meet not less than once a week to identify and overcome obstacles in the recovery process. Mentors will be OAC staff, volunteers or interns who have satisfactorily completed the necessary training and have been approved by the staff of the OAC. Once the guest has shelter and a safe environment (and has progressed sufficiently in the addiction recovery process, if applicable), the focus shifts to employment.
Second, the services and programs of the “Main Frame: Computers for Change” offer job and basic computer training skills as well as assistance in setting up electronic mailing addresses. Staff members dedicated to the Main Frame program assist the guests in identifying potential employers.
Once a guest has secured employment, the OAC provides assistance for any job-related needs such as boots, tools, and uniforms through a scholarship fund dedicated to recovery from homelessness and long-term stability.
Additional monies will be obtained through the new Arts Ministry program, “Ties that Matter.” Through this ministry, guests participate in sewing bags with handles fashioned from recycled ties. These bags can be used to carry groceries and personal items, replacing paper and plastic bags. A goal of 1,000 bags generating approximately $5,000 will be used as seed money for guests interested in starting small businesses and to support other employment costs.
Many truths and untruths proliferate about those who are called “homeless.” Based upon the OAC environmental scan, most homeless are not “chronic” street folks, but are relatively new to the landscape. Most desire stability. Substance abuse and mental illness are partners with some homeless persons, but it is not clear whether they are a cause or an effect of homelessness, or somehow both.
In response to a question about skills or talents, guests described themselves with words such as catering supervisor, people person, listening skills, cashier, cooking, gardening, fishing, safety concerns, drawing, floral designer, masonry, construction, math, computer, reading, paralegal, welding, writing, social worker, home improvement, and machine operator. At least some of these talents should break the trappings of homelessness and part the waters to a new freedom.
As the directors, staff, and volunteers of OAC, we are excited about the possibilities of our new Exodus Journey. We are committed to healing the brokenness of our world for those in bondage to homelessness. In finding this freedom together, we make possible a new life for all people.
Jennell P. Charles is vice chairman of the board of directors, Presbyterian Outreach and Advocacy Center, and a member of Central Church [PC(USA)], Atlanta, Ga.
