From CAMP TO A HOME
When our beautiful unsheltered friends receive housing, it is a HUGE transition! Though this is an exciting milestone for them, it can be scary. Especially when understanding that 90% of those we serve are chronic homeless. Meaning most of them have lived unsheltered 5+ years. And several of our friends have been in and out of homelessness most of their lives. However, when our friends move into their new home, they come with a bag of clothing and whatever they value from camp.
We recognized a gap back in 2015 when we assisted our first camper friend into his new apartment. And since then, we began attempting to help fill that gap, with at least those that came from the camps, or areas, that we have relationships with. And we know there are many homeless that have moved into apartments who we do not know, and they need help, but at this time we are too small to meet the needs through a referral system for us to furnish homes and provide continued case management.
Therefore, in addition to our homeless street outreach ministry, we assist our friends with furnishing their new homes. This is from A to Z. Meaning from the bathtub plug to the shower curtain and rod, to the bedroom needs, to the living room furniture, to the kitchen supplies, to the food and so on. We not only provide them with groceries on their move-in date, but for months to come.
We continue our relationships with our friends as long as they need.
Other assistance we offer our friends after they move is knowledge to know where food banks are, food stamp office, neared MHMR clinic, bus routes, grocery stores, clothing closets, laundry facilities, etc. And often we simply swing by to check on them, to visit and pray with them, and sometimes to dine with them. We love being invited to dinner by our dear friends!
Our heart behind continuing our relationships with them after moving out of homelessness is to reassure them, that they are what we said they were - a friend. That they were not a statistic. They were not a "goal" to achieve a certain # with getting off the streets. We show them continued love and support because we believe that God never intended us to walk alone. And we truly believe that there are people we serve that God fully expected us to become "their person". Being Kingdom minded about this, these beautiful ones God put before us are those we will be spending eternity with. They are family - in the body of Christ. Amen!
Do you have household items you would like to donate to our friends who move from camp to apartment? If so, please contact Christie Taylor HERE to see what items we need and are currently accepting. And to view a list of items we need and accept, please view our list on our NEEDS page. Thank you!