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Congregation Based Shelter Project
Congregations Embracing Families Who are Homeless ...
Our Congregation-Based
Shelter Project provides emergency shelter for 10 families in the
District every night of the year.
The reality...
There
is a crisis with families caught in homelessness. According to the
Coalition of Housing and Homeless Organizations, the number of families
seeking shelter in D.C. has more than doubled over the last five years,
increasing from 1,276 families in FY 2000 to 3,326 families in FY 2004.
The Congregation Based Shelter Project is an emergency shelter program
that serves families who need shelter. The project also helps build a
support network for families, which includes intensive case management
services, with the goal to help them become self sufficient.
The
program...
In 1996, CHGM launched a rotating family shelter program with support
from the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness and
local member congregations. CHGM recruits, coordinates and supports
congregations in offering overnight hospitality to homeless families
and provides families in shelter with comprehensive case management
services. Working with up to ten families at a time, CHGM provides
overnight shelter, a daytime hospitality center, case management
services, and life skills classes. Congregations become part of the
network of support for the families not only by hosting families in
their space, but also by offering friendship and a listening ear,
taking families on outings, mentoring an adult, and donating furniture,
shelter supplies, and household goods.
The
opportunity ...
The Congregation Based Shelter Project offers faith communities the
opportunity to expand and enhance their outreach ministries. CHGM staff
enter into a partnership with the congregation to coordinate their
effort from beginning to end. According to the congregation's
accommodations and capacity, the outreach can take a couple of
directions; they may host one to two families for four weeks, providing
space, overnight monitoring and meals or they may provide volunteers
for overnight monitoring and meal preparation for other sites.
The
resources ...
CHGM provides each sheltering congregation with:
- Pre-screened
families
- A shelter
handbook and schedule
- Case management
services for families
- Training and
support for volunteers
- Provision of
supplies for sheltering - beds, linens, toiletries
- Coordination
resources for the shelter
- On-call support
and final evaluation of the project
Participating
Congregations are asked to:
- Provide overnight
shelter (7 pm-7am) at the worship site or in congregation-owned property
- Provide space
with access to a kitchen and a bathroom
- Generate
volunteers among the worship community
- Prepare simple
nourishing dinners and breakfasts
- Offer fellowship
and community support to the family
A typical night ...
6:30 pm Volunteers arrive
7:00 pm Families arrive
7:30 pm Dinner shared/cleanup
8:00 pm Family relaxes, children play or complete homework, volunteers
interact with families
10:00 pm Lights out
6:00 am Volunteers prepare breakfast, families wake up and dress
6:30 am Breakfast is served
7:00 am Families depart
We are always looking for
new congregations to join us this outstanding program. Encourage your
congregation to offer a place of refuge for homeless families. To
request more information or to become a part of this network of
support, please contact us at 202-544-0631 or info@chgm.net.
Day
Hospitality Center
1338 G Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003
Telephone: 202.544.3150
Fax: 202.544.5410
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