by Joy McDonnel
In March of 1996, Catholic Community Services assumed responsibility of the Intercommunity Family Shelter Network, a fledgling program in Tacoma which sheltered five homeless families with children in a small network of host churches and faith-based schools. In 1998, this program changed its name to The Phoenix Housing Network to reflect the expansion of services beyond the shelter. Despite its growth in a broad continuum of services (80 units of transitional/permanent housing and a complete array of tailored services) the Phoenix Housing Shelter remains the primary way in which families continue to enter this program.
Over more than 15 years, the faith communities in Tacoma, Lakewood, University Place and Puyallup have opened their doors, welcoming homeless families as part of their participation in the Network of churches and faith-based schools that provide evening shelter through The Phoenix Housing Network.
Each evening five families arrive around 5:30 PM. Kids scurry into the host site, smiles on their faces, parents settle in tired from a day of work, or job hunting, school or appointments. Babies are swaddled by loving volunteers. Kids from volunteer families play alongside the children. An observer looking in wouldn’t know who was homeless. At Charles Wright Academy the week of hosting is known as ‘Chapel Home’.
It is that compassionate, hope-filled welcome that our families receive each night that makes this program so much more than a shelter. One Host Site Coordinator put it this way when asked why she had volunteered for the program for so many years:
“Scripture calls me to take care of the poor and homeless, I just love working with the people it gives them hope that people care about them and want to help.” She added that some of their volunteers come from other parishes because they want to help and their local congregation isn’t currently involved in the program.
As the evening wears on, the children are tucked warmly into beds provided by Phoenix Housing, parents sit around socializing with volunteers and one another and the Overnight Host comes in to get acquainted. It’s not uncommon for churches who have not participated to say that they are ‘kinda scared’ at the idea of a member staying overnight with a group of people they don’t know. And the reality is that the term ‘homeless’ makes some folks uncomfortable and, yes, fearful. Faith-based host sites have helped to remove that fear and misunderstanding by recognizing in small groups that the families ‘are just people like we are, they are just down on their luck.’ Sheila McKechine put it this way, “People who are homeless are not social inadequates. They are people without homes.’
Currently, 27 churches and faith-based schools, become home to those in need for one to two weeks each year. Roughly one hundred families are housed through the shelter each year, but week to week only five families take part, which means even the smallest congregation is able to participate in this vital faithful mission.
While we have grown and are richly blessed by those in our Network, the needs in our community to provide shelter for homeless families continues to rise, we still need more churches and faith-based schools to join us especially as we approach the winter months. If the needs of the homeless are weighing heavy on your heart give us a call today. You can volunteer as an individual with a willingness to help churches who are hosting or you can lift your church or school up as a possible new Host Site.
