Root Causes of Homelessness forum at Chain of Lakes Church

Last night Chain of Lakes offered a very important event for the community.  The event was “Root Causes of Homelessness.”  Four outstanding speakers shared their perspectives on what leads a person to become homeless.  The speakers were Richard Bahr, co-founder or Threshold to New Life and author of “Those People: The True Character of the Homeless,” Robin Burge-Ross, Social Worker for the Anoka-Hennepin School District, Lisa Jacobson, Executive Director of HOPE 4 Youth, and Julie Jeppson, Executive Director of Stepping Stone.  A special thanks to the Blaine Ham-Lake Rotary for being a co-sponsor for the event.

This event reflects the desire of the people of Chain of Lakes Church to be part of a movement that ends homelessness in the north Metro.  The congregation I serve has gone to extraordinary lengths to partner with organizations to help end homelessness.  Chain of Lakes runs three food shelves at local High Schools; has partnered with  Blaine High School to share a Box City event on the tennis courts of the school for the past five years; has raised a significant amount of money for HOPE Place, the only residence for homeless youth in Anoka County; served at Stepping Stone multiple times; provided Spring Break Bags and Christmas bags for vulnerable youth at Anoka Regional High School.  If you want to be part of a church who is committed to ending homelessness, Chain of Lakes is the church.

In our work to work against homelessness, we are often asked the question, “What leads a person to be homeless?”  This question generated last night’s forum.

The event was outstanding.  A large number of people came to listen; the speakers were outstanding; and KARE 11 sent a camera and are showing a segment on their morning show this morning.

Pictures of the event can be found on the Chain of Lakes Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/chainoflakeschurch/

or my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/hmoorepaul

A video of the entire event is on the Chain of Lakes Vimeo page
https://vimeo.com/326324356
and the Chain of Lakes Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/chainoflakeschurch/?ref=bookmarks

The reality that hung over the gathering last night is homelessness is increasing.  Last week the Wilder Foundation presented their triennial report on homelessness.  The results were not encouraging. 

·         The number of homeless adults age 25-54 is up 20% in 2018 compared to 2015. 4,382 compared to 3,637.

·         The report shared that 10,233 people experienced homelessness in 2018 in Minnesota – a 10 percent increase from 2015.

·         Children and unaccompanied youth make up almost half of the homeless population in Minnesota. Come Sunday evening at 6:30 at Chain of Lakes to learn more!

A lot of work needs to be done!

In addition to sharing information, many very touching stories were shared. 

Robin Burge-Ross shared a story of a student who has experienced homelessness who is only two credits from graduating from high school; Lisa Jacobson shared a new program that HOPE 4 Youth is doing with high schools to provide connections to students who are at risk; Richard Bahr shared how

What is the answer to stopping homelessness?  All of the speakers emphasized that no “single-bullet” exists.  But a plethora of responses will make a difference.  They include:

·         Creating more connections with vulnerable adults and youth.  Often when an adult or youth experiences an incident that could lead to homelessness they don’t have the connections (whether through people or through a program) that can help them overcome that incident.

·         More shelters.  HOPE 4 Youth has the only shelter for youth in the north Metro.  Stepping Stone has a waiting list of over 300 people to use their shelter. 

·         Increasing the minimum wage and lowing costs of entry-level apartments.  Julie Jeppson shared that to work a minimum-wage job a person would have to work over 60 hours a week to afford an apartment.

Everyone has a role to play to ending homelessness.  There is no doubt in my mind that if Jesus was alive he would have sat by a sleeping homeless person on Metro Transit last night.  He would be encouraging his followers to advocate for a higher minimum wage and lower rents.  He would be encouraging all people to share an attitude of grace towards a person who is homeless.  And he would be saying, “whatever you do to the least of these my brethren, you do it to me.”  The same thing that he said when he was alive.

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