Make it a Home
History
In 2015, in response to the end of the 5th year of the planned 5 year Sheltering Churches program, the Social Justice Board of First Congregational UCC Moorhead made a commitment to study and respond to the issues that contribute to homelessness in Fargo Moorhead. We quickly discovered a need for support at the point when families move out of shelter and into independent housing. In 2016 we mentored a family of six, who remained successfully housed for the entire year. During this year we documented our efforts and sought expert advice from homeless advocates, shelter directors, social workers, therapists, and ministers.
We have formed the wisdom of our experiences into a manual and look forward to bringing other faith communities on board. Our pie in the sky goal is for every family moving out of shelter into independent housing to have a faith community walk alongside them.
We have trained three other churches and now sponsor two families ourselves.
We have learned over the years that the gap between wages and housing costs means that "graduating" a family from this program is not always feasible. It has inspired us to become advocates for a living wage and to make the commitment that all church employees will make, at least, the wage designated by the MIT Living Wage Calculator, as the minimum hourly living wage for Clay County, MN.
We have formed the wisdom of our experiences into a manual and look forward to bringing other faith communities on board. Our pie in the sky goal is for every family moving out of shelter into independent housing to have a faith community walk alongside them.
We have trained three other churches and now sponsor two families ourselves.
We have learned over the years that the gap between wages and housing costs means that "graduating" a family from this program is not always feasible. It has inspired us to become advocates for a living wage and to make the commitment that all church employees will make, at least, the wage designated by the MIT Living Wage Calculator, as the minimum hourly living wage for Clay County, MN.
Mission
In response to our faith, the Make it a Home program seeks to empower families of all configurations in their transition from being in a shelter to being housed, in order that they remain successfully housed and able to be their own advocate.
Vision
Each faith organization will mentor a family for two years. In the first year, the faith organization will assist the family in setting up their home and obtaining resources that both make their place a home and set the family up for success in maintaining housing. In the second year the faith organization will work on transitioning their relationship with the family from one of empowering benefactor to one of curious researcher in order to gain wisdom for helping more families in the future. The program is purposefully flexible in its implementation as each faith organization and each household is unique. However, there is one inflexible ethos. This is not an evangelizing opportunity.
For More information:
Make contact with the First Congregational UCC Moorhead Make it a Home Team.
Contact: Rev. Michelle Webber
uccmhdpastor@gmail.com
(218) 236-1756
In response to our faith, the Make it a Home program seeks to empower families of all configurations in their transition from being in a shelter to being housed, in order that they remain successfully housed and able to be their own advocate.
Vision
Each faith organization will mentor a family for two years. In the first year, the faith organization will assist the family in setting up their home and obtaining resources that both make their place a home and set the family up for success in maintaining housing. In the second year the faith organization will work on transitioning their relationship with the family from one of empowering benefactor to one of curious researcher in order to gain wisdom for helping more families in the future. The program is purposefully flexible in its implementation as each faith organization and each household is unique. However, there is one inflexible ethos. This is not an evangelizing opportunity.
For More information:
Make contact with the First Congregational UCC Moorhead Make it a Home Team.
Contact: Rev. Michelle Webber
uccmhdpastor@gmail.com
(218) 236-1756
