Fears

August 24, 2006
Section: Ahwatukee Republic
Edition: Final Chaser
Page: 14
Column:OUR VIEW

CHURCH'S WORK DISSIPATES HOMELESS FEARS

Did you notice any mayhem in the neighborhoods around Mountain View Lutheran Church recently?

No?

Problems with visiting homeless people wandering the streets, causing trouble?

Thought not.

About 18 months ago, when Mountain View Lutheran Church decided to join a program that helps homeless families, some of the nearby Ahwatukee Foothills residents were uncomfortable with the idea. They imagined unkempt, scary people wandering the streets. They worried about crime coming in with the homeless guests. One resident was so fearful that threats were made against the church's pastor.

To the credit of most of the neighbors, they became supportive after learning more about the program.

It has been more than a year since the church began taking its turn, welcoming families who rotate among different congregations as part of Family Promise Greater Phoenix.

You know what? Hardly anyone's noticed.

Church volunteers are providing an important social service to families, and it isn't harming the neighborhood at all.

We commend the church council and congregation for this latest example of its commitment to community service. Indeed, it would be great if more congregations would follow Mountain View's example and volunteer as hosts.

Family Promise is a national coalition of non-profits that provide temporary respite for families with no criminal background, no substance abuse or psychiatric problems, and a willingness to work toward a home.

The families spend from 30 to 90 days in the program, after which time they should have found a place to live.

The churches host families for a week. Every evening, guests are brought to the church. They eat dinner, sleep, eat breakfast and leave early each morning for jobs or school or a haven at the day center.

Family Promise Greater Phoenix has 19 host congregations and 1,400 volunteers that serve more than 15,000 meals a year and provide 5,000 nights of housing.

Such solid, grass-roots help is especially important because the specter of homelessness is not that far removed from many people. In Arizona, typically a person needs to earn $15 an hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment. A prolonged illness, a lost job and a divorce are some of the life-changing events that can push a family into a harsh reality.

About 40 percent of the homeless in Phoenix are families with children under 18.

Family Promise, with about 120 affiliates in 35 states, tries to keep some of those families from becoming entrenched in homelessness.

About 80 percent of those who go through the program have either gotten transitional or permanent housing.

That's an impressive success rate. And they can achieve it because congregations such as Mountain View Lutheran Church are compassionate and brave.

The "Our View" editorial below represents the opinion of The Republic's Southeast Valley Editorial Board, whose members are: General Manager Paul Maryniak, Editorial Page Editor Bob Schuster, Assistant Editorial Page Editor Gary Nelson and Editorial Writers Patricia Biggs, Joanna Hensley and Cindy Hernandez. If you have questions about the Opinions pages, please call 480.516.0101.

CAPTION: Former Mountain View Lutheran Church pastor Rick Nelson, here with wife, Annette, rebuilding hurricane-damaged homes in Biloxi, Miss., stood brave on homeless flap.