Carpenter's 101

So, Saturday, I went to Carpenter's 101 http://www.carpenterslubbock.org/index.html, which is an educational and outreach activity sponsored by Carpenter's Church, which runs a ministry for the homeless in Lubbock, Texas.  Carpenter's Church started as a ministry of Broadway Church of Christ and is still closely aligned with that church. Another church, South Plains Church of Christ sponsors a minister. They have a social worker managing their social programs. 

And they have started a wonderful program, call Housing First.  This makes so much sense, and as the presenters said today, is so simple.  The immediate resolution to homelessness is to provide housing. But homeless people do not always possess the skills and know the resources to be able to sustain permanent housing.  The option Carpenter's Church is working on is permanent supported housing, and currently they have Carpenter's House, where two formerly homeless men live in permanent supported housing. 

What is permanent supported housing?  There is no defined length of time that the residents can stay in this housing. The person in this housing stays until he/she leaves of their own, and is not driven out.  The supported part involves providing a case manager who helps with local resources, and life management skills training, and whatever. 

By providing permanent housing to people, and the resources to live in it, people no longer have to worry about their next meal, utilities, taxes.  Their lives can change because they can establish permanent relationships with medical care, support systems, educational opportunities and even employers.  There are rules but there is flexibility. And there is a built in support system.

The plan is to raise the funds to build and sustain 10 more housing units for supported housing. The long term plan includes working with section 8 housing (government subsidized housing) and to work with apartment owners and developers to integrate a small percentage of units in their apartment complexes that are supported housing.  This makes so much sense to me.

Over the last several years, the people working with the South Plains Homeless Consortium http://spconsortium.org/ have made great strides in working with the homeless.  Although spread out throughout the city, mostly in the downtown area, there are meals available every day, three times a day at least, for homeless or needy people.

There is a program that was known as Tent City http://www.myfoxlubbock.com/news/local/story/tent-city-homeless-high-cotton-link-ministries/avv2Ud3buEedm1O2ZuidDA.cspx that now has expanded plans and help. They have shelters for when the temperatures are below freezing. Starting with commercial dome tents and gear that may not have been suitable for severe weather, they now have military standard tents and are able to access severe weather rated sleeping bags, and additional clothing and blanket layers for warmth in severe weather.  

Carpenter's Church has worked with the Salvation Army to relax their rules for the shelters when the weather is below freezing. They have coordinated programs that transport people from day shelters to Tent City or the Salvation Army.

This was really an interesting experience.