I have recently been reading news and opinion articles relating to the unhoused, none of them particularly positive. Many E-news readers have probably seen them. National studies show the number of homeless continues to rise. Why? There is, of course, no one answer. Those who have lived the experience of suffering homelessness reveal a vicious cycle of job loss, a dearth of affordable housing, and a poor safety net. These outcomes reveal multiple structural and personal reasons. Structurally, the lack of affordable housing and inadequate welfare social safety net is quite evident. Add in extreme income inequality, and we find increasingly difficult problems for all communities. Personal reasons include lack of social housing, inadequate welfare systems, relationship breakdowns, domestic violence, and mental health issues. Financial instability stares back at everyone from the base of all these reasons.
What are we in the Diocese of Olympia to do? First, don’t lose hope. Keep doing the small acts of extending outreach to individuals and families. And search for ways to organize better – all in your parish, your neighborhood, your town, your county. Act in community, as we have been taught as Christians, for your outside community.
The yearly gathering of Convention is our chance to gather in faith to discuss and plan. The Task Force has an exhibit, with people available to assist and help as you review and further plan what you can do in outreach. We also present ideas and details in session 3, which we hope will help you more effectively resolve homelessness in your community. We will rest so that we have the energy to continue the fight against poverty.
Be well, do good acts, love one another.
Don Fornoff
Member, Bishop’s Taskforce on Homelessness
