Community Updates

Faith communities in Aurora, Brighton, Salida and Trinidad are participating in a new Housing Justice! program that empowers people of faith to fundamentally change their communities.  Housing Justice! is assisting these communities to identify their housing and homelessness needs, explore options for resolving their housing challenges, create a local dialogue to consider long-term housing issues, and ultimately work to solve tangible housing needs.  Our role is convening congregations and people of faith to catalyze new partnerships and to create new community capacity.  Our role is to ‘help faith better community’.

We’re already making progress:

In Aurora, our program facilitated the creation of a plan  to provide overnight shelter for homeless men on cold winter weather days.  Twelve congregations came together with local non-profit groups to create a new collaboration. The congregations have been essential in lending their credibility to this process.  The intention is to provide shelter for 30 to 35 homeless men, the most under-served population in Aurora.

The work in building the collaborative included direct outreach to solicit input from those who are homeless and focused attention on the need for a cohesive plan to address homelessness.  Representatives from 15 faith communities have worked together  to develop this partnership and plan.  While there is still much that has to be done in order to make this plan a reality, faith is moving people to make sure no one freezes in the streets…

In Brighton,  our Housing Justice chapter implemented the Help for Homes Program.  Help for Homes was made possible by 12 congregations coming together to work in  partnership with the City of Brighton and Brothers  Redevelopment,  Inc. Over 200 volunteers repaired and painted 24 homes owned by low-income seniors or persons with disabilities. One Brighton Housing Justice team captain tells of the relationship he formed with a homeowner his church was going to help.  Initially, the homeowner felt shame at having to turn to others for assistance; she apologized  profusely.  The captain  reassured her: "God has asked us to take care of each other. You are not to  blame for your circumstances and we are helping you because of God’s   calling."  Reviewing the improvements to be made to her home, he said that a new roof would be installed on her garage. She started crying and repeating the words “thank you, thank you, thank you”.  When her daughter walked in and found out that a new garage roof was planned, she gently said, “Mom, your prayers have been answered.”  The team captain, now with tears of his own streaming down his cheeks, knew his congregation’s work was an expression of God’s love. 

In October, the Brighton chapter will sponsor a forum to examine the issue of   widespread foreclosures and their impact on the community.  Please click here for more information.

In Salida, escalating land values and changing land use patterns are hot topics of community discussion.  Faith leaders participated in these discussions, specifically raising the concerns of low to moderate income working residents.   A series of community forums is being held to inform and engage people of faith in a wider discussion of the long term implications of  land use  and housing issues.   In a collaborative effort with the regional council of  governments,  local congregations are also disseminating information to inform and assist low-income people to access under-utilized services.  In Salida, faith is moving people to make sure that everyone’s voice is heard...

Our work in Trinidad is the subject of a recent New York Times article. People of faith and community leaders  initiated a new transitional housing program for low-income families called Haven of Hope.  The first home for this project has been obtained under a program with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development and will be leased for $1/year.  A core group of stakeholders entered a partnership to lease, manage and provide services for the Haven of Hope residents.  Other people of faith and goodwill are initiating a “Paint-A-Thon”  program in Trinidad, and have also participated with the Colorado Rural  Development Council to draft a new Community Action Plan. In Trinidad, faith is moving people to find ways to help struggling families transition to more stable situations...

To follow faith as it improves and empowers community, please visit this site often...