OUR MISSION FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER: JERIMIAH COMMUNITY
What began years ago as an effort of the downtown churches to help people survive on the street has become a holistic ministry, supporting many aspects of people’s lives. The Jeremiah Community is a model based on Housing First. This model is rooted in the philosophy where basic human needs such as food, shelter and safety are met FIRST without precondition (i.e. sobriety, mental health treatment, income, etc.). In our community, it has led to a 56% decrease in chronic homelessness over the past decade. Additionally, 88% do not return to the street or a shelter within two years of housing placement.
While many of our homeless neighbors can be successfully housed through current strategies, there are a significant number whose disabilities require more than scattered-sites and time limited options. As a single-site permanent housing option with special emphasis on community and purpose, Jeremiah Community is an evolution of housing first strategies, including those implemented by Micah. It will be a community built on shared experience and understandings, rooted in the kind of relationships we all need for stability and purpose.  A building site has been secured off of Fall Hill Avenue in the Bragg Hill Area.  For more information visit https://www.jeremiahcommunity.org/.  Or, reach out to Howie Wendt.