Mission
The Homelessness Task Force
seeks to provide a faithful response to homelessness and to improve the
quality of life for homeless people by providing: hospitality; food; and referrals for housing, health care and
drug and alcohol treatment.
Principles
The
Homelessness Task Force is comprised of six churches / faith-based
organizations: Old First Presbyterian Church; Temenos Catholic Worker;
First Church of Christ, Scientist; First Unitarian Universalist Church;
the Faithful Fools street ministry; and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.
Together, members of the Task Force have developed a multi-faceted
response to homelessness in our neighborhood, based on the following
principles:
-
All
people, regardless of their economic condition or residential status,
are children of God and equally deserving of respect, friendship,
compassion and care;
-
God
commands us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
Our neighbors include residents, merchants, other religious
communities and homeless people in our neighborhood;
-
We
are called to seek harmony among all neighbors as well as dignity for
all;
-
It
is our Christian responsibility to help the poor and those most in
need, which include our homeless neighbors;
-
It
is our Christian responsibility to open the doors of our church to all
God’s people and enthusiastically embrace
all
seekers, regardless of socioeconomic status.
Response
-
The
Welcome Center: In February 1999, the Task Force opened a new
hospitality center for homeless people at Old First.
The Welcome Center provides a place of refuge for homeless men
and women from the Polk Gulch/Upper Tenderloin area of San Francisco.
The Center is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00 to 4:00
p.m.
Welcome Center chaplains respond to the basic human needs of
our homeless guests and attempt to build caring relationships with
them.
The Center includes a quiet corner for personal prayer and
meditation or prayer with Welcome Center chaplains.
The Center also provides a food pantry and toiletry closet.
Chaplains serve a light lunch, offer referrals to social
services, and distribute clothing, toiletries, food and other items to
our guests.
We welcome approximately 40 people each afternoon.
-
Monthly
Meals: The
Task Force serves a hot meal to our homeless neighbors on the second
Saturday of each month, alternating between Old First and St. Luke's.
We serve nutritious meals to approximately 80 people each
month, and celebrate the month's birthdays in a festive atmosphere.
-
Individual
Pastoral Support and Referral: The Director of Homeless
Ministries at Old First serves as the Center director and provides
support to homeless guests and chaplains.
Types of support include assisting guests to access emergency
housing or entry into drug detoxification and treatment services;
accompanying guests to medical or legal appointments; and visiting
guests in hospitals, jails and treatment programs.
The Center has become a sacred place for guests and chaplains
alike.
Get
Involved!
-
Contact
the Director of Homeless Ministry (415-776-5552
x310) to volunteer. Click here
for a first-hand account of one of our homeless dinners.
-
Participate
in our current Community Ministry Fundraising program. Click here
to learn more.
Explore
Further
Read a synopsis of Rev. Kathy McAdams' recent
Adult Education Series on Hospitality and Boundaries.
View a listing of links to explore the problem
of homelessness further.
Back
to About Us.
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