Congregation Blast on Homeless Initiative

October 14, 2009

Dear Friends,

I want to thank you for your interest in helping serve the homeless and start a program that will help assist people in moving from homelessness to finding permanent residence and employment. Currently, for lack of a better title, we are calling this program The Center for Self-Sufficiency that is to be administered by the Broome County Council of Churches.

The program will house individuals in partnering Churches throughout Broome County. During the summer we attended a meeting with VISIONS in Wilkes-Barre, PA, a similar program to the one we are proposing, and sent out information and letters on the program. We asked for you to take the program to your governing councils and mission committees to find out your level of interest in the project.

Many congregations requested additional information, and we put together fact sheets outlining the responsibilities of the congregations that house the mobile shelter and the responsibilities of the Broome County Council of Churches in hiring, securing insurance, and hiring the team that will implement and develop the program. If you are interested in receiving that information again, please contact us at the Council and we will send it to you.

Presently, I am in the process of securing funding from HUD through an Emergency Shelter Grant that is due on October 29. What I need from you are letters supporting the Center for Self Sufficiency that specifies how your congregation will support this initiative. If you will act as a host site, please indicate that. If you have money to give to the program, or if you gave money to the program as some have done, please indicate that. If you are willing to help serve meals or provide support services, please indicate that.
Whatever you are willing to do in support of the project needs to be documented and put into the packet of information that will be sent to the Planning Department for consideration. The date when the final proposal is due is October 29, so I will need your congregation’s letter of support no later that October 22.

I apologize for the short turnaround, but I was not aware of what needed to be included in the proposal until yesterday at the meeting in the City Council Chambers. Thank you for your support. I look forward to your replies.

Peace and towels,

Rev. Dr. Joseph Sellepack