Rise & Shine - November 10
Bethany House: One Step Closer to Home
Rise & Shine, November 10th
This Sunday join us for Rise and Shine as a guest from Bethany House joins us to discuss homelessness in Cincinnati, Bethany House, and the ways we can get involved.
The Rise and Shine discussion group meets Sunday mornings at 9:00 am in the Parlor. Adults from the 8:00 & 10:00 services gather for discussions that are relevant to their lives through the lens of a current topic and scriptural references. This week's discussion outline can be read or downloaded below.
Click Here to Learn More about Bethany House
Bethany House Services is an organization serving the greater Cincinnati area. They seek to empower homeless and at-risk families with solutions to achieve housing stability and long-term self-sufficiency. Bethany House's vision is to one day live in a community where all families have a place to call home and no one spends a night without shelter.
Bethany House Services offers emergency shelters, rapid re-housing services, shelter diversion, homelessness aftercare, and even operates some affordable housing of their own.
The immediate hope for most families is to avoid the pain and trauma that homelessness causes. Shelter diversion programs are identified by the National Alliance to End Homelessness as best practice for prevention of homelessness. BHS diversion programs help families to identify immediate alternative housing arrangements while connecting them with the services and financial resources needed to achieve permanent housing in order to prevent the trauma of homelessness. BHS case managers guide families through the process of developing a comprehensive, reality-based plan for ensuring a secure future in stable housing.
In the event that homelessness is unavoidable, BHS's emergency shelters meet the immediate needs of families experiencing homelessness for safety, housing, food and other necessities. While in shelter, BHS provides parents with the resources and information needed to help them obtain a living income, organize a comfortable home, and provide a nurturing environment for their children. Perhaps most important, parents themselves feel cared for and realize that they will develop a realistic plan for a better future for themselves and their children while they are guests of BHS.
Once a family ends up in a BHS emergency shelter, BHS works with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to achieve "rapid re-housing." The program provides several forms of assistance, including: identification of affordable housing suitable for the family’s needs; short-term or medium-term rental assistance and housing relocation and stabilization services, including such activities as mediation, credit counseling, security or utility deposits, utility payments, moving cost assistance, and case management. Housing case managers and a housing specialist assist each family to develop a housing plan, serve as liaison between family and landlord, and manage complex issues such as lease options, contracts and apartment inspections.
Some families will continue to struggle after they leave shelter and that’s BHS ensures that they stay in touch with families, even after they leave the shelter. Aftercare allows families to stay connected to a supportive Case Manager to ensure families have a full transition to self-sufficiency and avoid a relapse into homelessness. Through follow-up contacts, i.e. home visits, office visits, and telephone calls, BHS Aftercare Case Managers provide case management, counseling, emergency financial assistance and referrals in an effort to increase stability. These additional supportive services can be crucial to families now living independently and are designed to stabilize families living in permanent housing.
Prayer for the Poor and Neglected (BCP p.826)
Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you
all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us
to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick,
those suffering from mental health and addiction,
and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those
who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow
into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for
our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
