On the streets, nothing lasts. Shoes wear out from miles of walking. Clothing can't easily be washed. A bike is stolen when you need it most. The situation is unsustainable and unworkable. One day your tent is dry and warm, the next morning you wake up cold and soaked. The heartbreak of homelessness is a lack of family — an invisible problem, yet the crumbling stuff used to survive on the streets serves as a perpetual reminder of this brokenness within.

Most homeless "solutions" are temporary in nature: emergency shelters, hotel rooms for a month, transitional housing. As important as these things can be in times of crisis, the message being communicated is not so different from a fresh pair of shoes on the streets that won't truly last. This is why one of the key elements of Full Community is "Permanent Homes." 

"Permanent" doesn't mean our homes are built out of materials that somehow will last forever. No, to us, "Permanent Homes" means the stuff around you matters. It matters because you matter. And therefore, if it wears out, it will be repaired.

"Permanent Homes" because the very idea of home is permanent —stable, constant.

It's amazing what a fresh coat of paint will do. It has a practical purpose: re-sealing the building from moisture. But it's mostly not about that. It's mostly about communicating a message to those who live there and those who pass by: "this is a home, it is warm and cared for like the people within it. And its permanence is only possible through the enduring commitment of a community that wants to keep it that way."

If your church does not yet have a Sacred Settlement but is interested in starting one or funding a home, we would love to speak with you.