“When you approach a pastor or a congregant, and just say, ‘This is what we’re working on - would you be interested in joining us? Or could we present to your group?’ It’s an easy sell, because these folks are believers, and they tend to embrace a mission like addressing homelessness”Īt the same time, members continued to ground themselves in the faith traditions that brought them to this work. John the Evangelist Catholic parish who has been involved with Together Colorado for four years. “ Faith communities are almost a natural fit, because you’ve got folks that have a good understanding of faith, hope, and charity, and the historical, biblical perspective,” said Dick Reznik, a member of St. This time was also used to build a stronger coalition. “It’s an easy sell, because these folks are believers, and they tend to embrace a mission like addressing homelessness.” Dick ReznikĪs they continued to educate themselves, Together Colorado leaders recognized they were in the position to speak up for those unheard, with the goal of shifting the narrative about homelessness to focus on solutions. Bringing faith, hope, and charity to systemic change Tamara Paquette, a member of the Northern Branch of Together Colorado, moderates the April 2022 Together Colorado Public Meeting at the First Presbyterian Church. They visited existing housing for low-income community members and veterans, speaking with people with lived experience of homelessness and building administrators to get a sense of their experiences. Over a six-month period, chapter leaders met with various government agencies on the local and county level to collect a wide strata of voices and representation to better inform the efforts ahead. “That’s where just asking questions is really important.” Since it’s always changing, you never really feel like you know everything,” stated Carl Mikesh, who has been involved with Together Colorado for two years and is a member of the First Congregational Church of Loveland. “I really think it’s important to get educated on the problem in a humble way. Homelessness rose to the top of the list.īefore they could begin to teach the wider Loveland community about the issue of homelessness, leaders knew they first had to inform themselves to really understand the local issue and how they could play a role. In 2018, leaders of the northern branch surveyed 500 of their neighbors to uncover major concerns in their communities and where the group could enact change. Today, the group is composed of around 45 members and supporters, which includes a group of supporting clergy. The northern branch began as a few people from four churches and other faith communities gathering to learn about community organizing. While the statewide organization has a 42-year-old history, the Northern Branch of Together Colorado launched in 2017 in Loveland, a smaller city of around 80,000 people 46 miles north of Denver. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Loveland for the December 2019 Together Colorado Public Meeting. As part of the national network Faith in Action, the organization centers fundamental values like anti-racism, justice, and mercy across all of their efforts in order to strengthen the entire community.Īs Reverend Morgan concluded, “We are here because every life has dignity and infinite worth, and when everyone’s basic needs are met, we are more whole as a society.” Attendees gather in St. Focusing on systemic change rather than direct service, Together Colorado seeks to equip community leaders from many faith traditions with tools and training to enact social change on the local level.īy leveraging their own “webs of relationships,” Together Colorado members learn to use their roles within the community to influence policy, procedure, and law for the benefit of their most vulnerable neighbors. It was an apt way to open the meeting intended to address homelessness in the community of Loveland, Colorado. “So as people of faith, when we consider the challenges, the needs, and the hopes of our neighbors who are unhoused - we are recognizing the truth of our interconnectedness.” Welcoming the crowd, the pastor at First United Presbyterian Church noted that many faith traditions teach that “we are connected to all of humanity, all of creation, in what author Barbara Brown Taylor calls a ‘luminous web of relationships.’” When Together Colorado, a multifaith social action group, had their most recent public meeting, attendees first heard from Reverend Amy Morgan.
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