Churches of several denominations are coming together to address an often invisible problem on the Northshore: family homelessness.
Nineteen churches decided to pool their resources and host homeless families in need. They take turns hosting the families at each church and rotate every week, providing food, childcare, counseling services and transportation, to help the family get back on their feet.
Well, technically it’s 13 for now, there’s a baby on the way.
The mother — who we will refer to here by her middle name only, Maria — said their house burned down a few months back and they’ve been struggling to get on their feet since then, bouncing between friends and family as they try to finish building their new home. Staying in a church sounded a little weird at first, but they needed help.
Maria said she didn’t know what to expect. “We just showed up the first night and, you know, they have the little roll-away beds and everything," she said. "I know the kids were just grateful that everybody had a bed to sleep in.”
This week, the family is staying at St. Jane De Chantal Church in Abita Springs. During the day, they go to the day center at Christ Church in Slidell, where the small children play while Maria does laundry. She also uses the computer there to get some of the kids in summer camp and help the older ones apply to college.
That’s exactly the kind of help the program aims to provide. Board member Joe Campbell said the goal is to provide help to families who are in a transitional state of homelessness.
He said that’s the kind of problem they can solve. “Those people that just, through life circumstances, find themselves in a temporary situation — through divorce or illness or loss of job, have just lost their means to provide themselves with shelter — that’s what we address.”
Family Promise is based on a national program with 189 affiliates across the nation. Landrum says families are often split up when they end up homeless, so the work is designed to keep families together. She says family homelessness is a big problem in a lot of communities that often goes unnoticed.
“It’s an invisible problem, they blend in very well," Landrum said. "They don’t want people to know that at night, they sleep in their cars. There are 17 families that are sleeping somewhere tonight — they have no idea where they’re going from night to night to night, because they’re homeless and they’re embarrassed and they don’t want to tell other people and their kids don’t want to tell other people.”
It’s dinner time at the church and the family just got back from picking all of the kids up from school. Volunteers serve them dinner at tables they’ve set up in a multi-purpose building next to the church.
Volunteer Allison Laguaite smiled and laughed as she fed the youngest baby some mashed potatoes. She said feeding the baby was a joy. While the goal is obviously to help homeless families, church volunteers who otherwise have never had an opportunity to interact with those in need find great satisfaction in the work.
Laguaite said, “It’s something that touches your heart. You do get involved with the family to where you’re serving them in such a way that is like no other. It brings a joy that is like no other. We’re called to serve, we’re called to love our neighbors — and that’s exactly what we’re doing, is loving our neighbor.”
In some ways, volunteers like Laguaite benefit just as much as the families in need.
Maria said when they left the first church they stayed at, St. Luke's Evangelist Catholic Church in Slidell, the volunteers didn’t want them to leave.
“When we got ready to leave the lady cried, because we were thanking them, and she was like, ‘No, thank you. God sent you to us when we needed it.’ It takes a lot to give up your time to come out and help, and these people give up their life, they come, prepare dinner, prepare food,” said Maria.
Back at St Jane De Chantal Church, Maria’s 11 kids sing grace for that food, and are thankful for another night with a roof over their heads.
Support for Northshore Focus comes from the Northshore Community Foundation.
