COMMUNITY BASED DECISION MAKING:

EVERYONE IS A LEADER

Vincentian Family Gathering

Denver, CO October 23-25,

2015

1. In recent years, homelessness in New York City has reached the highest levels since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

2. August 2015: 58,780 homeless people, including 14,107 homeless families with 23,692 homeless children.

3. 2014: more than 116,000 homeless people, including nearly 42,000 different homeless children.

4. Today there are 82 percent more homeless people than ten years ago.

5. Primary cause of homelessness, particularly among families, is lack of affordable housing.

6. Major immediate, triggering causes of homelessness: eviction; doubled-up or severely overcrowded housing; domestic violence; job loss; and hazardous housing conditions.

7. Homeless single adults have much higher rates of serious mental illness, addiction disorders, and other severe health problems.

8. Large majority of street homeless New Yorkers are people living with mental illness or other severe health problems.

9. Four out of five street homeless New Yorkers are men.

10. African-American and Latino New Yorkers are disproportionately affected by homelessness

-Coalition for the Homeless

LEFSA addresses the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of people who are homeless.

The mission is to extend the Reign of God:

1. by realizing and responding to our call to live as sisters and brothers as responsible members of a global community;

2. by making a discernible commitment to work for liberation with people who are oppressed;

3. by standing in solidarity with people striving to create a more just society.

LEFSA journey’s with people through:

1. The building up or restoration of self-worth. 2. The affirmation of dignity. 3. The calling forth of one’s best self. 4. Working together to change unjust social structures.

5. Finding resources for addiction, housing, counseling, education, and many more.

In all of LEFSA ‘s programs, environment is created where people can be empowered to work for personal, communal and structural change.

Reality of the people- the social, economic, religious and political context in which people find themselves

The Bible- life's situation are reflected upon in the light of God's Word.

Community- The agent that brings the reality of people's lives and the Word of God together.

Mission/Action- what actions can we take as a faith community so that God's values can be realized in the Universe.

Currently, 7 of 8 team members were formerly homeless and in the shelter system themselves. They are tremendous sign of hope and encouragement to people who are still homeless.

1. To pray, work, celebrate, plan, evaluate, change, learn how to do social analysis together, etc.

2. To be individually accountable to develop ways of being connected with other team members in supportive ways.

3. To take responsibility for planning and carrying out all the programs and activities of LEFSA.

4. To participate in activities related to social justice on an on-going basis whenever possible, on-going education, coalition meetings, rallies, etc.

5. To notify and encourage persons who are homeless to participate in activities related to the promotion of social justice.

1. Forum for communal decision making.

2.Together we reflect on the overall ministry in the light of the mission and objectives.

3. Ongoing evaluations help to eliminate contradictions between what we say we are about and what we are actually doing.

1. Studying scripture from a liberation perspective.

2. Studying tools for transformation.

Staying educated inthe area of humanrights issues andparticipate in

actionsresulting from thisstudy.

“If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”

Lilla Watson

How does communal decision making process contribute to people’s empowerment?

• affirming dignity and respect of every person• I make decisions and I am regaining control of my own life• self-esteem and self-worth• feeling of being a part of something and being involved in a supportive community• power of having my ideas matter• I can change communal and social structures

OBJECTIVES OF LEFSA:

To provide a time and space on a weekly basis where people who are homeless can come together to share their lived experiences in the light of God’s word.

TEAM MEMBERS are in the shelter not to do for, but to accompany, encourage, challenge, and befriend persons as they take control over their own lives.

TEAM MEMBERS focus not at having “meetings” but at building an atmosphere where “communion” takes place, where we can together look at how to continue the mission of Jesus and commit ourselves to transformation.

TEAM MEMBERS are to be not as teachers with the truth to give but as people of faith with one’s truth to share along with other believers.

"I had some heavy burdens and God picked them up during this retreat, I experienced freedom".

"We all have such a similar life experience, we are called to make a difference, there is such a power and strength coming out of each woman here“.

OBJECTIVE OF LEFSA:

To promote leadership among people who are homeless and formerly homeless.

TEAM MEMBERSdevelop the skill of involving as many people as possible in participating actively in the gatherings, and in the tasks involved before, during and after we meet.

Systemic Change in works among those living in poverty aims beyond providing food, clothing and shelter to alleviate immediate needs and enables people themselves to engage in the identification of the root causes of their poverty and to create strategies to change those structures which keep them in poverty. This also requires changing attitudes that have caused the problem.

(working definition for North America)