How Christian Faith-Based Organizations Can Help Homeless Shelters

How Christian Faith-Based Organizations Can Help Homeless Shelters

Abstract

Spirituality affirms the essential self-worth, dignity and core health of a person’s well being; therefore, homeless shelters should incorporate spirituality, in order to benefit a person in the long term compared to the satisfaction of an immediate need. “Our national epidemic of intolerance for poor and homeless people is the consequence of America’s lack of spirituality, coupled with America’s love of materialism and society’s expense (3, martin).”

The number one book sold for over a decade, seizing to be a fad or a trend has been the Bible. In a study of New York prisoners, studies found that those who participated in a Prison Fellowship Bible Study were rearrested drastically less compared to the amount of prisoners those whom did not. Of those who took part in the Bible study, 14 percent were rearrested within one year, compared to those who choose to not participate was 41 percent. In a similar case, at a Texas prison, out of 80 prisoners who took part in the Prison Fellowship, a whopping five percent are back in prison. In a Public Health Service, which is strongly Christian oriented, done of Teen Challenge’s Drug treatment program, by a Northwestern University doctoral student, it was found that it was more effective with the participants than that of its counterparts. With these examples, it becomes credible that with faith-based programs long term results are received, which further exemplifies my position upon the integration of Christian faith into the homeless shelter environment.

While researching this issue, I came across President Bush’s Faith-Based Initiative. Bush wants federal funding to flow to religious organizations without pointless restrictions. In doing this, there will be departments created to tend to housing, urban development, labor, health and human services. In establishment of these positions, bush will oversea them as they work closely to fund the faith-based services. On a CNN interview with Eileen O’Connor (whom represented Bush) she stated, “They (faith-based services) have an effectiveness rate. In some cases, it is proven by studies that they can be more effective as with recidivism in drug treatment programs. President Bush says that if they are effective, why not turn them.”

Many critics have argued Bush’s stance in saying that it crosses the line drawn between church and state. O’Connell argued, “He (Bush) has appointed men of different faiths to head these programs up.