Chattanooga, TN, Agency Partners with Local Faith Community

Churches, temples, mosques and other faith communities are the source of caring community members, and their help can go a long way towards augmenting local agencies’ programs. The Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition (CRHC) has experienced great success incorporating local churches into their Housing First model. The faith community’s donations, both of their time and resources, have proved an effective alternative to expensive to implement interventions. This initiative, which focused on a tent community with 27 residents, combines the efforts of the churches and agencies that provide primary health care, mental healthcare and housing services. Tent city residents had been homeless average of three years and five months, and none had been connected to traditional homeless services. Here’s how the imitative works:

• A representative form Mustard Tree Ministries, a faith-based group which ministered to all residents of the tent community, announced the opportunity to access services and distributed an intake survey, which was completed by all interested parties.


• CRHC social workers reviewed the surveys to identify each individuals’ needs and connected each person to corresponding services, such as obtaining identification, and mental health and primary healthcare services. CRHC staff and volunteers helped individuals apply for benefits, rental assistance and other housing supports.


• Individuals searched for housing, either with the help of church volunteers or on their own. A network of five landlords and two property management companies provided housing options for those who faced significant barriers to obtaining housing.


• Each household received a Church group sponsor; the sponsors donating furniture and house wares, and coordinating move-in dates and transportation


• Church sponsors provided social support by getting to know the residents through a mentorship program: mentors provide encouragement and listen to clients’ concerns, and help clients acclimate to the change from the activities needed to survive on the streets to the responsibilities of maintaining housing. If a volunteer notices a need, he or she can contact the Coalition social worker for support.


• Clients do not need to attend church to receive assistance from church volunteers


• Initiative success: of the 27 individuals living in the tent city, 70% were housed within the first 30 days of the program and 89% within the first 60 days. The program kicked off around Thanksgiving, and since then 24 have entered housing, and three are in temporary housing and are approved for vouchers.

CRHC will follow these 27 individuals for 12 months to monitor the program’s long term outcomes.

Mary Simons (pictured), Executive Director of Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition, makes the following recommendations:

• Sunday school/Bible study classes have been very receptive to helping – each group or class can work together as a unit


• Ask each group/class what they’d like to do and fit it into the program (instead of mandating what they must do)


• Let group/class members know that this is a great way to connect to members of the community and that they will learn a lot from the experience as well.

Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition plans to implement a similar model with an additional 14 homeless individuals.