This year has been hard on all of us. We’ve had to distance ourselves from friends and family to keep all our loved ones safe from the pandemic. Additionally, many of our neighbors who live paycheck to paycheck have been devastated by losing jobs and housing. The 2020 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count alone showed a 12.7% rise in homelessness. And, with the pandemic’s mounting toll, the number of our neighbors made homeless in Los Angeles is sure to be staggering.
Chronic homelessness had already been on the rise in Los Angeles due to poverty and high housing costs. According to the Out of Reach: The High Cost of Housing 2020, a person must make $24.60 an hour to afford a studio apartment in Los Angeles County. However, most service jobs only pay $13-$16.
Some believe that substance abuse and mental illness are a primary reason for homelessness. However, simply considering the cost of living for a studio apartment contradicts that. While mental health and substance use may cause homelessness in a small number of cases, research shows these problems are more often a result of homelessness rather than a cause of it. The myth that substance use and mental illness cause homelessness is particularly harmful because it blames our unsheltered neighbors for being homeless. And given the pandemic, that blame is especially painful and misplaced.
Permanent supportive housing is a proven solution to address homelessness. It provides targeted support for our most vulnerable neighbors, pairing their housing with onsite case management and supportive services to meet each person’s circumstances. Affordable housing assistance combined with support services are essential in lifting many neighbors out of chronic homeless.
Christ-Centered Ministries is dedicated to the prevention of homelessness through interim housing partnerships. We provide a comprehensive array of support services in order to stabilize needs, secure income, enroll in social services, and obtain permanent housing.
The goal is not simply to get people off the streets, but to help people achieve stability that allows them to move forward with their lives. By providing housing (interim ICMS and permanent supported) and support in a client-centered environment, our various programs engage clients by creating an atmosphere of trust where opportunities for change can be discovered.
Investments in permanent supportive housing can decrease the number of chronically homeless individuals. In addition to ending homelessness for our neighbors who are chronically homeless, research has demonstrated that permanent supportive housing can also increase housing stability and improve health. Permanent supportive housing is a cost-effective solution shown to lower public costs associated with the use of crisis services, shelters, hospitals, jails, and prisons.
Christ-Centered Ministries’ core service is to provide interim and permanent supportive housing to formerly incarcerated individuals who may also be at risk or have experienced homelessness, mental illness, substance use disorder, or human trafficking. With your help we can end homelessness for our most vulnerable neighbors.
| “We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It’s easy to say ‘It’s not my child, not my community, not my world, not “All will concede that in order to have good neighbors, we must also be good neighbors. That applies in every field of human endeavor.” – Harry S. Truman |
Join Christ-Centered Ministries in celebrating “Who Is My Neighbor?” – a community collaboration and giving campaign, joining millions around the world participating in GivingTuesday on December 1, 2020.
GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement, unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and their world.
We want to connect with you on social media: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
You can help us by actively Liking, Commenting, and Sharing posts made on our social medias to help get the word out! This kind of organic and authentic activity will help us connect with more of our neighbors.
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Join us in conversations and build a movement to make the world and the lives of our neighbors better.
Website 4CCM.org
Donation Page 4CCM.org/donate
Facebook facebook.com/4CCM.org
Twitter twitter.com/4CCM_org
Instagram instagram.com/4CCM_org
LinkedIn linkedin.com/company/4CCM
Newsletter 4ccm.mailchimpsites.com
GivingTuesday’s website GivingTuesday.org
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Encourage your friends and family to join you in creating real impact on December 1st by sharing what our mission means to you and why you support Christ-Centered Ministries! Below are some suggested hashtags.
#4CCM
#GivingTuesday
#WhoIsMyNeighbor  |
On Tuesday, December 1st, go to our donations page and choose which method you prefer!
Together We Give.