Local churches and organizations have been meeting some needs of those living homeless in Jefferson City for many years.
To explore the idea of coordinating efforts among these agencies, a Homelessness Task Force organizational meeting will be 9-11:30 a.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church, 301 E. Capitol Ave.
The church's Community Needs Ministry Team began a serious look at ways to serve the community this spring. From building relationships with homeless residents attending their free community meals, the team quickly identified a need for collaboration between agencies serving this population, said Jim Hill, church administrator.
After Saturday's meeting, Hill said the hope is a new group will form to move forward to address these issues. The church simply wanted to serve as a catalyst.
The greatest benefits of such a group is to not duplicate efforts and to identify unmet needs, he said.
Some common concerns include the lack of shelter space and the need for laundry and shower access.
In particular, Hill said such a task force might be able to tackle the gap between emergency and permanent housing.
Hill suggested most people would likely be surprised at how many live homeless in this community. Few follow the stereotype of living in a cardboard box.
Most of the homeless the church has encountered are families in economic crisis that have lost their homes or individuals temporarily living with friends or families. In particular, Hill said the number of homeless teenagers was surprising.
Before the church and its members began building relationships with homeless people through its community meals, "we didn't understand the extent of homelessness, either," Hill said.
"The heart of the Christian mission is to reach out to those in need," he said.
The church hopes other organizations and individuals will share an interest in addressing this community issue, to develop long-term, comprehensive solutions.
Call 573-634-3603 or email to [email protected] for more information.