2019 3rd Annual Faith Summit on Homelessness

It takes a community to solve a community problem. While faith-based organizations do their best to meet the needs of homeless people coming to them for help, we find that many are overwhelmed and are in need of information and resources to help them help others.

Hawaiʻi’s 3rd Annual Faith Summit on Homelessness helps build capacity in people of faith to better meet the needs of unsheltered homeless persons on their properties; partner with homeless service providers and government resources; and create ministries rooted in faith and founded on best practices.

Conference Workshops:

Keynote: Leaders Not Clients – Cultivating a Movement to End Poverty       
Speaker: Rev. Sarah Monroe

Churches too often try to treat people as clients without the expertise to do so. Rev. Sarah Monroe will share how focusing on empowerment, respect and leadership development helped build a community of formerly homeless persons that works, plays and enriches the lives of their members.

Discerning Gifts for Homeless Ministry to Deliver Care that Works           
Panelists: Rev. Sarah Monroe, Carolina Jesus, Dr. Anna Pruitt
Moderator: Chaplain Irene Willis Hassan, The Institute for Human Services (IHS) 

Three perspectives on ministering to homeless persons matched to the gifts of unique ministry programs that empower people. Discussion will key in on the role of faith community members and the types of collaborations that work to effectively meet needs and unleash both the gifts of congregations and competencies of homeless people being served.  A researcher will share what the data says about homeless people’s engagement with faith-based supports.

Toxic Charity/When Helping Hurts:  Focusing Charity for Better Results   
Speaker: Ellen Godbey Carson, The Institute for Human Services (IHS) 

Too many charity programs fail to make lasting impact because they often dis-empower those they intend to help, resulting in an entitlement mentality without building self-sufficiency.  Inspired by Robert Lupton’s “Toxic Charity” and Corbett/Fikkert’s  “When Helping Hurts” books, this workshop will help you evaluate and re-design charity programs to ensure that intended goals are being achieved. 

Limits of Grace: Balancing Compassion with Call to Responsibility
Speaker: Jerry Coffee, LCSW, The Institute for Human Services (IHS) 

Ever feel like you are being asked for more than you are able to give when helping someone in need? Understand the dynamics and learn how to maintain boundaries with people who are experiencing mental illness, substance abuse issues, or other conditions among homeless populations that can result in manipulation and dependence. You’ll walk away feeling more confident about giving/helping without being railroaded and less guilty about setting healthy limits.

Radical Hospitality: Churches, Community Groups and Service Providers Partner to Offer a One Stop Shop 
Speaker: Pastor Walt Keale, Day Break Church

Hear about the impact of a collaborative model for homeless service delivery involving churches, social service providers and community members and how this collaboration is refreshing and transforming lives in Kailua. Discover the impact that Drop-In Service Centers can have when community members come together to wrap people from their neighborhood in tangible love, while offering access to services ranging from showers and clean clothes to legal services and employment and housing assistance.

Biblical Best Practices for Caring               
Speaker: Rev. Brandon Duran, Central Union Church

What does the bible say about charity? What is the purpose according to the Bible? What methods do Biblical characters employ in reaching out to those on the margins, and why? Purpose of the workshop is to engage central religious texts and how they illustrate best practices for charity.

Getting Up Close and Personal: Supporting a Homeless Ohana Zone    
Speaker: Rev. David Gierlach, St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church

This workshop will bring into focus the strengths and challenges of homeless persons congregating across Oahu and how churches can help facilitate healthy, safe, trans-formative communities (koinonia) within homeless encampments using their church properties or congregational gifts.

The Sacred Power of Work       
Panelists: Bob Marchant, Colin Kumabe, Misty Mokuahi-Kaaumoana
Speaker: Connie Mitchell, The Institute for Human Services (IHS) 

Want to hire homeless people?  Explore how work delivers much more than dollars into a person’s pocket.  Learn how employment inspires hope in persons who are struggling to get back on their feet and how hope translates into action that accelerates healing and recovery.  Hear about how three entrepreneurial enterprises are engaging homeless or formerly homeless persons in vocational training and the transformations that have resulted.

Speaking Up for Themselves: Engaging the Voice of Homeless Persons in Advocacy  
Speaker: Gavin Thornton, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Economic and Social Justice

Learn how to help homeless people speak for themselves and include their genuine and authentic voices in organized actions with policy makers. Understand what is involved in offering testimony and convincing legislators and political leaders what would truly be helpful for affecting change.

Family Promise: A Way to Connect Meaningfully       
Speaker: Samantha Church, Family Promise

Learn about the practical and spiritual impact that hosting Family Promise families has on congregations and program participants alike. Hosting homeless families at your congregation not only provides emergency shelter for those in need, it also helps to empower and re-integrate them into the community. Supported by inspirational stories of past families in the program, this workshop will share in detail how volunteers can effectively host families experiencing homelessness. Provide a hand up rather than a hand out to help rebuild lives using the unique gifts of congregational settings.

—

Summit Details:

Attendees will be offered continental breakfast and a hot lunch.

Attendees are also encouraged to engage with homeless service provider representatives throughout the day by visiting the information area.

About the Faith Summit: 

The goal of this event is to bring together individuals from various faith communities along with homeless service providers across Hawaii to provide education, share ideas and work together toward ending homelessness, with consideration toward the unique roles faith communities can play in these efforts.

Event Information: 

Registration: $40.00 per person & includes continental breakfast, lunch, a special keynote presentation, and access to 8 different breakout workshops on a variety of topics (see descriptions below). A full program will be available online by mid-April 2019 on event page https://ihshawaii.org/event/events 

Parking: Paid parking available at Aloha Tower Marketplace. Attendees are encouraged to carpool when possible. A map of parking in the area is available on the Aloha Tower Marketplace website: http://www.alohatower.com/visit/index.html

Check-in: Please arrive early, starting 7:30am on Saturday May 4, 2019 at the main municipal room on the ground floor at Aloha Tower Marketplace. Check-in staff will provide you with all information needed for the day. 

Please make all checks payable to IHS and indicate your contribution is being made for the Faith Based Summit. Any donations mailed can be sent to IHS at 546 Kaaahi Street, Honolulu HI 96817.