The Kingdom Center in Ventura has a proven model for success. If you ever wondered “how to help the homeless,” then here’s the answer. The Kingdom Center uses the resources of a whole city to end homelessness. The model allows churches or faith-based organizations to unite together to provide housing and rehabilitation for homeless men, women and families. They start by renovating an old motel or lodging facility that is run down. Then each church or faith-based organization pays a portion of the renovation cost (i.e. one room per church). Once the rooms are nice and new, with standardized plumbing and other amenities, each church hosts a homeless family in the room they sponsor. The churches are required to provide that family with food, friendship, counseling and case management costs. The program can last one-two years depending on the severity of the homeless individual or family. A transition out of the program is also put in effect so in a year or two, another homeless family can be housed and taken off the streets.

This model of serving and caring for the local homeless in ones community also works well with churches and “church politics.” Each church can decide how they renovate their room, how they manage the costs of supporting the family etc. Ultimately, God gets the credit as the city sees it’s churches united and rallying around the commands of the Bible. But realistically speaking, each church can also feel like they are running their own ministry, in connection with a bigger one.