Combined Palm Sunday worship service
KEEPING
HOMELESS
FAMILIES
TOGETHER
Residents at the Strong Foundation have fun with arts and crafts during KidzTime at the Strong Foundation’s Family Missions Center.
BY AMY MORGAN
The family was desperate.
Having been cast from their
home, unexpected circumstances
had taken them over a bridge
which collapsed behind them.
Their children sensed the chaos
swirling around them, even while
family and friends tried to help.
Next stop: the streets.
Thankfully, someone told them
about Strong Foundation, where they
would find life changing transforma-tion.
Pastor Jim Gipson and his wife,
Carolee, Founders of Strong Founda-tion,
share the truth that Jesus is the
answer, while providing urgently
needed food, clothing and shelter.
“I believe the Lord put it in my
heart and gave me the vision to help
homeless families with children get
back on their feet and have changed
lives,” Pastor Jim says.
Strong Foundation is a nonprofit,
nondenominational Christian ministry
allowing families to remain intact
while they work toward having a better
life. Since 2004, more than 3000 — half
of whom are children — have come
through their doors. Most leave Strong
Foundation with newfound strength
and with radically changed hearts and
habits.
Despite common misperceptions of
someone who is labeled “homeless,”
families are the fastest growing
segment of the homeless population,
Pastor Jim says. They’ve helped more
than 750 families so far.
No matter the myriad of reasons a
family finds itself in crisis and homeless,
homelessness is never the children’s
fault, he stresses. The key to helping the
children is to help the whole family.
Strong Foundation is so much more
than just an emergency shelter. The
ministry welcomes participants who are
committed to getting back on their feet.
Potential residents are thoroughly
interviewed and background-checked
prior to enrollment to ensure a child-safe
environment.
“We meet them right where they are
and help them begin to rebuild their
lives,” Pastor Jim says. “Keeping the
family together is huge! Oftentimes
families are separated, making it difficult
to get kids to school, obtain services and
get to work. We are a central location
where they can all be together.”
To stay at Strong Foundation,
participants must agree with the
Pastor Jim gives a hug to one of the 1,500 children
who’ve temporarily found refuge and a new start at
the Strong Foundation.
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