Presbyterian Network to End Homelessness

The Presbyterian Network to End Homelessness was founded in March, 2004

at a national conference on ending homelessness held at the Fourth Presbyterian

Church of Chicago.  Our mission is to affirm, challenge, educate and empower local churches and the Church as a whole in the struggle to end homelessness.  Our vision is for each Presbyterian congregation and Presbytery to embrace a comprehensive approach to ending homelessness that includes:

Courageous advocacy for effective and systemic policy changes (such as housing production, homelessness prevention, service provision, and promotion of livable incomes

In 2005 PNTEH published a handbook for pastors and congregations addressing homelessness and, in 2006, PNTEH helped prepare an overture on ending homelessness which was approved by the General Assembly of the PCUSA.

At the 217th General Assembly, June, 2006, the Assembly voted to support the PNTEH sponsored Overture 128, a remarkable denominational commitment to help fight homelessness in our communities. The overture “challenged Presbyterian congregations to embrace comprehensive approach to ending homelessness” by working for systemic policy change, developing affordable housing, providing services to homeless, and promoting “livable” incomes.  Further, the overture urged congregations to “honor the dignity” of the homeless and include them as “equal and respected” congregants if they so choose.  Presbyterians should work with other faiths, civic organizations,and businesses on this effort, the overture said.  Finally, GA instructed its Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy to work with PCUSA organizations, such as Presbyterian Women and Presbyterian Health, Education and Welfare Association (and PNTEH), and with outside faith groups and councils, to launch a task force to study the implications of the overture and its relation to another area of concern, low-income and very-low income housing.  Starting in the fall of 2006, a task force was assembled to create a sustainable model of what actions churches and individuals can take to help end homelessness in their area.  They are looking at root causes of homelessness and what churches and individuals can do to advocate a change in the status quo. Examples are lobbying employers to pay a living wage and provide health care, two common issues that aggravate homelessness.  This task force will make a formal report to General Assembly, 2008.

PNTEH Board of  Directors member, Carol Young, of the Philadelphia Presbytery, attended the 2007 Synod of the Trinity's Summer Conference and displayed materials on homelessness.  In the picture on the left, both the display and Carol's shirt explain the despair of the homelessness.  Carol spoke with numerous attendees at the conference and made them aware of PNTEH.

For more information on PNTEH, click here or call the Chicago, IL office at 1-800-848-4122.  The Summer newsletter (in pdf) is available by clicking here.