Engaging the Faith Community in Charity and Justice
Rev. Andrew Wilkes
October 13th 2012
Who Are We?
Our missionHabitat for Humanity – New York City transforms lives and our city by building quality homes for families in need and by uniting all New Yorkers around the cause of affordable housing.
An independently funded and operated affiliate of Habitat for Humanity
International
Founded in New York City in 1984.
Builds in the five boroughs of New York City.
Built more than 260 homes for low-income
New York City families
Who we serve
Habitat for Humanity – New York City Offers a hand up, Not a handout.
Our family partners Are willing to work – at least 200 “sweat equity” hours per adult member in lieu of a down payment
Live in substandard or overcrowded housing.
50 to 80% of AMI (Area Median Income)
Habitat-NYC housing is not free. Habitat-NYC families pay a monthly affordable mortgage, which helps provide for the construction of additional homes.
Universal Statement on Faith and Values
• Habitat-NYC is a faith-rooted housing ministry. We mobilize people of faith, and of conscience, to build and advocate for affordable housing. Our faiths empower and enjoin us to undertake the work of charity and justice. In response to that sacred summons, we work together to provide shelter for those in need and create a more just City for all.
Faith-Rooted Relations
• Theology of the Hammer– “People who may not
agree on a whole lot else agree that people need a simple, decent place to live” Millard Fuller
• Charity – Volunteering mobilizes
charity to build houses– Matthew 22:37-40
• Justice– Speaking and standing
up for affordable housing
• Prophetic call for justice– Hebrew prophets
– Dr. Martin Luther King
– Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
Faith Partner Covenant
• Faith Volunteering• Faith Advocacy• Faith Giving• Praying• Teaching/Preaching
Faith Advocacy
• Paper House Advocacy Campaign– 40 congregations;
4200 paper houses signed
– Housing Sabbath• Borough-specific
• Citywide Campaign
Faith Advocacy
Why did Habitat-NYC decide to become involved in Advocacy?
Production Vs. Need: At Habitat – NYC, we build approximately 20 homes each year and over 2 million New Yorkers are in need of affordable housing
The Power of the Habitat Name: Involving ourselves and our name in the political arena can potentially have a tremendous impact on influencing public policy to build the units that we cannot
It’s our Mission: Habitat for Humanity is committed to ending poverty housing. We can do this better and faster by engaging in advocacy
Family Partner Mike Murphy in D.C. with Congressman Greg Meeks of the 6th District (SE Queens)
Faith Volunteering
• Quarterly volunteering opportunities– Brush with Kindness– Construction
• Unique opportunities– Gingerbread houses
for families– Purim bags for
volunteers
• Managing expectations– Too many
opportunities?• Broad engagement
– Too few opportunities?• Fairness
Place-Based Outreach
• Faith outreach around homebuilding efforts
• Volunteering opportunities
• Homeownership information sessions
• Clergy Groups– African-American Clergy and Elected
Officials (AACEO), Brooklyn Council of Churches, Queens Congregation United for Action
Praying
• Home Dedications & Ribbon-Cuttings– Opportunities for clergy
engagement – Hosting, Invocations
• Home Blessings– Liturgies for Home
Blessings
• Special Events– September 11th Prayer
and Interfaith Litany
• Bulletin Inserts for Worship Services– Update on
homebuilding and advocacy work
– Prayer request
Teaching/Preaching
• Special Events
– MLK Build• Keynote Opportunities
– Building on Faith• Clergy Build• Keynote Opportunities
• Minute for Mission– Opportunity to talk about Habitat’s work within
or between services
Faith Giving
• Congregational Pledges
– Builder Awards Gala
– Speaking
• Grants
– Program Documentation
– Proposals
• Habitat for Humanity Grants
– Interfaith Activity
Standardized vs. Personalized
• Standardized– Faith partner covenant – Letter of receipt for
donations– General updates
• Personalized– High-touch– In-person meetings
and phone calls vs. e-mails and snail mails
– Visiting congregations, grabbing coffee
• Tabling• Speaking before,
during, and after services or meetings
Faith & Community Relations
• Habitat-NYC Community Resident Survey• BUILD: Housing and Community Development
Fair– Concord Baptist Church
• “Come and See” Visits– Brush with Kindness outreach to elected officials
• New Yorkers for Responsible Lending– Lobby visits, sign-on letters