{"id":9230,"date":"2020-03-31T10:39:26","date_gmt":"2020-03-31T14:39:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.presbyterianfoundation.org\/?p=9230"},"modified":"2023-01-29T04:26:43","modified_gmt":"2023-01-29T09:26:43","slug":"ministry-to-homeless-population-continues-at-first-presbyterian-church-of-san-diego","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/presbyterianfoundation.louderstaging.com\/es\/resources\/news\/ministry-to-homeless-population-continues-at-first-presbyterian-church-of-san-diego\/","title":{"rendered":"La Primera Iglesia Presbiteriana de San Diego sigue atendiendo a las personas sin hogar"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s anything but business as usual for guests and staff at the Ladle Fellowship, the homeless persons outreach ministry of First Presbyterian Church in San Diego<\/a>, yet as cases of COVID-19 increase across the nation they are continuing to serve their neighbors in need.<\/p>\n

The ministry, which feeds 200 to 300 people on Sunday afternoons and offers a Wednesday evening meal and Bible study, has had to change its approach to serving guests as precautionary measures to slow the spread of the Coronavirus take effect.<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead of sit-down meals in the dining room, we\u2019ve been distributing hot lunches. Same hour, same place \u2013 but outdoors,\u201d said the Rev. Dr. Jerry Andrews<\/a>, First Presbyterian\u2019s senior pastor. \u201cWe\u2019re encouraging safe distancing of people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Along with having guests move to safer spaces, they\u2019re wrapping each meal in a short printed devotion and distributing disinfectant wipes and drinks as part of the meal service. Although most volunteer groups have made the difficult decision not to send their people to assist with meals, Andrews says the ministry\u2019s staff is able to provide the carry-out meals without the additional support.<\/p>\n

The Presbyterian Foundation completed a video telling the story of First Presbyterian\u2019s ministry with the homeless, and you can watch that video here<\/a>. The video was completed before the pandemic.<\/p>\n

Providing services <\/strong><\/p>\n

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First Presbyterian Church, San Diego<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

What has changed is the many ways the ministry worked one-on-one with guests \u2013 praying with them, offering haircuts and basic medical services, all have all been curtailed in light of safe distancing guidelines.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur new model doesn\u2019t take as much labor,\u201d Andrews said. \u201cThey\u2019re still giving us their prayer concerns and we\u2019re praying for them. What hasn\u2019t changed is how our homeless neighbors are always asking for prayer for their friends, often not themselves, who are in greater need.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the most part, our homeless neighbors are expressing gratitude, but they\u2019re frightened.\u201d<\/p>\n

John Savidge, director of the Ladle Fellowship, said medical services are still being provided in neighborhoods and parks, doing triage work for injured persons and looking for those who may be sick with the flu or COVID-19 symptoms. And the church continues to operate its food pantry utilizing pre-packaged foods and updated sanitization practices.<\/p>\n

Nationally, advocates for unhoused people are concerned that even in the absence of the coronavirus outbreak, the homeless population is two times more likely to be hospitalized in a given year, up to four times as likely to require critical care, and three times as likely to die from a hospitalization event than housed populations. Add to this a higher likelihood of pre-existing conditions and barriers to care, and it\u2019s a crisis waiting to happen, according to Dr. Bechara Choucair, chief health officer at the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc. and Hospitals.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn reality, allowing people to live on the streets unsheltered in poor condition is not the right thing to do for our fellow human beings,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s is a threat to us all because it will allow the virus to continue to spread in the community while the rest of us are sheltering in place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Plans in the works for the homeless<\/strong><\/p>\n

San Diego city and county officials are already working on a plan to provide greater social distancing for those who had been staying at the region\u2019s shelters. Plans are underway to convert the San Diego Convention Center to a homeless shelter with greater room for social distancing in addition to providing many of the city\u2019s unused hotel rooms for those who are in the greatest risk categories or in need of isolation.<\/p>\n

Organizational partners such as San Diego County and the San Diego Rescue Mission<\/a> have already adapted their practices to help serve homeless persons in the area. The county has deemed continued outreach to the homeless population a \u201ccritical service,\u201d and it\u2019s unlikely these services will be curtailed as long as they adhere to health and safety guidelines.<\/p>\n

The Rescue Mission, located across the street from the church, has limited access to their building to only students (long-term residents) and staff. Bible studies, mentoring and chapel services led by church partner pastors have all been made virtual. They are also working with the city and county on efforts to provide appropriate housing solutions for short term shelter guests.<\/p>\n

Despite the drastic change to how the ministry operates, along with moving FPCSD\u2019s services to all online, Andrews sees a ray of hope in how the crisis has motivated people to care for the unhoused population in San Diego.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the county and city are doing for the homeless community is good, better than it\u2019s been in the 10 years I\u2019ve been looking at it,\u201d he said. \u201c[What we\u2019re continuing to do] doesn\u2019t make us heroic, we will be as wise as serpents and gentle as doves in caring for our homeless neighbors and our staff.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s impossible to look someone in the eye and tell them to stay at home when they don\u2019t have one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gregg Brekke<\/em><\/a> is an award-winning freelance writer, editor, photographer and videographer. Send comments on this article to Robyn Davis Sekula at <\/em>robyn.sekula@presbyterianfoundation.louderstaging.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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