Summary
Organization name
The Ecumenical Chaplaincy for the Homeless
Address
1125 W. Jackson St.Phoenix, AZ 85007
ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY
The Rev. Gerald Roseberry, a minister for over 30 years, spent the month of November 1987 living among the Homeless in Phoenix and Tucson. An activist, Rev. Roseberry did so to publicize the plight of the homeless. Surprisingly, he was readily accepted into the homeless community as one of them, and spent his nights on the street or in homeless shelters.
After his month on the street, Rev. Roseberry recognized that the most difficult barrier for a homeless person was often a lack of identification papers, without which they could not get housing or jobs or other help. Gathering some friends around him, he founded the Ecumenical Chaplaincy for the Homeless Inc. which was incorporated on December 27, 1989. In addition to being "a ministry of presence, a ministry of advocacy, a ministry of service, and a ministry of Word and Sacrament," we provided services to obtain replacement ID documents to homeless individuals.
A NEW CHAPTER
In 2014 however, the last chaplain resigned and the Chaplaincy was faced with the results of their increasing success providing identification. They had watched a few hundred pieces of identification each year grow into thousands as they improved relationships with state agencies and state governments in all 50 states. In 2014 they had already provided over 5,000 identification documents for the homeless, more than any agency in any other state. The pressures were mounting to focus all efforts on ID procurement. The Chaplain was replaced by an Executive Director and the organization's name was changed to the Homeless ID Project, with the goal or raising the output of IDs to even greater levels.
A NEW BEGINNING
But something was missing. The faith-based leadership, the personal identification and counseling, and the personal services aspect of working with the homeless was missing. The Human Services Campus had been growing in downtown Phoenix, and campus leadership approached the Homeless ID Project Board in early in 2017, to request their bringing back a Chaplain and the faith-based leadership The Chaplaincy had provided. In response, former Homeless ID Project board member and current Chairman, John Thurston re-founded The Ecumenical Chaplaincy for the Homeless.
In 2017, Rev. Ron Friesen, who had been one of the original chaplains, became our Chaplain once again. In October of 2017, with the help of several chaplains from Scottsdale Bible Church, we began offering Chapel Services on Sundays, which became regular by January of 2018. By December of 2017, regular services were being held in the St. Vincent de Paul Chapel. Rev. Friesen began work in earnest in January of 2018 and the corporation was formed on January 18, 2018 under a new EIN. The Incorporation papers and by-laws echoed the language of the original Chaplaincy. The official ribbon cutting ceremony was April 12, 2018 in our new offices in the Lodestar Day Resource Center building on the Human Services Campus. Four of our prior Chaplains were in attendance.
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT
The Chaplain has been building relationships on the campus, offering worship services and spiritual counseling to the homeless, to staff, and to Campus volunteers ever since. We have grown tremendously in a short time, offering more services and bible studies throughout and beyond Phoenix, bringing on new church and community partners all the time. St. Vincent De Paul has been one of our consistent partners and supporters, allowing us to provide services in several of their dining rooms in the Valley. We look forward to reaching and helping many more people through spreading hope and the Word of God in 2020 and beyond!
Organization name
The Ecumenical Chaplaincy for the Homeless
Address
1125 W. Jackson St.