Churches across America are extending a helping hand to the homeless community by building tiny homes for them to use on the church’s property. According to CBN News, congregations are building homes in a variety of sorts including full micro homes and small moveable cabins. Addressing homelessness in their communities, church leaders are embodying the spirit of helping their neighbors by offering them shelter and giving them a piece of hope.
To help with constructing the homes, churches can turn to several organizations who build tiny homes such as Amikas, Pee Wee Homes, and Settled. The Reverend Lisa Fischbeck, the board chair of Pee Wee Homes, shared that providing shelter is “part of who we are as people of faith.” The first resident, for whom the organization is named after, Nathaniel “Pee Wee” Lee, 78, said that he moved into his tiny home in 2019 after years of sleeping on the streets since his masonry career ended due to medical issues. Now living in his tiny home, he enjoys watching television, growing tomatoes, and fishing in the pond nearby.
In California, Meridian Baptist partnered with Amikas to build “emergency sleeping cabins” on its property. Rolland Slade, the church’s pastor, shared that they have six cabins, and though some say it doesn’t make a difference, Slade believes otherwise as he makes a difference in the lives of six women, and says if they have children, that is even more people they help. At the Meridian Baptist shelters, mothers with children can stay for up to 90 days and “be connected with the city’s housing safety net for more permanent options.” They also have access to bathrooms and a communal kitchen in one of the church buildings.
The organizations working with churches to build the tiny homes are both dedicated to their humanitarian efforts for those in need. In the aftermath of natural disasters, such as the tornadoes that tore through Kentucky in December, churches and organizations amped up their efforts to build shelters as quickly and as much as possible to support displaced families. When people are struggling, the compassion of those who can help makes the greatest difference in their lives. In the case of responding to the needs of homeless communities, churches and tiny home organizations are not just offering shelter to those in need, but reminding them of God’s love and giving them hope for their future.