I'm an associate pastor for faith in action at Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown
Minneapolis.
To care for those who are the most vulnerable is throughout every part of scripture.
And so our commitment is that every individual has to be treated with dignity and provided
the opportunity to live a life that is satisfying, it's really a religious commitment to work
for the sake of justice.
It's to provide safe, supportive, affordable housing for men who are struggling with the
issues of poverty and homelessness and incarceration and have committed themselves to turn their
life around.
It may seem odd that some 300-pound felon we would define as vulnerable, but when he's
out and can't get a job or a house, that's what vulnerability is.
One of the realities about incarceration is that if you are a felon, you can discriminate
in housing, you can discriminate in employment.
And so we will be providing housing and a job.
Those are two key things they are by and large barred from getting.
But also healthcare and mental health services and if there are addiction issues, work around
that.
It is a very highly structured program.
Over 90% of the men are fathers and one of the great incentives is to re-establish the
relationship with their children.
And so there will be space in the building where they can do that.
There will be a playground and there will be a guest room where the children can periodically
spend the night and a rec room.
And so the building will be designed to facilitate the men's interaction with their families.
No one is just hanging around the building during the day.
They are working.
And so they are not bringing poverty into the community, they are coming in as workers.
Once they have established their own sense of confidence and a livable wage, they will
go out and get their own apartment.
And so people will move through the building and we will have a whole set of people living
in the community, successfully earning a living, paying taxes, being good citizens who might
not be in that position if they hadn't had this opportunity.
They have demonstrated a commitment to change.
