Ted Taylor
Submitted photo/Family Promise of Greater Phoenix
By Ted Taylor | Scottsdale
OPINION — Every day at Family Promise of Greater Phoenix, I meet parents facing impossible choices. Pay rent or buy medicine? Sleep in a car or split up the family?
As housing costs soar across Arizona, more families find themselves one paycheck away from homelessness. Yet amid this growing emergency, I’m witnessing something remarkable: faith communities mobilizing with unprecedented collaboration.
The reality behind our housing shortage
Look beyond the construction cranes dotting Phoenix’s skyline and you’ll find a troubling reality. For every 100 families with extremely low incomes, only 22 affordable rental units exist. Most vulnerable households now spend over half their earnings just to keep a roof overhead. When unexpected expenses hit — medical bills, car repairs, childcare emergencies — eviction notices follow.
Religious communities find new purpose
Faith groups across Arizona have discovered fresh energy through service. Membership may fluctuate in many congregations, but commitment to helping homeless families has surged.
Our network now includes 40 religious communities — Christian churches, Jewish synagogues and other faith centers — all opening their doors to shelter families without homes. Last year alone, nearly 6,000 volunteers cooked meals, prepared bedrooms and welcomed guests into their sacred spaces.
A model that preserves dignity
What makes this approach unique? Families rotate weekly between congregations, staying together in community spaces transformed into temporary homes. Parents maintain jobs and children continue attending school. Pets remain at our pet sanctuary while families go to congregations for nightly food and lodging.
This rotation system keeps costs minimal while maximizing community involvement. Each congregation serves for just a few weeks annually, preventing volunteer burnout while creating meaningful connections with families in crisis.
Real results, real lives
Numbers tell only part of the story. Eight in 10 families who complete our program maintain stable housing two years later. Most stay with us less than six weeks before finding permanent homes.
Behind these statistics are children who didn’t miss critical school days, parents who kept their jobs and families who avoided the trauma of separation.
Success comes from addressing both immediate shelter needs and long-term stability. While congregations provide safe places to sleep, our case managers help parents secure employment, find affordable childcare, manage finances and locate permanent housing. This comprehensive approach transforms temporary shelter into lasting independence.
Finding common ground through service
In an era when religious differences often divide communities, this interfaith effort demonstrates what unites us. Christians, Jews and others set theological distinctions aside to focus on shared values of compassion and justice. Volunteers from different faith traditions work side by side, finding common purpose in serving vulnerable neighbors.
Faith communities are refusing to wait for government or political solutions. They’re acting now, creating immediate shelter options while advocating for systemic change.
Join this movement
Every congregation can become part of this interfaith response. Some religious communities host families overnight. Others provide meals or volunteers. Some contribute financially. All make a difference.
Individual community members can help, too. Volunteer your time. Donate household essentials. Advocate for housing policies that protect vulnerable families. Small actions multiply when communities unite.
By focusing on what we share — commitment to helping vulnerable families — faith communities are building bridges that strengthen our entire state. They’re proving that when we serve together, we not only shelter families — we rebuild the very fabric of community.
Ted Taylor is CEO of Family Promise of Greater Phoenix, a Scottsdale-based nonprofit that helps families move from homelessness to sustainable independence through shelter, prevention and stabilization services. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
Keywords
housing,
homelessness,
families,
congregations,
community,
Family Promise