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BY CARRIE MADREN
UMCONNECTION CORRESPONDENT

Among the toughest societal problems to solve in the country, homelessness comes in different forms: those who are chronically homeless, those who sleep on couches, those who stay in shelters. Some estimates peg the national number of homeless at 1.6 million. In Montgomery County, the count is more than 1,200.

Unable to remain on the sideline of this issue, Bethesda UMC recently decided to do something about it.

In November, a dozen church members hit the streets at 6:30 a.m. to conduct a community survey on homelessness for the 100,000 Homes Campaign, a national effort to prioritize and house people experiencing homelessness.

Bethesda UMC volunteers went out in the pre-dawn hours along Wisconsin Avenue and other community streets to identify individuals who were considered long-term homeless – people not in shelters or transitional living facilities – and complete a 32-question survey with each individual.

"We would find these people sleeping on the streets – a lot of people are so detached from social services that they were not even in the system," said John Mendez of Bethesda Cares.

They identified 54 people, and 40 participated in the survey over three early morning survey shifts. "The group from Bethesda UMC – their impact was quite significant – brought manpower and resources and understood that we can work to end homelessness by partnering together," Mendez said.

Prioritizing helps Bethesda Cares to make decisions on who needs help the most, typically people who are medically vulnerable. Many are homeless because they don't match certain criteria for social service providers, or failed programs and were left out on the streets. The new thinking is to give people a studio apartment with a door that locks because housing can remedy many of the problems that exacerbate homelessness; it helps with healthcare, self-esteem, getting a job, safety. The second step is getting people services that they need.

"Out of that came interest in wanting to do more," said the Rev. Ron Foster of Bethesda UMC, who was among the survey volunteers.

For the past two Christmases, Bethesda UMC gave their entire Christmas offering to outreach projects. The donation decision required consideration, as the church had a deficit.

In 2011, the Christmas offering came in at $27,000, which was split between Loaves and Fishes and Bethesda Cares for the national 100,000 Homes campaign.

"We talked with Bethesda Cares about how we can help them take next steps," Foster said. "The thing they identified was the last hurdle in many of these cases: security deposits, so we said we'd help." They also wanted to personalize their help and facilitate individuals moving in by providing some household goods and personal items. In late November, Bethesda UMC was able to help two people move into studio apartments, furnish bedroom furniture and help buy groceries.

One man, Foster said, had to be re-taught to use a key. "He hadn't used one for 15 years."

"We want to take that next step to make them feel like living in a place that's theirs, to help with that transition," Foster said. A church team will now help with securing furniture and welcome people into their new homes in the area.

The church expects to help a third person move into an apartment this month. They'll help as many as they can on the list of about 50 individuals waiting for housing help.

That's the spirit behind Bethesda UMC's simple mission statement: "Wash more feet."

"Bethesda UMC really is hands-on in helping to end homelessness in our community," Mendez said. "They're not just out there handing out food and blankets, they're taking action that results in solutions."