So, you want to be a Connecting Congregation?

A Core Partnership

The role of the Church is central to our programming at Redemption Housing. We believe that the redemptive process begins as our residents are accepted into local congregations, and the church becomes a more complete reflection of the Lord’s Kingdom here on Earth as it faithfully lives out its calling to the marginalized.

Connecting Congregations are Redemption Housing’s core partners in our ministry of hospitality and reconciliation, as they provide support primarily through Sponsorship and Relationship.

Sponsorship

A typical recovery home is funded through the program fees paid by residents, as operators generally charge $200-$600 per month. Redemption Housing is avoiding this funding model because of two main flaws: (1) Prospective residents’ applications are denied if they are unable to afford a program fee. Redemption Housing is available to everyone, regardless of their income. (2) When residents become tenants, operators are torn between making decisions that are in the best interests of residents and the best financial interests of the institution. Redemption Housing will always prioritize our residents.

Connecting Congregations sponsor beds at Redemption Housing for $400 per month, allowing us to focus on our residents’ needs, no matter their current financial status. This sponsorship does not cover the entire cost of a resident’s stay, as additional funding comes from area churches, individual donations, corporate sponsors, and community grants. Rather, it provides for the average cost of living in one of our homes.

Relationship

Philadelphia is home to thousands of people who are either incarcerated or recently released. Without meaningful connections in their communities, these people suffer from a lack of purpose and dignity. While the Church has engaged with returning citizens for years, we often fear taking the next step of welcoming them into our congregations and communities.

Connecting Congregations invite our residents into their churches, allowing everyone involved to become more like Christ. Redemption Housing will help church leadership in setting up appropriate boundaries, and the Connecting Congregation will source volunteers to holistically serve residents as they transition from incarceration to community.

Interested in finding out more? Contact us at [email protected] for more details.

Nick Lordi is the Board President of Redemption Housing. He is a graduate of Cedarville University (B.A., Pastoral Studies, 2009) and Palmer Theological Seminary (M.Div., 2013). He has been working with Philadelphia’s homeless population since 2010 and draws from his experience as a supervisor of faith-based recovery programming. Nick serves in lay leadership at West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship, where he attends with his wife and two young children.