Local church to put the spotlight on homelessness Oct. 2

by Sara Hill

The “Portraits of Homelessness” exhibit, one component of Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church’s upcoming awareness event, is putting attendees face-to-face with the plight of those living without permanent housing in Northeast Ohio.

The moving portraits, taken by Lydia Bailey of Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry, feature the faces and stories of more than 40 individuals who are residents of the Ministry’s Men’s Shelter at 2100 Lakeside, the largest homeless shelter in Ohio. The photography exhibit has been on display at various Cleveland-area locations since 2010.

The exhibit will be just one component of the Brecksville church’s month-long advocacy event kicking off Sunday, Oct. 2 at 9201 Brecksville Rd. Throughout the month of October, Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church will advocate for the homeless in our region.

“We are very excited to have this opportunity to educate our congregation and the community about helping to meet the needs of others and support the work of Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry,” said Jill Koubal of Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church.

The special month-long awareness event will include:

  • The “Portraits of Homelessness” photography exhibit on display at the church Oct. 2-9.
  • Michael Sering, the Vice President of Housing and Shelter at Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry, will speak at 9:15 a.m. Oct. 2 in an Adult Education forum. Sering will discuss the “Breaking New Ground” Affordable Housing Initiative, the Haven Home family overflow shelter, and Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry’s Men’s Shelter at 2100 Lakeside serving more than 4,500 men.
  • The Metro45 Mobile Kitchen Food Truck from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Oct. 9 in the church parking lot, serving up a range of food options. Food truck sales support Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry’s commitment to serving the underserved. Learn more at metro45.com.
  • Donations of new socks will be collected for “Socktober” on the church grounds throughout the month.

“Socks are one of the most requested items in homeless shelters – homeless people are always walking and because of that, their footcare is a huge issue,” Koubal said. “We will have various boxes set up for sock donations.”

Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church performs regular mission outreach projects throughout the year, including food boxes, hunger walks, clothing donations and more, but the October homelessness initiative is the first large-scale project of its kind for the Brecksville church.

“Through attending this outreach, I want attendees to be aware that there are many issues in the community, but there are also organizations looking for ongoing solutions,” Koubal said. “We regularly do outreach projects throughout the year, but this one is different in that it utilizes many of our ministries in getting education, fellowship and serving one another. It’s a gathering together of many different branches of our church to be part of something bigger.”

To learn more about the homelessness advocacy event, visit crlcbrecksville.org. ∞