What is Joy Community?
Joy Community will be a community for abandoned and forgotten seniors in Southern Oregon. Initially, we will build a gated community of ten studio tiny homes with shared community amenities such as bathrooms, showers, and a kitchen. We are currently raising start-up funds to fund the creation of Joy Community.
THE NEED
Homelessness is growing across the country due to economic inequities (working wage), housing inventories (supply & demand) and as Alan Graham of Mobile Loaves and Fishes says: “A profound, catastrophic loss of family.” People without “family” are marginalized in most every community; they are most likely to be lonely, vulnerable and seen as expendable. Once someone falls into the “well” of homelessness they can never escape without someone giving them a hand-up.
THE GODLY COMISSION
Do right for: Fatherless, Widow, Displaced and Oppressed
“For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those…” Deuteronomy 10:17-19
God praised a good king who did godly service: “Did not your father have food and drink? He did what was right and just, so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me? declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 22:15,16
Job shared his heart and mission as a follower of God: “I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist them. The one who was dying blessed me; I made the widow‟s heart sing. I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban. I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger. I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth.” Job 29:12-17
James talks about what pleases God: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27
Jesus explains the difference between those accepted into the kingdom (sheep) and those left outside (goats). He says: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, „Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.‟ “Then the righteous will answer him, „Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?‟ “The King will reply, „Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.‟” Matt 25:31-4
THE MISSION
Provide a place of safety and joy for widows and eventually other unsupported populations to sustain themselves and develop into who God created them to be.
THE PLAN
Create a community of safety, opportunity for independence and self-sufficiency to create dignity and selfconfidence.
THE COMMUNITY (Phase 1)
Phase 1 of Joy Community will consist of 10 Pallet homes, restrooms, showers, a kitchen and community space.
FUNDING - Phase 1
Build: Funding will come from individuals, churches, businesses and foundations. $400,000 needed.
Operations: Donations, Grants, Rents and potential Contracts.
MANAGEMENT
The community will have an operational staff overseen by the board of directors for Set Free Services and counsel from community advisory teams.
Homelessness is growing across the country due to economic inequities (working wage), housing inventories (supply & demand) and as Alan Graham of Mobile Loaves and Fishes says: “A profound, catastrophic loss of family.” People without “family” are marginalized in most every community; they are most likely to be lonely, vulnerable and seen as expendable. Once someone falls into the “well” of homelessness they can never escape without someone giving them a hand-up.
THE GODLY COMISSION
Do right for: Fatherless, Widow, Displaced and Oppressed
“For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those…” Deuteronomy 10:17-19
God praised a good king who did godly service: “Did not your father have food and drink? He did what was right and just, so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me? declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 22:15,16
Job shared his heart and mission as a follower of God: “I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist them. The one who was dying blessed me; I made the widow‟s heart sing. I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban. I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger. I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth.” Job 29:12-17
James talks about what pleases God: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27
Jesus explains the difference between those accepted into the kingdom (sheep) and those left outside (goats). He says: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, „Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.‟ “Then the righteous will answer him, „Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?‟ “The King will reply, „Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.‟” Matt 25:31-4
THE MISSION
Provide a place of safety and joy for widows and eventually other unsupported populations to sustain themselves and develop into who God created them to be.
THE PLAN
Create a community of safety, opportunity for independence and self-sufficiency to create dignity and selfconfidence.
THE COMMUNITY (Phase 1)
Phase 1 of Joy Community will consist of 10 Pallet homes, restrooms, showers, a kitchen and community space.
FUNDING - Phase 1
Build: Funding will come from individuals, churches, businesses and foundations. $400,000 needed.
Operations: Donations, Grants, Rents and potential Contracts.
MANAGEMENT
The community will have an operational staff overseen by the board of directors for Set Free Services and counsel from community advisory teams.
News & Headlines:
“Inflation and rising rents are leaving many older Americans on the brink of ruin. The poverty rate for people 65 and older rose from 8.9% in 2020 to 10.3% in 2021, according to Ramsey Alwin, president and CEO of the National Council on Aging.
Alwin says people who rely on traditional retirement income, such as Social Security, are having trouble affording the basic necessities. "You'll find that individuals are often coming up short by about $1,000 a month in order to meet their true needs," she says.
As a result, many older people must make hard choices about whether to pay for daily needs such as food and medication or rent. Others simply can't stretch their money and must leave their homes.”
Part of a report from a story from NPR's health reporting partnership with KHN (Kaiser Health News) and Montana Public Radio.
Alwin says people who rely on traditional retirement income, such as Social Security, are having trouble affording the basic necessities. "You'll find that individuals are often coming up short by about $1,000 a month in order to meet their true needs," she says.
As a result, many older people must make hard choices about whether to pay for daily needs such as food and medication or rent. Others simply can't stretch their money and must leave their homes.”
Part of a report from a story from NPR's health reporting partnership with KHN (Kaiser Health News) and Montana Public Radio.
James (the brother of Jesus) writes a practical book about being a believer in Jesus.
Notice in the verse below (4 different versions) how he mentions widows and orphans. All through the Bible God is concerned about those who have no family and/or support. Believers are to care for them:
Notice in the verse below (4 different versions) how he mentions widows and orphans. All through the Bible God is concerned about those who have no family and/or support. Believers are to care for them:
- “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27 (New International Version)
- “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” James 1:27 (New Living Translation)
- “Pure and unblemished religion [as it is expressed in outward acts] in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit and look after the fatherless and the widows in their distress, and to keep oneself uncontaminated by the [secular] world.” James 1:27 (Amplified Version)
- “Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.” James 1:27 (The Message)
Caring People Need To Do Something
Harriet Beecher Stowe’s book called “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” raises the question and concern over a nation of caring people (Christians were especially targeted) who not only ignored the horrors of slavery, but encouraged it. Her writing touches the heart and pleads for believers to do something.
She concludes her book saying:
“But who may abide in his day of appearing? ‘for that day shall burn as an oven: and he shall appear as a shift witness against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger in his right: and he shall break in pieces the oppressor.”
Today people are still being oppressed as they were in Beecher’s day. Today caring people are still needed who will stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.
Harriet Beecher Stowe’s book called “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” raises the question and concern over a nation of caring people (Christians were especially targeted) who not only ignored the horrors of slavery, but encouraged it. Her writing touches the heart and pleads for believers to do something.
She concludes her book saying:
“But who may abide in his day of appearing? ‘for that day shall burn as an oven: and he shall appear as a shift witness against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger in his right: and he shall break in pieces the oppressor.”
Today people are still being oppressed as they were in Beecher’s day. Today caring people are still needed who will stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.
Biden Proposes Budget That Spends More And Taxes The Rich
(From The Week, March 24, 2023)
“…neither party is facing the reality that it’s time for hard choices, said Jackie Calmes in the Los Angeles Times. The long-predicted ‘demographic tsunami’ of retiring boomers is here, and the Congressional Budget Office is warning that dramatic cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits will be necessary by 2033. Balancing the budget without entitlement reform or major tax increases would mean slashing all other spending by 85 percent. Both parties must strike ‘a deal to reinforce the retirement safety net for future generations before insolvency forces across-the-board benefit cuts.”
Notice the term Tsunami being used about retiring boomers. We have been saying there is a Tsunami wave of senior homeless coming and this is part of the impetus of wanting to create Joy Community.
(From The Week, March 24, 2023)
“…neither party is facing the reality that it’s time for hard choices, said Jackie Calmes in the Los Angeles Times. The long-predicted ‘demographic tsunami’ of retiring boomers is here, and the Congressional Budget Office is warning that dramatic cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits will be necessary by 2033. Balancing the budget without entitlement reform or major tax increases would mean slashing all other spending by 85 percent. Both parties must strike ‘a deal to reinforce the retirement safety net for future generations before insolvency forces across-the-board benefit cuts.”
Notice the term Tsunami being used about retiring boomers. We have been saying there is a Tsunami wave of senior homeless coming and this is part of the impetus of wanting to create Joy Community.