By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
9/22/2008
The Episcopal Bishop of Washington, the Rt. Rev. John Chane has joined a coalition of lawyers and local residents to prevent homeless men and women from finding shelter and food in a city that has seen homelessness increase by 39% over the last two years.
A group of eight D.C. residents, represented by lawyers from national organizations, say that a land swap giving the dilapidated Gales School, on Massachusetts Avenue NW near Union Station, to the Central Union Mission, would violate laws regarding the separation of church and state.
The nondenominational Christian ministry would get $7 million from the city to transform the old school into an emergency shelter for 150 homeless men.
Chane, an "advocate" for the poor and a passionate believer in Millennium Development Goals, has been a visceral critic of Global South Anglican Primates for their lack of social concern and for their fixation on sexuality issues, now wants to prevent Washington DC's homeless from having a place to live.
According to their website, Central Union Mission is a Christian nonprofit organization that has been serving D.C.'s hurting and homeless population for 124 years. They have served tens of thousands of meals, housed hundreds of homeless men and women as well as having a vibrant Hispanic ministry. The Gales School location will offer the District's hurting and homeless population critical access to emergency food, lodging, clothes, counseling services, rehabilitation programs, spiritual development and more.
"The Gales School initiative is an excellent example of what government and the faith-based community can accomplish when they work together," said David O. Treadwell, Executive Director of Central Union Mission. "Together, the Mission and the City have formed an alliance that will integrate the Mission's best-practice programs with the District's ongoing Homeless No More initiatives, and do so in such a way that the interests of the Washington, D.C. community are well served."
The Gales School initiative is an innovative step that involves the Mayor's office, Council member Jim Graham, community groups and the leadership of Central Union Mission. The months of collaboration among these individuals and groups has resulted in an inventive, but pragmatic way to bring public and private sectors together for the effectual use of public assets and the implementation of programs that enhance service to the community and those who are hurting.
"For nearly nine years we have looked for a suitable location to minister to the homeless and hurting from the heart of the city," said Treadwell. "With the opening of the Gales School location we will be in a position to do that very effectively. It's a win for the City, a win for the Mission and most importantly a win for those who are hurting."
The Gales School location will house at least 125 beds to provide emergency shelter and rehabilitation services for men. This facility will be owned and operated by Central Union Mission and operate without a District subsidy.
Bringing the Gales School property online and operational will require substantial restoration work, the details of which are still being evaluated. An anticipated move in date has been tentatively scheduled for 2009. Gales will provide an uninterrupted flow of existing Mission services that will coincide with the onset of the cold weather season.
Central Union Mission is a highly-respected mission outreach to the homeless of Washington, D.C. Where other city outreaches to the homeless fail, Central Mission remains a crucial component to the church's commitment for justice and compassion for all.
In July, the D.C. Council voted 10-1 for emergency legislation approving the sale of Gales School, which closed as a city-run shelter in 2004, to Central Union Mission.
In exchange for Gales, the District would receive the Georgia Avenue property valued at $2.68 million. Chane is also represented by lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union.
As one blogger observed, the Episcopal Church is fast replacing its former motto, "The Episcopal Church Welcomes to You," with "The Episcopal Church Sues You."
The Mission has support from many churches and groups in the area. According to one link at the Mission's home page - they are a daughter (ministry) of The Falls Church-Anglican, a CANA Parish in northern Virginia. This parish was formerly in the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia,
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