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The emergence of Imagine LA comes as a growing number of families—even intact, middle-class ones—are joining the ranks of the homeless as people lose jobs and homes in the financial downturn.

The face of homelessness is changing across the nation, as shelters and government agencies report unprecedented increases in the number of families losing their houses. A recent report by the National Alliance to End Homelessness estimates an additional 1.5 million Americans are likely to experience homelessness over the next two years, in addition to the 2.5 million who are already expected to become homeless during the course of this year. This includes hundreds of thousands of children who are living with their families at crowded shelters and campgrounds, in vehicles, garages, and abandoned buildings, or on the streets.

"Homelessness is much more prevalent than we realize," says Kurt Fredrickson, chair of the Faith Community Subcommittee of the Simi Valley Task Force on Homelessness and director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena. "The homeless people you see on the streets are really only about 10 percent of the real homeless population in the community. There are lots of people who stay under the radar. They are living in their cars, have kids, and don't want their kids taken away from them. They are not on the streets begging. They are moving from parking lot to parking lot at night."

While many homeless ministries focus on feeding and emergency shelter, Imagine LA puts faith, government, education, housing, and business together. Working with nonprofits and government agencies, program officials identify homeless families and match them with a sponsoring team of volunteers from a church, synagogue, or mosque. The program does not work with parents who have substance abuse problems unless they are in recovery and enrolled in a 12-step or other recuperative program. The faith partner team works with professional case managers to help the family create a budget and a two-year independent living plan, and find a permanent home.

 "One of the main things we do is to rapidly get them into permanent housing," Govan Bauman says. "What's not working today is providing all the services to treat all their problems, but not getting them into housing. We get them into housing right away and surround them with a whole budgeting and mentorship plan that addresses all those issues."

Katie Volk, director of training at the National Center on Family Homelessness in Newton, Massachusetts, lauds Imagine LA, adding, "I'm excited to see what happens once they take it on a national scale."

To start the program, houses of worship deposit $5,000 into an account managed by Imagine LA. The congregation can hold fundraisers or donate money to be an Imagine LA faith partner. The program retains $1,000 for administrative expenses.

The sponsorship money helps a family rent an apartment; Imagine LA contacts the landlord and pays for the deposit, plus first and last months' rent. The faith partner team outfits the home with household supplies and donated furniture.

Over the next two years, the rest of the money may become a down payment on a car, school supplies, or tuition and fees to help train the parents. Imagine LA works with homeless services and government agencies to ensure the family receives all the benefits for which it qualifies. Team members, who undergo background checks, help the family follow its living plan and stay on budget. They provide the family with transportation, life skills coaching, child care, and mentoring. And while the program does not require families to attend religious services or activities, volunteers are free to talk to them about their faith and invite them to attend their church, synagogue, or mosque.

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June 2009, Vol. 53, No. 6, Page 44