Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center

Description

Homeless people and housed people have shared South Austin for decades, but in recent years our homeless neighbors have become more plentiful, more despised. As South Austin continues to gentrify, the chasm between rich and poor deepens. Rather than continue to turn a blind eye to the problem, our small church has risked everything to try to do something. Initially met with fear and skepticism, Sunrise is now known throughout Travis County and beyond for being a little church making major waves towards battling the root causes of homelessness and moving homeless people towards permanent supportive housing with dignity and grace.

Sunrise began in 2015 by simply asking our homeless people what they needed. A place to get mail. Showers. A place to use the restroom. Food. Clothes. Wifi. Document storage. Help getting identification. Help getting food stamps. Help applying for Social Security Disability. Help getting housing. Hygiene products. Medical insurance. We do all of these things - either by ourself or with the help of the dozens of community and government agencies who set up shop at our facility throughout the week.

But resources don't ultimately solve homelessness because it is, at its core, an emotional and spiritual problem. So our greatest resource is not financial - it is our family. Regardless of if you consider yourself a Christian, our church is a family - and family is what almost all homeless people lack. Social support. A net to catch you when you fall. Encouragement.