Black Church Coalition in Lexington, Kentucky, Helps Families Facing Financial Hardship

Black faith leaders gathered Sunday at Shiloh Baptist Church in Lexington around a shared mission of helping families in the city through financial hardship. The Black Church Coalition came together around a mission that has spanned more than four decades. For some local families, a missed paycheck or an overdue bill can put their home at risk.

TC Johnson, who spoke at the event, said more than 900 students in the school system experienced homelessness in the past school year. “Just this past school year, over 900 students in our school system experienced homelessness. And to please understand that the number only represented the ones that were identified,” Johnson said. He said housing instability can mean families staying in hotels or doubling up with others.

Danielle Sanders of LFUCG Community and Resident Services said the coalition steps in when a family is close to losing its home. “Sometimes the difference between a family staying in their home and losing their home is just a few hundred dollars. That’s when the Black Church Coalition comes in,” Sanders said.

The volunteer-run coalition helps with costs such as rent and utilities when other resources have run out. Gerri Botts Stuart of Bluegrass Care Navigators said utility bills can affect a family’s housing. “That electric bill gets too high. But what happens is, if your electricity is out, not only is that in danger to you, but you’re also at risk of losing housing,” Stuart said.

The work began in 1983, when four churches pooled their money to help families, a practice of shared giving to neighbors in need (Hebrews 13:16).

Voices came together inside the church Sunday, and the message was to carry that same spirit beyond the walls of the sanctuary. “We’re not just called to live out the love of God in the four walls of the church. We are called to live the love of God outside the four walls of the church,” said the Rev. Marvin King Jr., pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church.

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