the community to pour what limited finances they have back into other needed areas of attention.” Equipping for Employment I n many cases people need help finding work, and that’s where the Bowery Mission has stepped in. “Our Vocational Services provide our neighbors with services that range from ré- sumé generation to elevator pitch coaching and mock interview practice,” says Bob. “We work with clients of varying education and skill level, providing free GED tutoring and ESL classes, as well as job search assistance in our career center.” Similarly, people in Long Beach, California, who have lost employment and their shelter is threatened can receive assistance the mission. “We’ll help them prepare a résumé and refer them to firms that we know are hiring help in their field. In some cases, we suggest other occu- pations that we know are hiring,” says Robert. The staff at Mission Bon Accueil creates oppor- tunities for the human resources departments of large local employers to run job fairs, according to Samuel, and the mission provides pre-qualified candidates to interview. “In our view these efforts help people rise from poverty into a place of dig- nity and full community participation,” he says. Finding Alternatives I n Grand Rapids, Michigan, helping people remain housed is a community effort. Adri- enne Goodstal, vice president of programs for Mel Trotter Ministries, says her community has implemented a diversion strategy as part of the homeless crisis response system. “Diversion is a strategy that targets families needing shelter,” she says. “It seeks to preserve a family’s current housing situation or make arrange- ments to find alternative safe housing without the family entering the emergency shelter system. Diversion is often mediation, helping problem solve with the family, as well as helping them iden- tify other supports they might not be thinking of.” Adrienne says this strategy can include helping families with food, utility bills, and car repairs. Mel Trotter Ministries partners with 10 other service agencies to operate the diversion project, which has had overwhelmingly positive results. Since the proj- ect started in October 2017, 91 percent of the 232 families served have never entered a shelter or had documented homelessness after receiving support. “Diversion is an additional resource we can utilize as part of our community’s homeless crisis response system,” says Adrienne. “The strategy keeps the limited capacity of family shelter beds for those that truly need it.” Maybe God is calling your mission to expand the scope of its ministry to include prevention strategies like some of these. Whether it happens through partnerships with local agencies or churches, through a new donor, or because of your own creative efforts, you may have the opportunity to touch the lives of even more people than you already are.  WWW.CITYGATENETWORK.ORG MAY/JUNE 2019 21 Natalee is a freelance writer and editor and a full­ time mother of two. She lives in Colorado Springs. You can reach her at nataleekasza@gmail.com. Diversion is a strategy that targets families needing shelter. It seeks to preserve a family’s current housing situation or make arrangements to find alternative safe housing without the family entering the emergency shelter system.