Fargo First United Methodist Church had 30 women and men guests each evening Sunday, December 7 through Saturday, December 13. The church provided a safe place to sleep and be comfortable as part of an effort by several churches in the Fargo-Moorhead area serving the growing number of homeless.

Photo:  The beds are ready for the guests at Fargo First UMC.  Over 50 volunteers provided shelter and comfort to 30 homeless men and women in the Fargo-Moorhead area each night Decembert 7-13.  Photo courtesy of Fargo First.

There are about 1000 persons who are homeless in the Fargo-Moorhead area. Although shelter beds available for the homeless in the Fargo-Moorhead Area have been added each year, the number of persons who are homeless is increasing.

There is no one reason that people find themselves homeless.  Some people are working and their income does not provide funds for a home--they are the working poor. Others are suffering from a disability such as mentally illness. Many are not employed. Some people who find themselves homeless are just passing through.

Fargo First became involved in the effort to help the homeless In 2010.  First UMC and three other churches partnered with Sanford Hospital to provide shelter for adults who were homeless but for whom there was no bed available in a shelter.   Today, 27 churches participate and together provide shelter for up to 30 persons during coldest six months of the year.

Churches who participate must go through intensive preparation and training to provide a safe and comfortable place to stay for the guests.  First UMC hosts 15 required training sessions each year.

The week of shelter requires 500 plus hours of volunteer time.  Over 50 volunteers help set-up and teardown the beds, provide hospitality, prepare food, supervise during the night and clean.

The effort that is made provides a lasting impact for those who receive shelter as well as to the volunteers and church members at Fargo First. 

Rev. Marilyn Spurrell describes the impact of the effort.  “We chose a week in December to remind us that Mary and Joseph needed shelter the night Jesus was born. Jesus said, ‘Whenever you do it to one of the least of these, you do it unto me.’ For us this is about serving. Providing shelter for those without a home, however, is like a bandaid applied to a major wound. Homelessness is a symptom of greater individual needs and social issues.”