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Posted: January 8th, 2012 Amanda Pagliarini

On Jan. 3, Mayor Foxx proclaimed 2012 to be “The Year of Our Neighbors”. The team behind Souls of Our Neighbors (SOON) is treating the mayor's proclamation as a directive. 

The mayor made this announcement on the first day back to work in the new year, as over 300 people gathered to screen “Souls of Our Neighbors”, a documentary on affordable housing. With a 60% local increase in homeless families since 2009, the immediacy of this call to action seems justifiable.

The initiatives SOON has already outlined for the year show an authenticity to the program's name. Rather than look to local government or big corporations, the impetus is being placed on the community; starting with our congregations. (Click here for SOON's website.)

Launching in February,“Beyond Casseroles” will recruit congregations to donate the $3,600 cost to assign a social worker to assist a homeless family. Eight local agencies engaged in homelessness or affordable housing advocacy came together to form the “Beyond Casseroles” coalition. The name came from the hope that our congregations would move beyond food donation to actual real investments that will help to prevent and end homelessness.

For those looking for ways to contribute, SOON will also launch a website that gives the broader community the tools to facilitate conversations with friends and colleagues. The SOON team believes that when residents have the full, accurate picture of how affordable housing impacts a community, you will no longer see the opposition of planned developments.

A well-informed community starts with its well-informed residents spreading the message.

To build upon the momentum of “Beyond Casseroles," SOON will hold a Faith Summit in March. The Summit will seek to empower congregations to continue to make tangible contributions and investments in the reduction of homelessness, while educating their members on the merits and necessity of affordable housing.

Later in the year, SOON will hold a series of public forums aimed at bringing policy changes on affordable housing. 

Some important changes are underway.

The Observer just reported that close to 300 once-homeless families now live in rental homes in Charlotte's middle class neighborhoods. If you must know your neighbor in order to love your neighbor, many people are being given the opportunity to do just that.

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