'Faces of Homelessness' Speakers to Appear at St. Agatha Parish

The Justice and Peace Advisory Board at will face the issue of homelessness on Friday, March 9, as they welcome speakers from the National Coalition for the Homeless.

According to their website, “The Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau is a program of the National Coalition for the Homeless that is comprised of people who are or have been homeless and works to educate the public about homelessness and what can be done to end it.”

Mary Gallagher, Pastoral Associate, said the event at St. Agatha will feature two or three homeless or formerly homeless speakers. The speakers’ bureau generally uses their events to break down stereotype and get listeners involved in the movement to stop homelessness.

“We’re hoping that this ignites and generates some ideas of what we can do,” Gallagher said.

Friday’s event is the Justice and Peace Advisory Board’s first major program.

According to Gallagher, the board was searching for its first program when Sam Longnecker from the Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau reached out to them.

“Two things happened,” said Gallagher. “We were trying to find something to begin with and Sam Longnecker looking for a place to host a speaker.”

The Faces of Homelessness event will be held in the Lower Level of St. Agatha Parish on Friday, March 9. A soup supper will be served at 6:30 p.m. and the speakers will follow. The program is free and open to everyone, regardless of religious affiliation.