A Blessing or a Curse: Utilization and Inclusivity in Faith-Based Organizations Servicing the Homeless

Faith-based organizations have long filled a gap in service provision to homeless individuals. Historically, this institution has held significant influence in terms of community perception and employee satisfaction within the homeless service provision sector. Much research has been conducted on the benefit of these religiously founded services, but the established literature fails to highlight the downsides of such virtuous service provision. In this study I interviewed and observed employees and volunteers of a faith-based homeless shelter servicing a large urban population and found an overwhelming majority offered less than glowing reviews. I use the aforementioned literature review to guide my analysis of a faith-based organization through the eyes of its employees and volunteers. I then explore variations in their reviews spanning from this institution's ability to secure funding and public support, to its inability to cast aside traditionally rigid and institutionalized norms that disadvantage homeless participation. My findings also revealed the importance of recruitment methods, as I ultimately formed two groups of participants. Those who were recruited for me only spoke positively about the organization, and those who I recruited myself were more forthright about both positive and negative aspects of the faith-based method.