Evicted prompts actions by UCC congregations to keep families housed

The book Evicted and a General Synod speech have inspired United Church of Christ members in Indianapolis to keep two families from losing their home—and to start a fund to do more of the same.

The rapid response began when Zion UCC in Indianapolis got a call on August  15 from the head of one of two families who shared a home. They were about to be evicted. Sarah Frische-Mouri Hannigan, Zion’s pastor, regularly gets calls from people needing help. In an age of phone and Internet scams, churches can be hesitant about responding to pleas for money. They refer callers to community agencies for needs such as rent and housing assistance.

“Our congregation has limited resources,” Frische-Mouri Hannigan said. “We work with our local ministerial association for some minimal assistance, food and gas. But just listening to her story and what she had been through and hearing the concern in her voice and how desperate she was—something about her story really struck home.”