The 3 sins of social action

Church-based food banks, homeless shelters and warm hubs have all grown at an incredible rate in recent years. But are they really working to reduce poverty? 

On a cold night in late November, I was running our church’s drop-in evening meal called The Vine. Each week, around 30 people come along for some company, a quiz and a good hot meal. It’s a modest but positive contribution to our community’s wellbeing. 

Our guests have a wide range of needs, but what most struck me that evening was the increasing number who were rough sleeping in freezing conditions. One of our street homeless guests was struggling with a severely infected leg wound. We phoned a doctor who is part of our church to ask for advice, renewed his disintegrating dressing and sent him off to A&E.