Jacksonville Churches Host Homelessness Forum to Bridge Service Gaps

The Jacksonville Area Conference of Churches is bringing together service providers, local officials and community advocates today at Spirit of Faith Church and Soup Kitchen for a homelessness forum that begins with a chili supper at 5:30 p.m. Organizers say the event will include presentations on programs available to people experiencing homelessness and focused discussion about gaps in local services.

Attending will be Alderman Joe Lockman and community advocate Alan Bradish, along with representatives from New Directions, The Salvation Army and Spirit of Faith. Speakers will outline current programs and services, and organizers hope the shared meal will encourage informal conversations between residents and people experiencing homelessness so community members better understand needs and supports already in place.

The forum is positioned as a practical step toward coordination among agencies, volunteers and local government. In Morgan County, where nonprofit capacity, public funding and healthcare access vary by neighborhood, fragmented service delivery can leave people with complex needs—such as untreated chronic illness, behavioral health conditions and lack of stable housing—without reliable pathways to care. Attempts to bridge those gaps have implications for public health, emergency responders and the broader social safety net.

Bringing providers into one room creates opportunities to reduce duplication, clarify referral pathways and identify missing services such as wraparound case management, transportation assistance or low-barrier shelter. Better coordination can also ease pressure on emergency departments and law enforcement, which often serve as default points of contact for people without housing.

The forum will also address equity concerns. Homelessness disproportionately affects people with histories of trauma, disabilities, and economic marginalization; community-level responses that prioritize dignity, harm reduction and access to healthcare are essential to preventing further disparities. Organizers intend the meeting to result in concrete next steps for collaboration among agencies and volunteers, including volunteer recruitment, information-sharing and potential joint grant or policy initiatives.

For residents, the event offers a chance to learn how local supports operate and how volunteers and neighbors can contribute to more effective responses. Increased civic engagement and clearer service pathways can improve health outcomes for people without stable housing while reducing strain on county resources. The Jacksonville Area Conference of Churches plans to use insights from tonight’s discussion to guide follow-up actions aimed at closing service gaps and strengthening partnerships across Morgan County.