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Faith and Service

Promising Practices
Promising Practices are programs that break new ground. They exemplify the power of collaboration in leveraging the capacity of faith-based organizations to serve the state's poor. Each month, the California Council of Churches and USC's Center for Religion and Civic Culture will showcase selected Promising Practices in California.

Current Roster of Promising Practices
1010 Development Corporation, Los Angeles
The 1010 Development Corporation specializes in providing affordable housing combined with enrichment social services. The Corporation effectively bridges faith-based and public policy goals, linking a vision of "community" with clear respect for the division of church and state. Their model holds promise for other faith-communities wishing to meaningfully address social problems in a changing urban landscape.

Harbor Interfaith Services, San Pedro
Harbor Interfaith Services is the only agency in the South Bay of Los Angeles County to focus on sheltering homeless families. Harbor Interfaith employs a comprehensive and holistic approach, offering emergency services, career training, educational support, childcare, transitional and permanent housing, and extensive follow up. Client families achieve long-term, stable permanent housing with 98% success. A key component within Harbor Interfaith's model is a licensed childcare program serving 30 infants and preschoolers of clients.

St. Vincent de Paul Village, San Diego
One of the largest and most comprehensive homeless rehabilitation centers on the West coast, St. Vincent de Paul Village pioneered what has come to be known as the Continuum of Care model. Today, "the Village" successfully collaborates with a multitude of public and private organizations and is a leader in building the capacity of other faith-based organizations through its Village Training Institute. A recipient of a Compassion Capital Fund award, the Village offers a model with many promising and replicable features.

Riverside's Cops & Clergy Network
The Riverside Cops & Clergy Network is an innovative, successful collaboration between law enforcement and faith communities, which directly addresses the problem of crime and violence among at risk youths. It offers encouragement and know-how to help faith communities build the capacity to develop their own initiatives and pursue funding when needed. It brings law enforcement and faith communities together, resulting in meaningful relationships and greater attention to core community needs.

Please enter our archive of Promising Practice profiles to be introduced to programs in a variety of service areas.

Review the criteria that have been used in selecting these programs.