Respite programs, especially those in rural settings, often find themselves with limited resources. Faith communities, on the other hand, have resources such as facilities, volunteers and, in some cases, expertise that should no longer be ignored.

Historically, faith communities in the United States have been vital in shaping and supporting the larger community of which they are a part. In the early years of our nation, faith communities often provided the only existing social services, such as education and healthcare. They also provided significant input into the social concerns of the day, with the meeting house often doubling as a place for political assembly. 

Over time, however, this social involvement slowly diminished. As government increasingly met society's social and economic needs, faith communities began to limit their focus to society's spiritual needs.

Today that focus is changing again, as a growing number of faith communities seek to serve not only the spiritual needs of their congregations but also the many different social needs in the larger community to which they belong.

Congregations wanting to improve their communities, however, may not know how to meet this goal. At the same time, programs that provide direct services may be reluctant to tie into the vast network of resources within a faith community for fear of offending nonmembers. This is a real concern but one that can be addressed with good communication.   Respite programs, especially those in rural settings, often find themselves with limited resources. Faith communities, on the other hand, have resources such as facilities, volunteers and, in some cases, expertise that should no longer be ignored.

                                      -ARCH National Resource Center