By Katrina Coleman
As CEO of Olive Branch Mission, a 158-year-old faith-based homeless serve provider in Chicago, I have dedicated much of my career leading efforts to provide housing and supportive services for men, women, and families living in the margins of our society.
Every day we serve people who are not statistics or policy talking points, but human beings — each with a story, a struggle, and a hope for something better.
Recently, I traveled to Washington, D.C., where I met with policymakers from both sides of the aisle to discuss one of the most urgent humanitarian challenges facing our nation: homelessness.
The conversations were thoughtful and encouraging, and I appreciated the willingness of leaders to listen.
But I left with one clear conviction — the time spent debating solutions would be far more productive if we spent more of it working together. Homelessness isn’t a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. It’s a human issue.
Beyond Boundaries
Across America, men and women sleep in shelters, on trains, under bridges, and in doorways. Families worry about where their children will sleep at night. Veterans who once proudly served our country struggle to find stability. These realities do not recognize political boundaries, and neither should the solutions.
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“Homelessness isn’t a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. It’s a human issue.”
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If we set aside the instinct to defend parties and instead focus on the individuals suffering in the shadows, we would be far closer to real progress. Disagreement is inevitable in a democracy, but our concern for those in need must be greater than our divisions.
A Moral Calling
During my time in Washington, I heard the familiar politically correct phrases and carefully crafted terminology that often shape public conversations about homelessness. Language matters, and words can convey respect and dignity. However, after decades on the frontlines of human suffering and need, I’ve learned something that policy discussions too often miss.
If you ask someone experiencing homelessness how they would like to be addressed, nine times out of ten, their answer is simple: “Housed.”
That response cuts through every debate. Behind discussions of systems, funding, and terminology lies a basic human desire: stability, safety, and dignity.
As a faith-based organization, Olive Branch Mission knows caring for those in need is not simply good policy — it is a moral calling rooted in our faith. This calling is also guided by the belief that we are called to love our neighbors and serve the most vulnerable among us. We see this work as an expression of God’s compassion in action.
Shaped by Conviction
For more than a century and a half, our mission has been shaped by the conviction that every life has God-given value and that every person deserves the opportunity for transformation, restoration, and renewed hope. Compassion does not belong to one political party, and service to others should never be limited to ideology.
Ending homelessness will require practical solutions: expanded housing, supportive services, job opportunities, and strong community partnerships. But it will also require something deeper — a willingness to look beyond political divisions and recognize our shared responsibility to care for one another.
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“We see this work as an expression of God’s compassion in action.”
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The men, women, and families we serve cannot afford political stalemates. Eradicating homelessness will not happen through partisan victories. It will happen when we remember that our greatest allegiance is not to party or ideology — but to people.
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“Eradicating homelessness will not happen through partisan victories.”
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They need action. They need collaboration. And most of all, they need hope.
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Katrina Coleman is the chief executive officer of the Olive Branch Mission, Chicago’s oldest rescue mission dating back to 1867 when it was founded by women members of the Free Methodist Church. Coleman previously served as the mission’s interim executive director and chief operating officer. She is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Citygate CEO Leading Ladies Network, and Greater West Town Community Development Project. A lifelong resident of Chicago, Coleman attended Westinghouse High School, received her real estate license from the Real Estate Institute, and her Society for Resource Management Certified Professional credentials from Northwestern University School of Professional Studies.
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