Ministry Overview
Get Involved
In the News
Ministry Overview
The St. John the Baptist Safe Parking ministry was launched in 2018, to support individuals and couples experiencing homelessness who are residing in their vehicles. The ministry can accommodate up to eight vehicles at any time.
To qualify for the ministry, individuals are pre-screened by a case manager with Catholic Community Services. If found eligible, they are referred to St. John the Baptist where they sign a code of conduct and are assigned a reserved parking space. To continue in the program, individuals must agree to follow the code of conduct and remain engaged in case management.
Get Involved
Our ministry is always looking for volunteers to support the safety and success of our guests. Our main need is for individuals to be on-call for a week at a time. This involves partnering with another ministry member and completing nightly checks (mix of remote camera checks and on-site visits) as well as being available to answer any calls or texts from our guests during the week. Training is provided and volunteers generally sign up for a week once a month or every two months.
The ministry team meets the first Tuesday of the month at 3 PM to debrief events over the past month with the case manager, and to schedule upcoming months. Volunteers have reviewed the code of conduct and worked with church administration to provide and evaluate resources available to our guests.
If you are unable to commit to weekly night checks, but would still like to support our guests, please let us know!
One common request we receive from our guests is for gift cards that can be used for gas or food. Due to residing in their vehicles, our guests depend heavily on gas usage to stay cool or warm depending on the season, in addition to transportation needs.
Please contact Kathy Wickward at 253-893-6681 or at kathyw@sjtbcc.org to get connected!
In the News
Our Safe Parking Ministry has been highlighted a few times over the years. At the 2024 Toast for Recovery Breakfast, Catholic Community Services presented St. John the Baptist the Jack Witte Spirit of Caring Award for individuals, organizations, and agencies in recognition of their selfless service to community.
St John the Baptist opens parking lot, hearts to the homeless – Northwest Catholic
Safe Parking Program – Steering towards Housing – CCS Minute Message
City of Covington Unites to Feed Safe Parking Neighbors – CCS Minute Message