Austin, Texas Ministry Crowdsources a House for a Homeless Family

This is the press release that we sent out to various media outlets last week:

Contact: Jason Crouch or Pamela Crouch
Cell: (512) 796-7653
Email: jason@austintexashomes.com
Website: www.luke6ministries.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LOCAL MINISTRY CROWDSOURCES A HOUSE FOR A HOMELESS FAMILY
Local Austin Ministry Reaches Out to Social Network to Procure House for Homeless Family

Austin has one of the largest homeless populations in Texas, and while resources for homeless
individuals may be found, there are surprisingly few resources for homeless families. In fact,
with few exceptions, the shelter system often forces homeless families to split up in order to find
housing.

Next week there will be one less homeless family in Austin, thanks to a local Austin ministry,
and a process called Crowdsourcing.

The founders of Luke 6 Ministries, Jason and Pam Crouch, have had a heart for helping the
needy for many years.

While involved in a church outreach program during the Christmas season in 2005, Jason met a
woman in public housing who asked for a bed for her daughter and a job for herself as Christmas
gifts. Coming face-to-face with this type of real, sincere need gave him a new perspective.

We had a chance to question our beliefs about giving. During that time, we read Luke 6:27-
36 and realized that we had not been following it. We had not been giving to everyone who asks,
expecting nothing in return. When we began to try to follow Luke 6, it turned into a ministry.
Jason explained.

Over the years, Jason and Pam encountered more and more people who had unmet physical and
spiritual needs. They noticed that they had misjudged the needy, and began to have more love
for families with long-term needs and issues. In the years that followed, Pam and Jason built
what eventually became Luke 6 Ministries.

People would say to us, 'Here, take this money to help your friend,' and that was the first time
we realized that our efforts were turning into an actual ministry. said Pam.

Whether praying, offering words of encouragement, babysitting, giving rides to appointments,
giving advice, purchasing gas, paying for car repair or picking up a medical bill, the husband and
wife team have helped dozens of Austin's poor and homeless men, women and children in a very
personal and significant way.

This past Christmas, Luke 6 Ministries raised over $10,000.00 in less than two weeks to
purchase a mobile home for a homeless family of 3. Next week the family will move in to
the home, which will be the first time they have had a permanent residence since they lost
everything in 2005, when hurricane Katrina hit their home in Mississippi. As exciting as this
will be, not only for the family but also for the ministry, the way the money was raised was the
interesting part.

Some of the funds came from our church, Christ Presbyterian Church of Georgetown, and some
came from local friends, but the bulk of the money came from Facebook and Twitter friends,
many of whom we have never even met in person. said Jason.

Crowdsourcing essentially means placing an open call, usually on the internet, to fund a task
that needs to be completed. In this case, the couple made an appeal to their social networks to see
who could help them find a mobile home, as well as a location for the home, moving the home,
hooking up electricity and water, and even filling the home with appliances and necessities. By
crowdsourcing they were able to make their resources stretch, and do something they otherwise
never would have been able to do.

In speaking of the family that is about to move into the crowdsourced mobile home, Pam said,
When we first met this homeless family, they were begging on the street to pay for a hotel room
to stay in. We were surprised that they were not in a homeless shelter, but they informed us that
there was only one, small shelter in the Austin area that accepted homeless families, and that
shelter was currently full. We decided that it would take more than simply using the available
public resources to help this family, and that is what led us to try to help them buy a home.

Jason and Pam hope to continue their goal of helping Austin's poor and homeless by housing
more homeless families, and continuing to help all the needy families they are currently helping.

We pray that we will see more of this type of effort. If we were able to do this, then other people
could do it as well. If people want to help our efforts, or start their own crowdsourcing project to
help the needy, we think it would make the world a better place. It would bring hope to the hearts
of Austin's needy and homeless families, one family at a time. We know many more families who
need all kinds of help: jobs, lodging, food, gas, clothing, medicine, and so on. said Pam.

To learn more about their ministry, or to speak with Jason and Pam about this extraordinary
effort, please visit www.luke6ministries.org or contact them via the contact information above.