Who we areWelcome to Closer Walk
Welcome to Closer Walk
Closer Walk is a homeless outreach meeting the physical and spiritual needs of Salinas’ homeless community.
Chronic homelessness in California is skyrocketing, and Salinas is no exception. Closer Walk works among the tents in Chinatown, where the largest percentage of chronically homeless live. There are no easy solutions. Beyond the lack of housing, the chronically homeless have a much higher rate of drug addiction and mental illness. Overlain on this is a deep spiritual problem: a lack of hope, sense of worth, and community.
Our Vision
Closer Walk envisions a community in which all people have the stability and support they need to develop their full capacity to thrive, regardless of their housing, addiction, or mental health status.
Our Mission
Closer Walk seeks to break the cycle of homelessness and addiction, stabilizing people in a safe and spiritual community, providing for immediate physical needs, connecting them to solutions, and walking with them on their journey.
What we believe
Each person is a valued child of God, regardless of circumstance. We invite the community residents to rediscover Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life. We believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives.
Our goals
Meeting the immediate needs of our guests; building a sense of community among the Chinatown residents; and address longer-term needs/solutions, such as housing, employment, sobriety, legal challenges, and medical needs.
What do we do?
At Closer Walk, we believe that outreach must be relational, not transactional.
We sit outside on the Soledad Street sidewalk each day with a pot of coffee and some snacks. We share stories and get to know the people in Chinatown. We have a clothing closet that serves 30-40 people weekly. We provide hospitality to 40-50 people daily and dinner to 80-100 people each Saturday night. We also refer community residents to service providers for housing, jobs, drug rehab, etc. Just as importantly, we are building a sense of community where every resident feels welcome. People come back, day after day, because they feel safe, valued, and heard.
What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly a with your God. (Micah 6:8)
We need your help.
Featured Campaigns
It’s through mistakes that you actually can grow you get rid of everything that is not essential to makihave to get bad.
Volunteer Positions Available
4.89M
Staff and volunteers across 16 countries
68K
Of our staff in these countries are local
82%
Invested in all our programs last year 2019
136M
Invested in all our programs last year 2019
How we helpBe a part of
Be a part of
the change
What we believe
1. Each person is a valued child of God, regardless of circumstance. (Gen 1:26)
2. We invite the community residents to rediscover Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life. (Jn 14:6)
3. We believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives. (Eph 3:16)
“I realize that school can help me achieve my goals and improve my life.”
Samuel Phelp, Program Alumna, Tanzania
Our Services
It’s our mission to help people reduce their poverty by a huge number of helpful campaigns to make it essential.
Prayer
Prayer is the heartbeat of Closer Walk. Praying with and for individuals and families, and prayer for a shift in the spiritual atmosphere in Chinatown.
Hospitality and Clothing
A free continental breakfast/lunch five days a week, and a full dinner – and clothing closet – every Saturday evening.
Referrals
As needs are identified (housing, jobs, sobriety, etc), people are referred to the appropriate service providers to address those needs.
Legal and medical assistance
Pro bono legal services upon referral from local outreach teams, plus a free volunteer medical clinic.
TESTIMONIALS
What our contributors say
So when you make a monthly gift or donation to our organization, the majority of your dollars go toward exactly what you intended – supporting children in poverty.
Testimonial #1
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Rated 4 out of 5
Testimonial #2
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Rated 4 out of 5
Testimonial #3
Design
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Rated 4 out of 5
Contact Us
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I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.
(Mt 25:35-36)