Who we are.
Settled is a team of committed and curious families and individuals. We have developed our research-based approach of addressing homelessness through close relationships with the chronically homeless and those who serve them.
Family.
God's answer to homelessness is to put the lonely in families. We believe in family: God's family, the Settled family, and our individual families. Families are the support beams that help each of us stay stable and grow. By including our kids in this work, we unlock the kingdom itself.
Work.
Work was given to man before the fall. This is why we love our work! Work is not a burden, something to rush through, or a title to wield. We each have a voice of strength in the areas for which we are gifted. And we make our contributions wholeheartedly, without ego.
Provision.
Each laborer takes what they need, relying on God to provide for us. Long ago, we decided to not accept Government funding. Instead, our provision comes from people who feel led to share what God has given them. Thank you, George Müller for inspiring this heart of faith within us.
Stewardship team.
Leadership strives to apply the highest standard of ethics including the care of people, the furthering of our mission, and active participation in the things we believe.
Gabrielle is a thought-leader in affordable housing and homelessness. She has devoted her life to walking alongside people in poverty, holding a profound conviction that we belong to one another.
Meredith has had an important career in advocacy for religious rights and justice. Her ability to assemble strong teams and equip them to accomplish goals is profound, and she does it with kindness and generosity.
Larry's extensive background in business management has helped Settled as an organization, but it is his experience of living as an Intentional Neighbor in Community First Village that makes his insights invaluable to our work.
Our Strategy is threefold.
Design Center.
Provide engagement opportunities for the Church to meaningfully love and lift their neighbors off the street through funding and building the homes and community assets to be used at Sacred Settlements.
Sacred Settlements.
Equip the Church for a lifestyle of radical hospitality and enduring relationships through the development and stewardship of tiny home villages on church land.
Homestead.
Inspire and model a shared way of life to be lived out in the Sacred Settlements through research, prototyping, and training that respond to the questions concerning home and community.
Strategy team.
We have found that the best ideas are nearly impossible to see at first, and then once proven, become impossible to unsee.
Jaime is a life-giving soul. Her energy keeps all of us going. With a background in corporate change management systems, she understands how to help churches go from having a heart for homelessness to building and hosting a Sacred Settlement. And she makes the whole thing fun for everybody!
Brandon builds with a strong sense of quality and resourcefulness. This has made every dollar count as we pursue truly affordable housing. His ability to continually make meaningful advancements in materials and methods has been a key for us.
Ricky brings his skills in writing, and theological reflection to Settled. With the first Sacred Settlement established right in his backyard at Mosaic Christian Community, he sees this work as a tangible expression of faith—extending hospitality to those experiencing chronic homelessness.
John-David is a brilliant creative thinker. With a background in architecture and years of incorporating faith into family life, he is well-suited to lead the homestead. He has an innate ability to develop thoughtful experiences that connect Heaven to a person's heart.
Foundations team.
Ideas only matter when they get woven into real life. Each of us, through our talents and courage, have the opportunity to create a piece of the whole.
Clare is full of useful knowledge ranging from herbs to tinctures to handmade goods. She structures Purposeful Workshops to feel real and inviting, full of community building moments! Her peaceful presence has a way of transforming the spaces she's in with warmth and humor.
One of the most powerful components of Settled is the feeling one gets when stepping into a Sacred Settlement home or Common Home. Mildred furnishes these spaces with practicality, frugality, and warmth.
Rose's pastoral role at Church of the Open Door has been a solid foundation for her work with Settled. She has a unique ability to connect with everyone she meets. Rose's relational guidance and fearless love inspire us all.
Daniel strives to tell the Settled story with conviction and authenticity. From design to filmmaking, his work is deeply personal and relational as he learns alongside the community. He believes the best stories are told from within.
Juston's adaptability and resourcefulness make him a great addition to our team as a carpentry apprentice. He is working closely with Brandon to craft custom items for our tiny homes for each Sacred Settlement.
Mischa is brimming with hope, meeting everyone exactly where they are. She is also a fine artist who's talents span visual and musical mediums. Her songs beautifully connect Heaven to Earth within each of us.
Fred's background in technology has equipped him to see the strengths of our model and identify ways of applying it further and deeper. He has always been willing to help when a need arises and is an eager learner, ever curious.
For decades Jerri has been learning and exploring new ways of living. She is constantly curious with research in topics ranging from food to housing to health. Her authentic knowledge informs the products we make and the lifestyle we aspire to.
David sees the world on multiple levels. With a background in illustration and fine art his thoughtfulness and humility can be felt in everything he makes. His work helps fill our stories with multiple levels of meaning.
As a former aerospace engineer, Larry knows that innovation is difficult because it is so disruptive to the normal ways of thinking. We are happy to have him applying his skills to an innovative alternative to the common toilet.
Valerie brings a confidence and precision to her work, easily adapting to any-task. Her eagerness to help and explore the community itself is inspiring. She is carried by a brilliant sense of humor, and leaves an impression on everyone who knows her.
Jerry's work can be found in every home and community space of Settled. He designs and builds furniture, swings, shelves, teeter-totters, custom closets, you-name-it — every piece contains his special blend of skill and meaning.
Katherine is our Urban Planning & Design Strategist who helps guide churches through land use strategies, site plans, and community relationships. Passionate about helping people living in community as God intended, she brings a future-oriented vision to help Sacred Settlements flourish.
Katherine is our Urban Planning & Design Strategist who helps guide churches through land use strategies, site plans, and community relationships. Passionate about helping people living in community as God intended, she brings a future-oriented vision to help Sacred Settlements flourish.
Who we are.
Settled is a team of committed and curious families and individuals. We have developed our research-based approach of addressing homelessness through close relationships with the chronically homeless and those who serve them.
Family.
Our approach can only work through local faith communities. Utilizing land owned by religious institutions reduces or eliminates the cost of land and provides a built-in community that matches with the mission of the Sacred Settlement.
Work.
Our approach can only work through local faith communities. Utilizing land owned by religious institutions reduces or eliminates the cost of land and provides a built-in community that matches with the mission of the Sacred Settlement.
Provision.
Our approach can only work through local faith communities. Utilizing land owned by religious institutions reduces or eliminates the cost of land and provides a built-in community that matches with the mission of the Sacred Settlement.
Stewardship team.
Leadership strives to apply the highest standard of ethics in how Settled is shepherded to include the care of people, the furthering of our mission, and active participation in the things we believe.
Gabrielle is a thought-leader in affordable housing and homelessness. She has devoted her life to walking alongside people in poverty, holding a profound conviction that we belong to one another.
Meredith has had an important career in advocacy for religious rights and justice. Her ability to assemble strong teams and equip them to accomplish goals is profound, and she does it with kindness and generosity.
Larry's extensive background in business management has helped Settled as an organization, but it is his experience of living as an Intentional Neighbor in Community First Village that makes his insights invaluable to our work.
Advisory team.
Janice is the Executive Pastor at Woodland Hills Church. Her style of compassionate administration provides Settled with essential wisdom and strategic planning. Her voice is crucial to our mission.
Rose's pastoral role at Church of the Open Door has been a solid foundation for her work with Settled. She has a unique ability to connect with everyone she meets. Rose's relational guidance and fearless love inspire us all.
Fred's background in technology has equipped him to see the strengths of our model and identify ways of applying it further and deeper. He has always been willing to help when a need arises and is an eager learner, ever curious.
Design team.
Brandon builds with a strong sense of quality and resourcefulness. This has made every dollar count as we pursue truly affordable housing. His ability to continually make meaningful advancements in materials and methods has been a key for us.
Daniel strives to tell the Settled story with conviction and authenticity. From design to filmmaking, his work is deeply personal and relational as he learns alongside the community. He believes the best stories are told from within.
One of the most powerful components of Settled is the feeling one gets when stepping into a Sacred Settlement home or Common Home. Mildred furnishes these spaces with practicality, frugality, and warmth.
Clare is full of useful knowledge ranging from herbs to tinctures to handmade goods. She structures Purposeful Workshops to feel real and inviting, full of community building moments! Her peaceful presence has a way of transforming the spaces she's in with warmth and humor.
For decades Jerri has been learning and exploring new ways of living. She is constantly curious with research in topics ranging from food to housing to health. Her authentic knowledge informs the products we make and the lifestyle we aspire to.
David sees the world on multiple levels. With a background in illustration and fine art his thoughtfulness and humility can be felt in everything he makes. His work helps fill our stories with multiple levels of meaning.
Mischa is brimming with hope, meeting everyone exactly where they are. She is also a fine artist who's talents span visual and musical mediums. Her work helps to encourage and uncover the talent within each person.
Juston's adaptability and resourcefulness make him a great addition to our team as a carpentry apprentice. He is working closely with Brandon to craft custom items for our tiny homes for each Sacred Settlement.
Administration.
Jenica has an amazing ability to anticipate needs before they even appear to others. Her impact can be felt in the connecting threads that are so important in non-profits our size. And she accomplishes all of it with an inspiring positivity.
Valerie brings a confidence and precision to her work, easily adapting to any-task. Her eagerness to help and explore the community itself is inspiring. She is carried by a brilliant sense of humor, and leaves an impression on everyone who knows her.
Subject matter experts.
For nearly a decade, Todd has provided necessary supplies and food to people on the streets. He has built profound relationships in the homeless community as a true pioneer, one cold night at a time. Todd is an inspiration to other communities for how to do relational outreach.
In her decades of service advocating for legislation that benefits faith communities and the cities they support, Anne has done a lot of good in Minnesota. Our entire mission is stronger because she is working behind the scenes to ensure cities are proud of Sacred Settlement developments.
As a partner at Stinson Law, Eric has helped us navigate the complex world of zoning and regulations. His steady and patient attention to detail has guided many of our difficult decisions through the years, leading to ground-breaking development.
As a former aerospace engineer, Larry knows that innovation is difficult because it is so disruptive to the normal ways of thinking. We are happy to have him applying his skills to an innovative alternative to the common toilet.
