Imagine a few bad breaks have created a crisis in your life. Now, you’re unsheltered and need to meet with someone to find services. You’re directed to the Washington County Government Center.

In Stillwater.

That’s about 35 minutes away from Forest Lake, if you have the means to get there.

Most people up here don’t.

Last week, Jenny Mason from Washington County invited me and Deacon Nina Joygaard from Faith Lutheran to attend the PIT Stop meeting at First Presbyterian in Stillwater.

Every January, the state does a Point in Time (PIT) count to determine how many people are unsheltered. The county does its best through its agencies and teams to invite people to that event to be counted as the appropriate resources are determined and accounted for.

Four years ago, an event similar to the PIT count was created. It’s held during the summer to provide resources for community members in need. It’s not an official PIT count, but it is a PIT stop. 

Mason told me that the majority of the 600-plus people who attended the PIT stop aren’t homeless but face poverty challenges.

The PIT stop had 20 vendors, which included six county teams, four managed care organizations to provide health care guidance, the local police department, and a bunch of local churches, food shelves and non-profit organizations, and two women dressed as superheroes. They made people smile as they posed for pictures.

There were personal care items, back-to-school supplies, a warm breakfast and lunch, and a $25 gift card for everyone in need. Nobody was turned away, which meant over $10,000 in gift cards were shared from churches and community partners.  

“This event is about being neighbors, welcoming our neighbors, seeing and interacting with our neighbors,” said Mason. “Each time we do this event, I see more people who speak other languages, who are trying to make a go of it in a new land, trying to give their children a better life.”

Cindy Parsons is the executive director at The Connect Center who attended as a community resource. 

“Advocates at The Connect Center work with people who are unhoused or have unstable housing,” said Parsons. “I hear the struggles that people are having with keeping or finding housing. There are many people living in hotels for more than a year. Others are living in their cars or couch hopping staying with different friends or family members.”

Parsons acknowledged that this event gives people hope and resources that they truly need. “People who are struggling need to know that their community cares about them,” said Parsons.

After witnessing this event with our own eyes, it was clear that a PIT stop would be beneficial for our community. We know that there are people in need, but only a handful of the PIT stop attendees were from the Forest Lake area because of the distance.

Faith Lutheran is coordinating with Washington County to set a date for a PIT stop in the future, but we see this as an opportunity for resources from northern Washington County and Chisago County to come together and serve our neighbors together.

As Mason said, this will be an opportunity to welcome, see, and interact with our neighbors. The best part is that we can do this right here. We can take ownership of helping serve our community to the best of our ability.  

Pastor John Klawiter is the senior pastor of Faith Lutheran Church, an ELCA congregation in Forest Lake. For more information, email him at