Crazy Faith Pastor Ben Charles Fined For Using Downtown Parking Lot; Hearing Today

Above: Crazy Faith Outreach pastor Ben Charles, right, meets with his wife, Denise, and his attorney, David Roland, before his civil infraction hearing this morning at the Lee Creighton Justice Center in Olympia. Charles was cited and fined on June 19 in violation of a city code for using a downtown parking lot without a permit to serve food to street people.

 

By Janine Unsoeld

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The City of Olympia came prepared for battle this morning at a civil infraction hearing against Crazy Faith Outreach pastor Ben Charles.

Charles was cited on June 19 by the City of Olympia and the Olympia Police Department for using a downtown parking lot without a permit. Crazy Faith was using the lot to feed street people, an activity they have done for about four years. The city owned lot in question is on the corner of Washington and State streets, located across from the Intercity Transit station.

Charles was fined $103. The citation was not given to Charles directly, but mailed to a reservation address. Charles is a member of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe.

The city was represented by attorney Jeffrey Myers with assistance by deputy city attorney Darren Nienaber. Presenting multiple exhibits over the objections of Charles’ attorney, Myers worked to illustrate that the city has informed Charles and Crazy Faith Outreach that they are in violation of city code OMC 10.16.140, as passed by the Olympia city council in December 2013. The city stated that it has offered alternative locations for Crazy Faith to conduct its mission of feeding street people.

The city ordinance states, in part, that lots may only be used for parking, unless an activity is authorized by a city issued permit, lease or unless the activity is conducted by the city. Crazy Faith uses the parking lot for its service to feed those who come on Thursday and Saturday evenings.

Charles is being represented by former Olympia based Freedom Foundation constitutional rights attorney David Roland, who is now with the Freedom of Missouri.  Roland requested that the case be dismissed, challenged the amount fined, and found inconsistencies in Officer Paul Lower’s report.

Given 20 minutes notice, Municipal Judge Christopher Coker presided over the case, replacing Judge Scott Ahlf, after Ahlf revealed a possible conflict of interest.

The non-traffic civil infraction hearing often felt like a criminal trial, and lasted one and a half hours.

While Myers produced maps, email exchanges, and letters, Roland raised multiple objections that the city was trying to call into question matters that were beyond the scope of the citation. At one point, after Myers asked Charles if he had a permit through the state department of health, and whether or not he believed in the Bible, even Judge Coker asked where Meyers was going in his line of questioning. 

Roland also pointed out inconsistencies in Olympia Police Department Lieutenant Paul Lower’s report. Lower, who has been with the department for about 18 years, is assigned to walking patrols and specialty operations with a focus on downtown.

Although Lower checked the box on the citation indicating that he had checked Charles’ identification, Lt. Lower testified on the stand that in fact he did not check Charles’ identification on that evening, but had on a prior occasion.

In his report, Lower wrote that, “he (Charles) arrived with a large white van…from this van he and other members of his group unloaded large tents and multiple tables and merchandise….” Roland questioned the use of the word “merchandise,”  and Lower admitted that he didn’t know what word to use, but the “merchandise” was in fact food, and there was no buying or selling observed.

Lower also said that he had spoken with City Manager Steve Hall and city attorneys prior to issuing the citation, and that Hall and city attorneys knew that he was going to issue a citation that evening.

Crazy Faith Continues Its Mission
 

Crazy Faith has continued to serve food and beverages to street people since the citation was issued.

“It gets busy toward the end of each month,” said Charles outside the courtroom before the hearing.

“A lot of folks are now telling me that their hours, if they work, are being cut to 25 hours a week. We’re feeding 4,400 servings of food per month. There’s still a great need. Not only is the physical food a benefit, but I believe we are providing emotional and spiritual support as well.”

Crazy Faith supporters Amy and Shea Renecker joined Charles and his wife Denise before the hearing. They said they have been helping serve food with Crazy Faith for almost a year. They said that Papa John's Pizza on the Westside has been especially generous in providing food.

“It’s a service that’s desperately needed in our community – we bring our daughter down and she serves the drinks,” said Shea Renecker.

“The Crazy Faith feed is a safe place, a neutral area. We’re feeding people. It’s a peaceful gathering where people get fellowship. If you need to pray for something, come….” The Reneckers dispute reports that the feeds have posed any problem to downtown businesses.

“We have contact with the Olympia Police Department all the time. They walk on through just to see if everything is o.k. There’s never been an arrest at one of our feeds. We’re being part of the solution to downtown crime. The Harlequin Theater manager even says there’s less crime on the nights we’re here….” said Renecker.

After the hearing, attorney David Roland said that he suspects the city is using Charles as a test case, and that the city hasn’t taken further action against Charles because it wants to see what their next step should be.

“I find it appalling that (the city) wants to reserve this space for a 'better class' citizen. Not everyone can afford cars. The city can’t condition a constitutional right to gather as long as they are peaceful and that’s the definition of what Crazy Faith has been doing – they are doing this for a laudable purpose.”

Judge Coker said he would issue a decision in the case in about a week.

For more information about Ben Charles and the mission of Crazy Faith Outreach, go to www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and use the search button for past stories.

Olympia City Council Passes Parking Ordinance: Hurts Food Program for Homeless

Above: Ben Charles, second from left, hands out "snack packs" on 4th Avenue outside city hall and listens to someone before tonight's city council meeting.

 

By Janine Unsoeld
www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The City of Olympia tonight passed a parking ordinance that negatively impacts the work of a passionate group, Crazy Faith Ministries, that serves hot food and drinks to the homeless.

The ordinance cleans up city parking lot regulations, stating, in part, that lots may only be used for parking, unless an activity is authorized by a city issued permit, lease or unless the activity is conducted by the city.

Crazy Faith uses a public parking lot for its service to feed the homeless two evenings a week. 

Councilmember Karen Rogers voted against the ordinance, and Councilmembers Jeannine Roe and Steve Langer were absent.

During public comment tonight, about 17 people testified against the ordinance, many of whom spoke to council last week.

Before the vote, Councilmember Rogers asked City Manager Steve Hall to give a summary of communication between the city and Crazy Faith Ministries. Hall said that he and city building manager Tom Hill have identified some possible alternative properties, then took everyone by surprise by suggesting that a person in the audience who testified, John Forespring, act as an intermediary between the city and Crazy Faith Ministries.

John Forespring, a local insurance agent in business for 45 years, is a member of the Cowlitz Tribe. In his testimony, he urged better communication between the city and Crazy Faith.

“The main issue is where are they (Crazy Faith) going to do this (service)….I would like to see the city communicate with these people…let’s do what’s right.”

During a council break after the vote, Hall came out to the lobby and apologized to Ben Charles of Crazy Faith Ministries and Forespring for taking them each off guard. Handing them his card, Hall said he hoped there could be some communication.

After Hall left, Charles said to this reporter, “I’m not hard to get a hold of….The challenge is, they refuse to put in writing the process and the location and that makes me apprehensive. I’ve asked multiple times, but have received nothing in writing. I think the lack of trust and lack of follow through - I’ll be honest - does have something to do with communication, and sitting down….I haven’t heard of any alternative locations.

"Not feeding is not an option – should the city not offer a viable location without delay…then we will have to continue feeding where we are at. I dare say they will have to fine us and arrest us. Passing this was a mistake…it saddens me.”

Indeed, Crazy Faith Ministries is not hard to get a hold of.  Today, I contacted Charles by email to ask a few questions and received a detailed response within two hours.

In the email, I asked, in part, what contact he has had to date with the city. Charles responded:

“City manager Steve Hall finally sent me an email last night, the first since October 10. He stated he was not able to get ahold of me via phone - probably because my last email to him stated that email is the form of communication we will use from now on so there is a written form of what is being stated as well as for our response…. Even at last Tuesday night’s city council meeting I told him he would need to email me and yet he still says he tried to call. So I did respond to them to send me what they would like to talk about and as of right now, 1:00 pm on Wednesday, December 10^th, there is still nothing from Steve Hall in response. When I see Steve Hall tonight I will bless him but he can email their suggestions to me so I can have the time to make sure about their wording.” 

Crazy Faith Ministries Serves Hundreds

Crazy Faith Ministries chose the specific location near the transit station on purpose:  Charles says that two years ago, he asked street people themselves where they would like Crazy Faith to set up and asked where the worst drug deals went down.

"They responded, 'behind the 4th Ave Tav,' so that's where we decided to set up. Street people say the crime situation in that area is better now," said Charles. 

A graduate of North Thurston High School, Cheyanne French, 19, of Lacey, spoke tonight to city council. She said in an interview earlier tonight that she’s been volunteering with Crazy Faith since August, and was homeless for a few months when she was eight years old in Olympia.

“I like it. I like the feel of helping and seeing people’s happy faces because they’re able to eat something warm.” Her best friend, Kayla Butterfield, 18, agreed.

Butterfield’s mother, Heather Swedburg, also stood nearby. Swedburg said she got involved last August when she heard that Little Caesar’s Hope of Love truck donated 200 pizzas to Crazy Faith.

Asked why she helps out, she responded, “Why not? People need help – everyone has been there where they need help…."

Before the council meeting, Charles gathered a group of supporters around him, prayed, and gave them some advice, “We love our street family where they’re at – we’re not doing anything different now than we were doing before – we’re handing out snack packs, loving people, right where they’re at….Speak from your heart, out of love. That’s how we want to leave things on the table. We’re setting forth to spread God’s Word to the hurting….”

Above: Warm hats, gloves, coats and blankets were free for the taking on Thursday night while Crazy Faith Ministries served hot food and drinks in downtown Olympia across from Intercity Transit on State and Washington Street.

Thursday Night – On The Other Side of the Table

At Washington and State Streets, dinner is served by Crazy Faith Ministries on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m., and Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. They plan to be there on Christmas Day also. 

It was 28 degrees last Thursday night when I volunteered for Crazy Faith Ministries and served about 100 people who needed food. Not as many as usual were present due to the extreme cold. I admit I originally intended to go down and speak with organizers and some folks about their circumstances, but there was no time to talk.

Appropriately, I was instead voluntarily pressed into service because there was a need, so I handed out apples and oranges, while my girlfriend served coffee and hot chocolate. One and a half hours later, my plastic gloved fingers were numb and my hips hurt, frozen in place.

Getting there before the organizers, we witnessed two vans chock full of supplies driving into the parking lot across from Intercity Transit on Washington and State Street, behind Bayside Quilting.

With military precision, organizers jumped out and volunteers, standing by, proceeded to quickly set up two white tents with wind flaps to enclose the space of three parking lot stalls. Next came several tables, hot food and drinks, and several bags full of warm hats, gloves, coats and blankets. Empty black trash bags were tied to the tents to use as trash receptacles.

After a few short words from Ben Charles, a Lower Elwha Klallam tribal member, dinner was served.

Michelle asked each person what they would like to eat: chili with meat, pizza, biscuits and ham gravy, or chicken fettuccine. At first it was a choice, but early on, when someone asked for everything, everyone asked for everything, and everyone got everything. Then some came back for seconds.

There were single male adults, single women, a woman with a little girl, teenagers, and seemingly unaccompanied children.  A little blond girl about 9 years old boldly asked for food while her mom hung back. The mom explained that her daughter wanted to ask for herself.

While my offering of apples and oranges was not popular at first, when I suggested to a child that he take some for later, he did, and others followed suit.

When a little boy, about aged 9, asked for four of everything, I gawked as he took one of everything back to the car where his mom and siblings stayed warm. I just about lost it, and looked over at my girlfriend. She was too busy to notice. She was serving straight hot coffee, hot chocolate with coffee, or water.  

Ed Mills, of Lacey, and his daughter came to help also. Mills says it was his first time helping out, and brought 10 large pizzas from Little Caesar’s in Lacey. When he bought five, employees spontaneously matched his five with five free pizzas. The pizzas were very popular, and were the first food to run out.

Despite the intense cold, people lingered around the table, the light, and each other.

The Mission of Crazy Faith Ministries

Denise and Ben Charles of Olympia have three children ages 13, 9, and 7 and started their ministry in January 2011, after Ben Charles resigned from his job as a traveling speaker for finances.

A blog article by Denise Charles in March 2011 explains, “The Bible says that "He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." ~John 14:6. We are madly in Love with Jesus and we believe that with Him, all things are possible! And we mean literally everything, and that is why we are called "Crazy Faith!”

A stay-at-home mom, Denise Charles said tonight, “We live on faith. It’s been an incredible testament to prayer. We’ve sacrificed….Building relationships is transformational, and that’s what will change our city – our street family is every bit a part of our community as they are,” she said, referring to the city council and staff.

She added that Saturdays are difficult for their street family.  “We especially see a lot of youth on Saturdays – there’s a gap there, no resources for them….” She said she appreciates everyone who has donated food, saying that Costco donated turkeys on Thanksgiving. “People pull together…."

When I shared my thoughts with Ben Charles in an email today about my experience last Thursday night, Charles wrote back:

“The Olympian editorial today catered to hide the things the city is really trying to do. And that is sad….Yes, lots of new faces each and every week. That again is sad. We do see a lot of the same people often. Lots of children at different times. The young man you saw that night, I know the mother very well. We help keep an eye on the kiddos when they are there as well. Many parents with children will come and know we love our Street Family and their children so they spend extra time with us…..I also have hundreds of adopted street sons and daughters I see regularly. Not just at the feeds but when we stop by to check on them.” 

Crazy Faith Ministries appreciates donations of warm clothes, socks, gloves, blankets, food being made/bought, and servers.