Family Shelter and Interfaith Hospitality Network – IHN
The overall goal and purpose of Family Promise is to provide children and their families as well as single women with shelter, basic needs and assistance as they seek permanent housing. Family Promise is unique in that it does not split up families during their crisis.
IHN is also unique in that it is able to meet the emergency needs of the families we serve through the hard work of a small staff and volunteers. With the united support of over 20 churches, the local Interfaith Hospitality Network serves up to 14 individuals daily; providing shelter, three daily meals and hospitality. The majority of the work is provided through 13 Host Congregations and 7 Support Congregations who house families in their facilities every night.
Our 5 program segments to achieve independence:
- Host Congregations/Support Congregations
- We are able to utilize existing community resources of the congregations to make every dollar count.
- Volunteers
- All the evening activities of housing, feeding, encouraging and interacting with the children and families are conducted by volunteers.
- Social Service Agencies
- Through the use of our office and case manager they are able to access community resources to search for employment and housing.
- Day Center
- During the day, families come to a “home base” which is our on-site Day Center, where they are busy taking care of family business.
- Transportation
- Key to their success is the fact that every family is connected to the community through volunteers at the congregations.
Families are able to build a new community network that helps them achieve their goals of independence.
This past year 3,000 Nights of Shelter and 10,000 meals were served by our host and support congregations.