Interfaith Hospitality Network
The Interfaith Hospitality Network is an organization devoted to providing shelter, meals and comprehensive assistance to homeless families as they return to a more stable life. There are currently 47 faith communities who work in partnership to provide basic needs and emergency shelter when the families enter the network. The families are required to meet with a social worker through the Family Stabilizer Counselor Program. They work with them for one year and assist them with employment and permanent housing. They also attend life skills training classes regarding financing, parenting, rental and legal issues.
This is an extraordinary program that helps families that are homeless get back to a stable and productive life. Churches work together to host and feed the families for a week at a time, 4 times a year when they are new to the program. St. Luke’s volunteers can prepare dinner for the families, be a host for the evening, or transport the children to and from school. All volunteers must complete a 2 hour training session.
2011 St. Luke’s Hosting Weeks: February 6-13, May 8-15, July 10-17 and November 20-27
If you are interested in being part of this effort, contact Anne Shelby at 288-2469 or stlukes@deskmedia.com.
Daily Routine:
The IHN Day Center is the base of operation for families while they search for jobs and permanent housing. Every Sunday, families move to a new host church. At 5:00 p.m. families return to their host church. they are served a meal, enjoy some social time then go to their individual/family room to sleep on air mattresses. they wake up early in the morning, have breakfast and the IHN van takes families to the IHN Day Center and the children to school.
The Day Center:
The Day Center houses the Rochester IHN Office staff and is the base of operation for families while they search for jobs and permanent housing. It has showers, a laundry facility, a kitchen, nap room, and play areas for the kids. Guests also are able to make phone calls for housing and job searches. A licensed social worker provides family stabilization services for the guests. There is also a program for the children – called Home Start – in which trained teachers come in and have structured learning and play with the children for two hours a day, four days a week. The garage is full of “gently” used items that are used to help guests furnish their new homes.
Transitional House:
Rochester IHN also has a house to help families move into permanent housing.
Volunteering:
We have many opportunities for service -
- Preparing Meals
- Serving Meals
- Playing With The Kids
- Overnight Hosts
- Driving
- Maintenance and Repairs at the Day Center and Transitional House
- Helping Move
- Technical Support
2010 Statistics:
- 24 families, 80 people, 28 adults, 52 children, 24 under age 5
- 9 housing, 1 transitional housing, 6 withdrew, 5 terminated, 3 in program
- 7,422 meals, 788 nights, 2,514 beds
- 12,607 volunteer hours, 1,851 volunteers
- 876 training hours, 438 trained
- 765.5 day center volunteer hours, 148 day center volunteers
- In-kind donations – $20,653
