Outreach Programs: Interfaith Hospitality Network
About the Ministry:
Ridgewood participates actively in the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cleveland. We host several local homeless families for a week-long period approximately four times a year. This usually involves many volunteers from our church that act in every aspect of this ministry both behind the scenes in setting up, taking down or washing the bedding, as well as hands-on with cooking breakfast or dinner or spending time with the families in the evenings. Training is provided free of charge to all volunteers who will have hands-on contact with our guests by our IHN volunteer coordinator. The information below is from the IHN of Greater Cleveland website:
"Thousands of children go to bed each night in Cleveland
with no place to call home.
IHN offers light to families amidst the darkness of homelessness and instills
a spirit of hope."
~ Kay Bork, IHN Founder and Board Vice President
Mission
The Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cleveland is a private, non-profit organization providing hospitality, meals, and support to homeless families through a network of religious congregations. IHN mobilizes Greater Cleveland’s religious community to respond to the needs of our community’s most vulnerable: homeless families.
The mission of the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cleveland is to provide hospitality to homeless families. IHN offers compassionate care to homeless families, alleviates the trauma of homelessness and assists families in securing a stable home. IHN provides a caring, dignified environment of overnight hospitality in church and synagogue facilities, and provides an array supportive services to help families become self-sufficient.
History
IHN is part of a national organization of 120 local networks called Family Promise. Cleveland’s Network started in July of 1998 with eight participating congregations and a handful of volunteers. Since then IHN has grown to 60 congregations and 3,000 active volunteers. In 2004 IHN doubled its capacity to serve homeless families by opening a Family Center and Network on Cleveland’s West Side. In 2005 IHN initiated the Homeless Family Support Project: 5 volunteer-led programs designed to support and nurture homeless families.
Service Model
IHN employs an innovative and economical model of care. Each evening congregations and their volunteers welcome homeless families as guests into their church or synagogue buildings, providing meals and overnight shelter. Each day guest families utilize one of two Family Centers where they care for young children and work with a social worker to regain housing and self-sufficiency. IHN’s 2005 cash budget of $380,000 was exceeded by the value of volunteer in-kind donations.
IHN Programs
1. Food & Shelter – Through IHN congregations become temporary homes in which families are treated as guests and are able to maintain their dignity. IHN guests are sheltered each night in church and synagogue facilities throughout Greater Cleveland and are cared for by congregation volunteers. Guests stay for a week at each host congregation, arriving at 5:30 p.m. and leaving at 7:00 a.m. Most congregations provide hospitality 4 weeks a year.
Host congregations convert classrooms or a social hall into bedrooms for their host week (roll-away beds and room dividers are provided). 50 volunteers each week serve home-cooked dinners, lunch and breakfast, spend time with guests in the evening and stay with guests overnight. Most volunteer shifts are 2 to 3 hours. Some congregations act as support congregations, providing volunteer support to a nearby hosting congregation.
2. Transportation - IHN transports guest children to and from their original school and transports families between the hosting congregations and the Family Centers. Through this program guest children are able to maintain a stable and consistent “school life” while their “home life” is disrupted. IHN also provides bus tickets for guests to use while seeking employment, housing and other services.
3. The Family Center – During the day guest families use one of IHN’s two Family Centers as their home base. The Shaker Heights and Tremont Family Centers both include: showers, laundry; private rooms; kitchen; workspace used to seek housing and employment.
4. Homeward Bound Project - IHN guests receive professional, social work case management and practical support to help them regain housing and stability.
5. Homeless Family Support Project –This project marshals the time and talent of IHN’s volunteers to provide specialized support to homeless families.
- Jump-Start Project – Volunteers teach guest skills to help them achieve financial and residential stability. Services include budget counseling, resume writing and a job bank.
- Welcome Wagon – Volunteers help guest families furnish & equip their new homes upon leaving IHN. We call it “Extreme Makeover: IHN Edition”. >
- Mentoring Project – Guidance and follow-up support offered to IHN families through volunteer mentors.
- Just Neighbors – Congregations and volunteers are educated about the root causes of poverty and homelessness and organized to advocate for change.
- H.O.P.E. (Healthy Opportunities for Play and Enrichment) – Volunteers take IHN guest families on weekend education activities and trips to local parks and cultural institutions.
Site Design by Mar Bruner