5th Anniversary of Interfaith Hospitality Network!
Congratulations to Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Rochester (IHN) on their 5th anniversary of serving homeless families in Rochester! Thank you to Joanne Markee, Executive Director; Emily Otto, Family Stabilizer Counseler; and over 1200 volunteers for helping homeless families get back on their feet.
Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Rochester http://www.ihn-greater-rochester.org/) provides temporary housing and assistance to homeless families with children. IHN is part of a national organization called Family Promise. (www.nihn.org).
IHN of Greater Rochester has over 39 congregations involved! The host sites take turns providing temporary overnight housing for the families for 1 week at a time. The support congregations help to cook dinner for the guests, play with the children, and help children with their homework. There is a day center where families can go during the day. The day center also provides guests with a mailing address and a base for housing and employment searches.
A family stabilizer counselor is available to provide life skills training for the parents and to help them find housing and employment. The counselor also works with the family for one year after they find housing so the families do not fall back into homelessness.
Even though the children served at Interfaith Hospitality Network have only their families and a few belongings, they are thankful for what they have and always greet the volunteers with a smile. To celebrate the anniversary of IHN and National Poetry Month, here is a poem about some of the children I have met when volunteering for Interfaith Hospitality.
Children of Interfaith Hospitality Network
Three year old Thomas exclaims "It's my Birthday Today"
As he runs to the living room to watch TV and play.
I watch his brown eyes light up and his face beam,
When we celebrate his birthday with cake and ice cream
With all families gathered in the dining space,
Five year old Katie bows her head and leads the dinner grace
Asking God to bless the poor
When all she has is her family of four.
Two year old Angel runs through the church door,
Her red patent leather boots race across the floor.
She grins at volunteer Carol and gives her pant leg a tug.
Carol scoops her up and gives her a hug.
I asked the little girl at Saturday Noon Meals if she remembered me,
We watched Wizard of Oz together at Interfaith Hospitality.
She smiled shyly at me and turned to the lady next to her
"She helps people with their homework", she said in a whisper.
