The nominations are in for the 12 Days of Charitable Giving 2010. Our tenth of twelve charities to be featured this year is Northwest Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network whose mission is to mobilize resources and volunteers among the diverse congregations and communities of Northwest Philadelphia in direct response to the needs of homeless families for temporary shelter, encouragement, and support..
Here’s what our nominee had to say:
Below is information about an organization that helped K & I last year. From 9-05-2008 until 12-26-2009, K & I were homeless. K’s business had no jobs most of 2008 and all of 2009. I had a job but could not afford to pay for rent and all the other bills we had on my salary. We were forced to leave our apartment and spent part of the time moving from place to place and finally ended up at NPIHN.
One of place we lived was an abandoned building. NPIHN program has families stay in churches. It feels a lot better than an abandoned building. If NPIHN had not taken us in, we would have been living in our cars or worse.
They could really use the money.
“The shelter that’s not like a shelter”
NPIHN
7047 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19119
215-247-HOME(4663)Video introduction to IHN: http://www.familypromise.org/ihn-video
PBS Segment: http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/7374-a-shelter-for-families-in-need-built-by-many-willing-hands
—
You can watch a slide show about NPIHN here:
I can’t say anything better than our nominee already did in terms of the work that NPIHN does. However, here’s a final thought for you about the organization: According to the network’s website, 92 percent of families that go through its program don’t return to shelters.
Supporting IHN’s anywhere is a great way to bring purpose and stability to folks who are beyond the fringes of society.
Our church in Wilmington, NC, Winter Park Baptist Church (FBC), is a full participant in the Wilmington Inter-faith Hospitality Network (WIHN). Besides providing shelter and food for those who are in need, WIHN facilitiesand volunteers help in securing more permanent housing and medical services for the families in their care, assistance with filling out job applications and resumes’; transportation to and from jobs that some may have, however temporary; and make lasting relationships providing that bond of community to those most in need.
IHN is a great way to help provide year-round charitable help to many who otherwise would believe the world doesn’t care, and may have given up hope long ago.
Make your contributions count, but make a contribution. NPIHN would appreciate your financial and personal support I’m sure.