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Helping homeless families since 1993
Interfaith
Hospitality Network of the South Hills is an interdenominational program
that links local congregations to offer round-the-clock shelter, meals
and social services to homeless families in the southwestern Pennsylvania area.
You can help fight homelessness
by supporting IHN in many different ways.
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Who
do we help?
Homeless
families including:
- Husband and wife
(including common law) with or without children
- Single parent with
children
- Legal guardian or
custodial relative with children
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Research has
indicated that 2.3 to 3.5 million people experience an episode
of homelessness every year in America, while 900,000 to 1 million people
are without shelter every night |
How does IHN
work?
Shelter
24-hour shelter is provided, with evening and overnight accommodations
provided by area churches; our "host congregations." Guests are
transported to one of IHN's two Family Centers in Washington or Crafton during the day, where they
take care of daily living tasks, such as showering and laundry.
Family Centers
Guests work with staff to set
priorities and take the steps necessary to gain self-sufficiency.
Services are comprehensive and tailored to address specific family
issues, and are often continued after families leave our network.
Meals
Host congregation
volunteers provide a family-style evening meal as well as breakfast.
Guests use the Family Center kitchens to prepare their lunches.
Hospitality
IHN's trained volunteers welcome homeless families to their churches and
offer a caring, interactive environment. Network guests often form
valuable and beneficial friendships with congregation members. Many
guests have discovered community resources, employment leads, and
housing opportunities through interactions with volunteers.
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What does IHN offer homeless families?
Social Services:
- Implementing a service plan
and providing case management
- Increasing awareness and
utilization of other available services, benefits and resources
- Providing referral
information and access to other services and agencies
- Offering personal
counseling
- Assisting in securing
training and employment
- Enrolling children in
appropriate schools
- Arranging for any needed
medical or dental care
- Providing follow-up
support and services after families leave our Network
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Housing:
- Assisting
families in finding homes, in either the public or private sector,
often using volunteer resources and suggestions.
- Distributing
donated supplies; including food, paper, and personal items, to help
IHN families set up housekeeping.
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"I
pray the next family who finds themselves in IHN,
realize how truly blessed they are."
A former guest |
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