Charity of the Month Autism Speaks Nominate a Charity Past Charities NCMEC ChemoAngels Childhelp The Hugs and Hope Club Operation Love Our Troops St. Andrew's Mission Soldiers' Angels Only Make Believe The Salvation Army Retinoblastoma Awareness O'Leary's Clover Farm Make a Child Smile Sew Much Comfort Dana's Angels Research Trust Lewy Body Dementia Assoc. Red Cross Tsunami Relief Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch Sara's Hope Angel Fund St. Luke's LifeWorks Grizz and Friends Cancer Fund Anne Arundel County CASA RT Autism Awareness Found. Friends of Claire Ben Bowen & Family Greg and Fiona's Run Pal-O-Mine Dec '03 - Jan '04 The Honeysuckle Foundation The Dream Center Tuesday's Children South Carolina Division National Ovarian Cancer Coalition Camp Smile-A-Mile The "I Have a Dream" Foundation Boys Hope Girls Hope Children of Promise Stables Stars over Mississippi Habitat for Humanity Portage for Youth Toys of Hope Locks of Love Michael's Journals Foundation September Smiles Wings for Success Only Make Believe Newborns in Need The Colleen Giblin Foundation Bobby Sherman Volunteer EMT Foundation Child Help USA Huggz from Heaven Small Paws Rescue Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation Give Kids The World Angel Flight NE Cassidy's Place The Casey Cares Foundation Duke Children's Hospital Hilltop Neighborhood House Boundless Playgrounds Kids Beating Cancer, Inc. Epiphany The Cody Unser First Step Foundation Kids For Kids National Interfaith Hospitality Network Dreams of Hope USPS Breast Cancer Research Stamp

More on National Interfaith Hospitality Network Reflections on NIHN How NIHN began For More Information: Telephone: 908 273 1100 Fax: 908 273 0030 Donations may be sent to: National Interfaith Hospitality Network 71 Summit Avenue Summit, NJ 07901 Website: http://www.nihn.org The interfaith hospitality network was created to provide shelter, meals, and comprehensive support to families without homes. Founded in New Jersey in 1986, IHN programs are now found in most states across the country, with more than 70,000 volunteers contributing their gifts of time and talent. The network program unites communities of faith in a collaborative effort to assist homeless families. Eight to thirteen "host" churches and synagogues provide accommodations and meals for three to five families (up to 14 people), for one week each two to three months on a rotating schedule. Community agencies assess homeless families and refer them to the Network. Volunteers at the congregations provide meals and support services. A central day center is provided by a Y, downtown church, or other community facility. Each Network also employs a Director who manages the program and works intensively with the families as they seek housing, jobs and other resources. Participating congregations furnish sleeping accommodations and a "hospitality room" where guests relax, socialize, do homework, or watch television. Guests arrive at the host congregation at 5:30 PM and remain overnight. The host congregation provides the evening meal, breakfast, and a bag lunch. In the morning, guests return to the day center. From there, children go to school and adult guests go to work or look for housing. Volunteers in the IHN program provide homeless families with basic human needs: shelter, safety, and sustenance with a spirit of warmth and hospitality. Congregations become temporary homes in which families are treated as guests and individuals are accepted as they are. In this environment, guests are able to maintain their dignity. The kindness of hosts helps to diminish the hurt of homelessness and both volunteers and guests grow and learn from each other.