Summit Presbyterian Church

Interfaith Hospitality Network by Peggy MacGregor

Posted by: Chelsea Badeau on Sun, Dec 4, 2011

During the week of October 23-29, under the supervision of Margaret Van Um-mersen, 18 members of Summit provided hot dinners to 4 women and 5 children who were spending three weeks at the Mennon-ite Church of Germantown as part of the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN). Seven more members also provided over-night supervision. IHN coordinates local churches to provide housing and food for a small number of homeless women and children who are part of their program, which offers all kinds of mentoring, counseling, financial services, job location, and assistance in finding per-manent housing. IHN continues its con-nection with these families long after they graduate from the program. Margaret re-ports that IHN is a very impressive organi-zation. They are located in the NIM build-ing on Germantown Avenue next to Mt. Airy playground, and their website is philashelter.org. Click to read more.

During the week of October 23-29, under the supervision of Margaret Van Um-mersen, 18 members of Summit provided hot dinners to 4 women and 5 children who were spending three weeks at the Mennon-ite Church of Germantown as part of the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN). Seven more members also provided over-night supervision.
IHN coordinates local churches to provide housing and food for a small number of homeless women and children who are part of their program, which offers all kinds of mentoring, counseling, financial services, job location, and assistance in finding per-manent housing. IHN continues its con-nection with these families long after they graduate from the program. Margaret re-ports that IHN is a very impressive organi-zation. They are located in the NIM build-ing on Germantown Avenue next to Mt. Airy playground, and their website is philashelter.org.

Diane Baylor, who with her daughter Sheree volunteered for the first time as overnight hosts, said that she found the ex-perience „very rewarding and humbling, and that there is so much we take for granted.‟ She wishes she had taken a few of her grandchildren to share the experi-ence, and she also recommends that every church member participate in helping IHN and the families. She was very impressed with how hard the women were working for their families.

Margaret is thankful to all of the people who helped this October, especially those who did it for the first time. There will be another opportunity to volunteer this spring.

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