Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) of Greater Gainesville

Interfaith Hospitality Network is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing support and shelter for homeless families with children in Gainesville.

Website: http://www.ihngvl.org/involved.shtml

Contact: (352) 378-2030, gainesvilleihn@gmail.com

P.O. Box 5189, Gainesville, FL, 32627-5189

What they do: Interfaith Hospitality Network coordinates efforts to feed and provide shelter for homeless families. It brings many churches and people together of all faiths to work toward this common goal. The families are housed in places of worship and members of the congregations provide transportation, companionship, and meals for them. IHN staff members work to give counseling, assistance in finding jobs, day care or school placement, affordable housing, and medical care. The goal of IHN is to provide temporary shelter for homeless families while equipping them for independence and living in a home of their own.

What YOU can do to help: Volunteers are needed in each support or host congregation.

Host Congregations:

First United Methodist Church 

Grace United Methodist Church 

Covenant Presbyterian Church

Holy Trinity Episcopal Church

The Family Church  

Trinity United Methodist Church 

United Church of Gainesville 

Westminster Presbyterian Church  

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

First Presbyterian Church

Support Congregations:

Archer United Methodist Church

Bnai Israel

Emmanuel Mennonite Church

Fellowship With Christ Church

First Missionary Baptist Church

Flemington Baptist

Greater Bethel AME

Holy Faith Catholic Church

Johnson Chapel Baptist Church

Kanapaha Presbyterian Church

Lubavitch Jewish Center

Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church

Northwest Baptist Church

Pnai Or Jewish Renewal

Queen of Peace Catholic Church

Sanctuary of Enduring Faith Ministries

Servants of Christ Anglican Church

Temple Shir Shalom

The Seraphim Center & Chapel

The Vineyard

University Evangelical Lutheran Church

 

In addition, VOLUNTEERS are needed in the following areas:

Encourage your own congregation to be a IHN Support or Host congregation.

Participate in the Golf Event and other fund-raisers. 

Provide jobs for guest adults. 

Sponsor fund-raisers.

Donate a car that a guest family can use for transportation.

Work at the Day Center during the week answering phones, helping with paperwork and mailings, helping with fundraisers, and interacting with guests.

Maintain the lawn at the Day Center by mowing the grass and maintaining flower beds.

Provide activities for children on the weekends at the Day Center.

Pick up and deliver furniture donations for the guest families.

Host an Undie Sunday at your place of worship where members of the congregation bring in underwear and socks

DONATIONS are also needed.

You can also help by putting together a “Moving In” Basket for a guest family who will be leaving the shelter or move into a new home. Fill a laundry basket with the following items: 

  Paper towels

  Potholders

  Toilet paper

  Soaps and body wash

  Disinfectant cleaners

  Dish towels

  Shampoos and conditioners

  Sponges

  Dish soap

  Batteries

  Shower curtain and hooks

  Cooking utensils and tools

  Small tool set

  Eating utensils,

  Toothbrushes

  Toothpaste

  Garbage bags