Interfaith Hospitality Network

What is it?

A mother loses her job, a father is kept from working by an injury, a family is forced from their home by fire or natural disaster. Healthcare costs soar, public transportation is under funded, affordable housing is almost impossible to find. These are the
reasons why families now make up 40 percent of the homeless population, and why one out of every four homeless people is a child.

In response to this crisis, the Interfaith Hospitality Network brings the faith community together to help families regain their housing, their independence, and their dignity. IHN is a partnership of congregations within a community helping families who are facing homelessness. It offers an opportunity for volunteers of all faiths to reduce homelessness and transform lives.

The Interfaith Hospitality Network of the Roanoke Valley is comprised of 30 congregations and over 1000 volunteers who provide temporary housing and meals to homeless families. Each congregation provides private rooms, meals, and volunteers for one week at a time.

How We Help Families:
- Shelter 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
- Three meals daily
- Transportation to/from overnight shelter
- Full service Day Center
- Professional Case Management and Referral
- Empower families in securing employment and housing
- Life Skills, Budget Management, Vocational Training & Education
- Security Deposit Assistance (for families who secure permanent housing)
- Donations of Furniture and Household goods
- Extended family of deeply committed volunteers

Who Is Eligible?
- Families with children
- Families must be free from alcohol and illegal drug abuse, free of mental health crisis, pose no threat to other RVIHN guests, and willing to abide by Guest Guidelines.

How can I be a part of this mission to our community?
Contact CLC using the information on the left side of this web page to find out more about these opportunities to serve:

Be a dinner host — Tue, Thur, Sat: (5:30 - 8:30 PM)

  • Receive food for evening meal and prepare dining room for dinner
  • Welcome guests to host congregation
  • Serve/self-serve dinner to guests (buffet or family style
  • Sit down with guests and share the meal together
  • Clean up kitchen and dining area with guests
  • Refrigerate any leftovers
  • Interact with families - may help with home work or organized activities for children or activities for the whole family or allow for family time
  • Provide listening ear as needed

Be an overnight host—Tue, Thur, Sat: (8:30 p.m.—7:00 a.m.)

  • Make sure that all guests are in the building at 10 p.m.
  • Offer assistance/back-up to parents as needed
  • Remind families of lunch supplies in kitchen should they need to prepare lunches for next day
  • Lights out at 11 p.m.
  • All rooms will have alarm clocks, check to see if wake-up call is desired
  • Make coffee and set out breakfast foods
  • IHN van arrives at 7:00 a.m. during the week and on Sunday morning. Saturday may be later.

Contribute dinner food or staple item

  • Select an item from the menu sign-up sheet
  • Prepare and deliver the dish or staple to the fellowship hall between 5:10 and 5:30 p.m. (unless other arrangements have been made)

Join set up crew (on Sunday afternoon of host week)

  • Vacuum designated sleeping rooms
  • Empty trash cans and replace liners
  • Diagram placement of tables and chairs in room so they may be put in original place at end of week
  • Secure tables and other items in room
  • Move beds and other items from storage into the sleeping rooms as indicated

Join take down crew (7 a.m. on Sunday morning after host week)

  • Remove beds and other items from sleeping rooms and return to storage
  • Empty trash cans and replace liners
  • Return tables and chairs to original location in the room