Temporarily displaced families find shelter, assistance at local congregations

by Beth Leary

As the families with small children came through the door of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, their eyes brightened as they saw Donna Laws. Most have affection for her that warrants hugs. 

'These people are my family,' said Laws, program director for the Northwest Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network.

In early April, the 'temporarily displaced' families, who are clients of the network, were housed at St. Paul's, while parishioners from Our Mother of Consolation Church and the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields provided food and volunteers to stay overnight.

Typically, after dinner, which usually ends around 7:30 p.m., volunteers are available to help children with their homework. Meanwhile, the parents can relax or talk to other people. At 8:30 p.m., it's time to get the kids ready for bed, and 9:30 p.m. it's bedtime. There is always a volunteer that sleeps over to help the families feel comfortable. 

Breakfast is available anytime from 5:30 to 6:30, then the parents get the children ready to go to either daycare or school, and the parents have the use of a phone to find jobs, training and housing. With the staff of NPIHN, they work through issues of budgeting and health care. Some guests go to work, while older children and some adult guests attend school. 

Some shelters offer food, housing and a place to sleep, but never address other issues that may have contributed to this situation. The NPIHN believes that the 'temporarily displaced' families need more than food, clothing and shelter; they need to ask questions and get answers.

NPIHN was started in 1982 through the vision of Carol Young and Nick Wilson of the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill; Eileen Jones of First Presbyterian Church of Germantown; and Carol Clyde of the First United Methodist Church of Germantown, to name a few, who saw a great need to help the area homeless.

Karen Olsen, founder of the national Interfaith Hospitality Network, was contacted in 1981 for her expertise and guidance. She agreed that the Northwest Philadelphia area would benefit from such an organization.

Oak Lane Presbyterian Church was the first church that signed on to help, with Gwen Clay as the first executive director. To get this project off the ground, she was told to find a family that needed food, clothing and shelter.

'Many people thought it would be easy, but it wasn't,' said Young. So Clay walked the streets of Philadelphia and found a family 'living' at the Love Park fountain. They stayed with NPIHN for only one month, and, sadly, they returned to the streets.

Since that time, the NPIHN has made great strides and its reputation is well known in the assistance of 'temporarily displaced' residents.

NPIHN is a 'shelter that's not like a shelter.' 

The program involves accountability, responsibility and interaction, as well as improving parenting skills, spiritual, mental and financial health, improving education and finding affordable housing. Shirlyn Swann, fr example, vice president of community affairs for PNC, offers financial education.

Under the guidance of Laws and executive director Rachel Falkove, NPIHN has started to receive the recognition and funding from sources beyond the participating congregations.

Previously, the organization depended solely on the good hearts and benevolence of participating churches and synagogues, including Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting; Christ Ascension Church; First Presbyterian Church in Germantown; First United Methodist Church of Germantown; Germantown Community Presbyterian Church; Germantown Jewish Centre; Oak Lane Presbyterian Church; St. Paul's Episcopal Church; Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill; Unitarian Society of Germantown; Second Baptist Church of Germantown; as well as buddy congregations including Christ Church and St. Michaels; Germantown Mennonite Church; Janes United Memorial Methodist; New Covenant Presbyterian Church; Mt. Airy Presbyterian Church; Our Mother of Consolation Church; Reformation Lutheran Church; Unitarian Universalist Church of the Restoration; and First Presbyterian Church, Springfield. Donations are now forthcoming from private foundations, as well as from the city and federal governments.

The homeless numbers are staggering. Sixty-one percent of people in shelters are families. Family homelessness has increased 20 percent per year for the past three years. One of the reasons for this is the shortage of affordable housing, as well as the fact that jobs are moving away from the city.

Over the past 12 years, the shelter has cared for over 200 families, and has helped them move on with their lives. The NPIHN also has handles numerous phone calls, counseling to point families in the right direction.

There are a multitude of success stories. One in particular involves the Germantown Jewish Center and its congregation. 'There was a physician in my congregation. During that time, there was a woman in the program who was going to college to get a degree. Because of the connections made with volunteers, this woman received an old laptop that helped her finish the degree; she was able to get a job at a nursing home near her new housing, which allowed her to balance her school schedule and attend to her families' needs. She stayed in college and said goodbye to the NPIHN ‹ she was able to get her own home,' said Falkove.

Chestnut Hill College and Arcadia University also support NPIHN, with, for example, babysitting services and the annual Empty Bowl fundraising dinner.

Offerings from congregants at two Thanksgiving services helped the network fund its relocation to the Mt. Airy Presbyterian Church, at Germantown and Mt. Pleasant Avenues.

Even though the NPIHN receives donations from many organizations, they remain in continuous need of fimoney, plus household goods in good condition, especially children's clothes and booster seats. They also need auxiliary assistance for grant writing, financial committees, writers, photographers, secretarial help and public relations.

Remember, the next time you have a few extra dollars and want to buy that CD that you don't really need, send it to the NPIHN. You will be giving a family the greatest gift ‹ independence and a second chance! 

Northwest Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network can be reached at 215-247-4663.