Cumberland Interfaith Hospitality Network, Inc.

Description

Families are screened and referred to us by several community agencies such as the Dept of Social Svcs, The Women's Center of Fayetteville NC, other local homeless shelters & homeless organizations. We are one of the few agencies in the Fayetteville/Cumberland County Metro area who keep the family together. Each family that enters our program receives individual attention and the counseling that best suits their circumstances. The staff, along with a variety of state & conty agencies, local businesses & other non-profit organizations, work together in order to make housing, employment & basic needs accessible to the families in the program. Each family is in the program for approx. thirty days. The Direct Svcs Coordinator helps the family identify resources available that will help them achieve their goals of employment & housing. They are also made aware of medical & legal resources available to them. Limited transportation is provided during the week so that these resources might be better utilized. Currently, Cumberland IHN has thirteen local congregations who, on a weekly basis, take turns providing homeless families with safe & comfortable overnight accommodations & meals at their respective churches. Volunteer hosts prepare the food, dine & stay overnight with the guests. Early in the morning, the Network's van picks up the families & takes them to the DayCenter. School age children go to their schools & working adults to their jobs. The purpose of the DayCenter is to provide a place for guests of CIHN to begin their search for housing, work & other identified goals. A telephone is available for their use & the DayCenter becomes their physical address for use in obtaining employment, housing & agency assistance. Showers, laundry facilities, a kitchen area & limited storage are also available for the guest families at CIHN.