Volunteer in Gainesville, Florida - Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN)

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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: Donna Lawson, IHN Director, (352) 378-2030, director@ihngvl.org, P.O. Box 880, Gainesville, FL 32602-0880

Who they are: aaa

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.

First Baptist Church
First Presbyterian Church
First United Methodist Church
Grace United Methodist Church
Highlands Presbyterian Church
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
Trinity United Methodist Church
United Church of Gainesville
Westminster Presbyterian Church
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

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.

Diapers, underwear, socks, deodorant, disposable razors, toothbrushes, baby wipes, suitcases, large plastic tubs to carry clothes/personal items, WalMart and Target gift cards, grocery store gift cards, Long distance phone cards, gas cards, movie and bowling passes (for weekend use for guest families), gift certificates for fast food restaurants, laundry soap, liquid bleach, paper towels, toilet paper, kitchen-size garbage bags, tissues, soap, kitchen and bathroom disinfectant cleaners, four-drawer file cabinets, ten new chairs, printer cartridges - #15, 78, 56, 57, 22, copy paper, towels, wash cloths, scatter rugs with rubber backing, two new computers

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