MISSION:

To provide lodging, food and companionship to homeless families with children, using the church facilities.

HOW IT WORKS:

The Unitarian Universalist Area Church is a member of the Metrowest Interfaith Hospitality Network. This is a group of churches and synagogues affiliated with Family Promise www.familypromise.org, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping low-income and homeless families reclaim and maintain independence. The Network takes responsibility for up to fourteen homeless people, providing meals and lodging at the member churche' facilities each night on a rotating schedule. The Network also hires an Executive Director and maintains a Day Center where guests pursue housing, jobs and social services during the day.

During host week, the families will arrive at the church on Sunday afternoon. Beds belonging to the Network will be delivered from the previous host church. Each family will be given its own room to be used during the week. Families have dinner and breakfast at the host church. During the day, they go to the Day Center where the Executive Director works with them to find jobs, housing and whatever services they need. The families leave for the next church the following Sunday.

UU PRINCIPLES:

Housing for the Homeless (1988) - to work to establish, strengthen and fund programs to assist low-income individuals, families and the homeless on local, and state levels; to work to provide transitional housing with social services for families and individuals, as well as emergency short-term shelter that will assure safety, privacy, and dignity for persons in need...

Ending Hunger - 1987 General Resolution - Be it further resolved: That Unitarian Universalists work with organizations on local, state, provincial, national, and international levels toward the establishment of programs that hasten the elimination of hunger in both the short and long term -

A Job, A Home, A Hope (1995): - support of private and public programs that empower people of all ages who are homeless to improve their own lives, that reduce dependency -

SCHEDULE:

The Metrowest Interfaith Hospitality Network currently (January 2006) has seven churches enrolled. The goal is to enroll thirteen, so that each church would host families approximately once every three months. When the Network is running, UUAC will have a schedule of weeks to host.

PARTICIPATION:

Hosting IHN is a large commitment. Many volunteers are needed to prepare meals, serve dinner and eat with the guests, stay overnight and prepare breakfast. Several members have expressed interest in working on this project. St. Theresa's Church in Sherborn has offered to provide volunteers to help with this project. A complete schedule of volunteer opportunities will be provided before the Network begins operation (expected in 2007).

GUIDELINES:

Extensive training for volunteers will be provided before this program gets underway. It is essential that all volunteers are sensitive to the needs of the guests and fully respect their privacy.

CONTACTS:

Joan Hunter: (508) 533-6202 or jbh_11@verizon.net
Barbie Breer: (508) 653-0636 or wmbarb1959@comcast.net
Katie Frassinelli: (508) 429-1793 or katefraz@yahoo.com