R.A.I.H.N Rochester Area Interfaith Hospitality Network
Messiah is part of the Rochester Area Interfaith Hospitality Network, a group of churches that provides adequate shelter and stability to homeless families. Some of the churches in the network provide housing for a week at a time, other churches partner with the host churches to provide services during that week. Messiah partners with Incarnate Word, who provides the shelter. Each church or team of churches provides support for one week; there are 13 teams of churches in the network. The families in the system are selected because they are excellent candidates to become self-sufficient within 6 months or so, and need housing, meals and training during the period of support. Our goal is to have the families re-established in their own apartments in that time.
Volunteers are needed as:
Bus drivers (children remain in their own schools during this time, parents to support agencies)
Babysitters for younger children while parents are receiving services
Hosts at the churches to stay with the families at the churches
Cooks to provide meals for the families
Laundry providers to wash the bed linens after the families stay at Incarnate Word
For more opportunities to help, please call the church office.
