From Wanda Crawford, Congregational Lead for IHNGC at St. John’s:
As we worry about families, friends, and neighbors, we are also thinking of members of our community who are particularly vulnerable to being forgotten or underserved. Among the vulnerable are children and parents who are homeless.
For over 15 years, St. John’s has partnered with IHNGC (Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati), which serves families who are homeless. Through financial support and volunteers, St. John’s is part of a network of faith congregations that provide hospitality to IHN families in emergency shelter. We do this 4-5 times a year. Typically, families stay overnight in church basements.
Now, because of COVID-19, IHNGC has had to change a lot of things, including how they feed, shelter, and show love to families in need. For the safety of the families and volunteers while Ohio’s Stay at Home order is in place, families are being sheltered at a hotel where they have their own kitchen and bathroom spaces so they can self-isolate 24/7.
St. John’s still has commitments in 2020 to provide hospitality to IHN families, and our next hosting week is April 5-12. We do not have to provide any volunteers. But we still need to provide food and essentials the families can use while at the hotel. Since we are not allowed to cook and deliver food to them, the best way we as a faith community can support the 4 families we will be hosting-from-a-distance is financial donations to IHNGC.
Please consider a donation of $10, $20 or more that can be used for snacks, meals, and essentials. Between IHNGC staff and our network leads, we will make sure each of our 4 families has the groceries and personal items they need.
You can donate directly at the IHNGC website by visiting: www.ihncincinnati.org/take-action/give When filling out the donation form, please list St. John’s UU as your congregation.
Or you can order a Kroger gift card in increments of $10 (no more than $50 per card), and mail to IHNGC at 990 Nassau Ave., Cincinnati OH 45206.
As your congregational lead for IHNGC, I am so grateful and proud of our congregation’s continuing commitment to this organization that loves, shelters, and helps families go from the trauma of homelessness to stable housing.
-Wanda Crawford