Interfaith Homeless Network

The Inter-Faith Homeless Network (IHN) was created to provide shelter, meals, and comprehensive support to families without homes. Hixson UMC is one of many area churches that participate in this community effort. Community agencies assess homeless families and refer them to IHN. At HUMC we host the families 4 times a year for 7 consecutive nights.

As a host congregation, our church becomes a temporary home where families are treated as guests and individuals are accepted as they are. We furnish sleeping accommodations and a “hospitality room” where guests relax, socialize, do homework, or watch television. In this environment, guests are able to maintain their dignity. The kindness of our hosts help to diminish the hurt of homelessness, and both volunteers and guests grow and learn from each other.

Each day during the week guests arrive at 5:30 p.m. and remain overnight. We provide the evening meal, breakfast, and a bag lunch. In the morning, guests return to the day center. From there, children go to school and adult guests go to work or look for housing.

Everyone - families and singles, young and old, can have a place in this ministry of hospitality as "entertaining angels, unaware". All you need to bring is a caring heart and a warm smile. We need more than 50 people to each time we host IHN.