Sherry Shoemaker a member of the Blue Bell Rotary Club and a Board member of the Inter-Faith Housing Alliance, gave a presentation on the Inter-Faith Alliance
Inter-Faith Housing Alliance provides opportunities for families in our diverse community to achieve self-sufficiency by offering community-based programs designed to bridge homelessness and independence. It is an affiliate of Family Promise

Since 1982, Inter-Faith Housing Alliance Inter-Faith Housing Alliance | Helping Families Overcome Homelessness (i-fha.org) has been serving vulnerable families in Montgomery County who are experiencing homelessness.

Founder Lei Barry’s call to action was born of personal experience. In 1965, she and her two children became homeless. Because Lei and her family struggled for years before being able to access the resources needed to improve their lives, she and other members of the community launched a 24-hour emergency hotline to connect homeless families with community resources.

Within seven years, the program evolved to also provide emergency shelter, food, and crucial services to homeless families. Lei mobilized a coalition of faith-based organizations within the Montgomery County community to establish the Interfaith Hospitality Network. It was the first Pennsylvania affiliate and the fourth in the nation.

In 1995, Inter-Faith Housing Alliance expanded once again to meet community needs by establishing Hope Gardens. This long-term transitional housing program provides an opportunity for families to resolve their homelessness through intensive case management and life skills training while having access to safe, stable housing.

The Food Cupboard in Abington, which has served Montgomery County families in need since 1970, became a program of Inter-Faith Housing Alliance in 2001. The Cupboard, located in Roslyn, last year assisted more than 2,900 individuals experiencing food insecurity.

In 2015, a generous gift from First Presbyterian Church of Ambler made possible the purchase of a home in Ambler Borough, now known as Hope Forest. This new supportive housing program aims to bridge the gap between transitional housing and total independence. Residents work toward paying fair market rent and receive light case management as they move toward self-sufficiency.

The Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) is Inter-Faith’s emergency shelter program. The Network provides Montgomery County families with children who are experiencing homelessness with a safe place to stay, along with supportive services, for up to 90 days. Inter-Faith Housing Alliance is a partner with Your Way Home of Montgomery County.

Our shelter delivery model is unique and cost-effective. Twenty-five “host” and “buddy” congregations house and support our families for one month each year at their places of worship. Families are provided with comfortable accommodations in classrooms converted to bedrooms. Volunteers from the congregation, who collectively contribute more than 3,000 hours of their time each year, prepare and share meals, provide overnight assistance, and help with transportation. Many volunteers make special connections to our families, often providing a level of genuine intrinsic support that bolsters our families and brings them further into a community that is invested in their success.

Hope Gardens is Inter-Faith Housing Alliance’s transitional housing program for low-income families with children. This program provides a secure home for families for up to two years while they gain the tools they need to become financially stable and self-sufficient. Hope Gardens is an eight-unit building with one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartments to accommodate families of various sizes.

Families living at Hope Gardens receive comprehensive support services to help ensure their long-term success, including intensive case management, life skills education, basic needs support, and aftercare to help ensure their long-term success and their continued stability after graduation from the program.

Inter-Faith Housing Alliance relies on volunteers to meet the needs of families we serve. Last year, more than 1,100 volunteers contributed 15,850 hours of their time. There are lots of ways you can get involved. Volunteers assist with our emergency shelter by providing meals, transportation, and overnight assistance; help in the office; sort donations; and help maintain our facilities.

Drone Golf Ball Drop balls are all sold out for 2021, make sure you get yours in 2022!

On Monday, May 24, when we’ll be back on the greens at beautiful Talamore Country Club for a day of fun, fellowship, and friendly competition to benefit families experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. The event will be held with appropriate social distancing protocols.

In 23 years, the tournament, Inter-Faith’s only annual fundraiser, has raised more than $535,000 to help families in need. Your generosity helped us to provide 11,272 bed-nights of shelter as well as food assistance to 2,900 individuals in 2020!