Each night in Polk County, more than 400 adults and children in families are homeless; half are children. The impact of losing a home is traumatic, especially for children. The resulting instability creates insecurity, worry, low self-esteem, and difficulty focusing in school and studying.
At the Des Moines Area Interfaith Hospitality Network (DMIHN) we strive to create a safe, stable and nurturing environment for the children as well as to support the efforts of their parents in securing employment and housing.
The 2012 Garden Party will be held on Friday, June 15th, from 7-9 p.m. Mark your calendars now and plan to attend!
DMIHN's fifth annual garden party raised a record amount this year, which will help us to continue to provide support to help our guests find housing and jobs.
The popular event, held on June 24 at the backyard gardens of Drs. Bob and Becky Shaw, raised $14,449 - the most ever raised by this event.
DMIHN director Jim Cain said he is continually humbled by the generous financial support generated by the garden party.
"I want to thank everyone for purchasing tickets, giving donations and purchasing silent auction items," Cain said. "And I especially would like to thank our corporate sponsors who worked so hard to create such a wonderful event."
"With the ongoing economic challenges, the demands for DMIHN's services continue to grow. The generous support will enable us to continue to serve and help more families."
Five years has passed since the Des Moines Area Interfaith Hospitality Network (DMIHN) started hosting homeless families in area churches. While the number of families served has remained steady since the beginning, many key events have transpired to make the network the vital organization that it is today.
The following timeline is a recap of some of the key events that have occurred in the life of the organization:
Undoubtedly, the DMIHN experience has touched the lives of many guests and volunteers and positively impacted many congregations during the five years of active hosting. But here’s a few statistics from the first five years that demonstrate a true community response to homelessness:
Volunteers put the “hospitality” in Interfaith Hospitality Network by creating a home-like atmosphere where guests can receive what they need: rest, hope, respect, confidence boosting and a sense of control in their lives. During the host week, volunteers prepare meals, play with children, help out with homework and offer a listening ear for parents after a long day.
* Monetary value calculated at the average dollar value of volunteer time for the state of Iowa of 16.77 per hour as determined by the Independent Sector (http://indpendentsector.org).
Host congregations provide homeless families a clean, safe overnight shelter and nutritious meals for one week every three months.