Approximately 4,000 individuals experience homelessness each year in Washtenaw County alone. Over half of those 4,000 have families, and many have children under the age of 18.  Because of this urgent need for a place to sleep, food and support, Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) was established in 1992 to provide assistance for these families.

“We are a homeless family shelter serving the families of Washtenaw County,” explained Lindy Gill, the Volunteer Coordinator at Alpha House. “More than just providing shelter and meals and a warm place to stay, our biggest goal is to get families housed in the time that they are with us.”

Gill has worked in homeless family services for the last five years. She started volunteering as an undergrad, working with homeless youth. Then last fall, Gill relocated to Michigan and found Alpha House. “[My previous] organization was well known nationally for the work we did, so I was lucky to be able to come here and do this kind of work now as a Volunteer Coordinator,” Gill said. “It all started as being a volunteer myself, which is pretty cool.”

Although Gill couldn’t be happier with the work she does now, she once knew very little about the homeless, as do many residents in Washtenaw County. “I didn’t know much about the population at all because it’s a pretty invisible population – homeless families. [But] once I actually started to work with the families, there was no going back. It was great work.”

Alpha House can serve up to six families at a time. During their stay, families are provided with food, beds to sleep in, and all of the supplies they may need including anything from shampoo to backpacks for school. Resources such as job training, budgeting, children’s services, parenting support, connection to healthcare, and housing relocation are all provided as well.

The staff of IHN works endlessly to serve the forty families a year who stay at the shelter and the other twenty to thirty that are served in the Home-Based Support program. However, Gill’s job is especially important.

“There are over 2,000 volunteers who come through our door every year,” said Gill. “They provide so many things for our families.” Volunteers cook, serve, and share meals with families. Some come each night to play with the children, and a few even stay overnight in case of an emergency. Volunteers tutor students, assist with fundraising, recycle materials for the center, and perform on-site maintenance.

The volunteers at Alpha House remind the families that they are not alone in their struggles, and Gill is truly thankful for them. “It’s amazing, this community is just so involved in what we do, and we couldn’t do what we do without the support.” And the work pays off.

Alpha House recently hosted a volunteer appreciation picnic. “It was the first time that we invited past families back,” Gill said. “There were more families than volunteers that attended the event, which was good because we wanted the families to come back and see each other.”

“That was kind of a stand out moment for me to see the families that are housed now, no longer homeless, come back together, come to where they had to come and seek refuge when they had no where else to go and kind of share and reunite which was just like, incredible. Then to also see staff and volunteers all visiting and kind of see the progress people have made since their stay here, kind of sums up why it’s worth it to do this work and help these families as much as we can.”

For more information about Interfaith Hospitality Network at Alpha House, visit http://www.alphahouse-ihn.org. To volunteer, contact Lindy Gill at lgill@alphahouse-ihn.org or call 822-0220.