Community Service Wake Interfaith Hospitality Network
		For over a dozen years, the Wake Interfaith Hospitality Network (WIHN)--a private, nonprofit agency working in partnership with more than 40 Raleigh-area congregations and volunteers--has provided food, shelter, support, and care for temporarily homeless families in Wake County. Professional staff provide families with counseling and other support services at a Day Center on Method Road. Cooperating churches provide overnight accommodations one week at a time until families become self-sufficient and can afford more permanent housing. The program is unusual in that it allows all members of a homeless family to stay together.

Highland United Methodist Church is a host congregation. Three times a year Highland provides several homeless families with a place to sleep, breakfasts, and dinners. RMC supports Highland's WIHN ministry by providing dinner on Tuesday, snacks for the families, and an overnight host for one night. RMC's chicken pie/macaroni & cheese dinner with sides and banana pudding are always a hit!

People served through WIHN in 2005:

Though the number of people in WIHN on a weekly basis may seem small, the impact on the lives of these families can be huge. WIHN is for working people or those seriously looking for employment. A few weeks in WIHN can provide not only shelter and food, but counseling on budgeting practices, smarter shopping disciplines, securing stable employment, and other issues that may have contributed to homelessness. While families are in the WIHN program, they work and save some money for a fresh start. The average stay in the WIHN program is six to nine weeks.