Our Board

Nick Claxton
Interim President

Catherine Smith
Vice President

Filippo Bergamini
Treasurer

Beryl Evans
Secretary

Monica Kolb
Recording Secretary


How It All Started

Get Involved
The first Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) was founded 28 years ago in Union County, New Jersey as a response to suburban and rural homelessness, where opportunities for struggling families were sparse. The founder, Karen Olson, was a marketing executive who developed promotional campaigns for consumer products. One morning, on her way to a meeting, she saw a homeless woman, someone she’d seen over and over again on her way to work. She decided to buy a sandwich for the woman.
Soon, Karen and her two young sons began frequent trips to New York to hand out sandwiches to the homeless. As she came to know some of the city’s homeless people, she began to understand the profound loss and social disconnection that homelessness causes. That understanding turned into an enduring commitment. Karen turned to the religious community for support convinced that there were many who shared her concern and that together they could do what they couldn’t do alone. Within ten months, eleven area congregations came forward to provide hospitality space within their buildings and the first IHN (now known as Family Promise) was born.
The Philadelphia network was the 12th network to join and the first urban affiliate. PIHN welcomed its first guests in 1991, a family that had been living on the streets at Love Park in center city. Over the past three decades we have expanded our reach and our services, helping thousands of families.
Learn more about our National Organization
Our History

Meet the Team

Bob Byrne
Executive Director

Latrice Parr
Director of Housing and Social Services

Rachel Falkove
Executive Director Emeritus

Diane Jones
Homelessness Prevention Coordinator and Facilities Manager

Lina Fetter
Bookkeeper and Financial Manager

Anita Lyndaker-Studer
Northeast Consultant

Josh Peskin
Campaign Development and Community Building Consultant
Congregations

First United Methodist Church of Germantown
Host in the Northwest

St. Raymond of Penafort Catholic Church
Host in the Northwest

Germantown Jewish Centre
Host in the Northwest

Unitarian Universalist Church of the Restoration
Host in the Northwest

Unitarian Society of Germantown
Host in the Northwest

Second Baptist Church of Germantown
Host in the Northwest

St Timothy's Episcopal Church
Host in the Northwest

St Raymond Catholic Church
Host in the Northwest

St Paul's Episcopal Church
Host in the Northwest

Oak Lane Presbyterian Church
Host in the Northwest

New Covenant Church
Host in the Northwest

Mishkan Shalom
Host in the Northwest
Our Supporting Network
Co-Host Congregations

Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting
Co-Host in the Northwest

Annunciation Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Co-Host in the Northwest

Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church
Co-Host in the Northwest

Christ Ascension Lutheran Church
Co-Host in the Northwest

Church of the Good Shepherd
Co-Host in the Northwest

Enon Tabernacle Church
Co-Host in the Northwest

Falls of Schuylkill Presbyterian Church
Co-Host in the Northwest

First Presbyterian Church in Springfield
Co-Host in the Northwest

Germantown Community Presbyterian Church
Co-Host in the Northwest

Germantown Friends Meeting
Co-Host in the Northwest

Grace Epiphany Episcopal Church
Co-Host in the Northwest

Jewish Children's Folkshul
Co-Host in the Northwest
Northeast Congregations

United Methodist Church of the Good Shepherd
Northeast Congregation

Tabor Lutheran Church
Northeast Congregation

St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church
Northeast Congregation

St. Lukes United Church of Christ
Northeast Congregation

Immanuel Lutheran Church
Northeast Congregation

Crescentville United Methodist Church
Northeast Congregation

Byberry Friends Meeting
Northeast Congregation

Oxford Circle Mennonite Church
Northeast Congregation

Grace Presbyterian Church
Northeast Congregation

By Grace Alone Church
Northeast Congregation

St. Mark’s Church, Frankford
Northeast Congregation

Saint David’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
Northeast Congregation
Schools & University Partners

Chestnut Hill Academy
School Partner

Chestnut Hill College
University Partner

Friends Central
School Partner

Germantown Friends School
School Partner

Girard College
School Partner

Gladwyne Elementary School
School Partner

Greene Street Friends School
School Partner

Henry School
School Partner

Hill School
School Partner

Miquon School
School Partner

Montgomery County Community College
University Partner

Moore College of Art
University Partner
Supporting Congregations & Seminaries

Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Supporting Seminary

Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia
Supporting Seminary

Christ Church – St Michaels
Supporting Congregation

St Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church
Supporting Congregation

Trinity Lutheran Church
Supporting Congregation

Cedar Park Presbyterian Church
Supporting Congregation
Key Organizational Partners

Nationalities Services Center
Partner

Jewish Community and Family Service of Greater Philadelphia
Partner

Feast of Justice
Partner

Caring for Friends
Partner

Neighborhood Associations, NE and NW Philadelphia
Partner

NEST Northeast Services Team
Partner

Jefferson School of Population Health
Partner

HELP USA
Partner

FSPN Family Services Provider Network
Partner

City of Philadelphia, Office of Homeless Services
Partner

Philadelphia Mural Arts
Partner

Gail
BSW Intern

Kayla
Communication and development vista

Paola
BSW Intern

Frederik
ARSP Volunteer

Nils
ARSP Volunteer