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Our Board

Nick Claxton

Interim President

Catherine Smith

Vice President

Filippo Bergamini

Treasurer

Beryl Evans

Secretary

Monica Kolb

Recording Secretary

Get Involved

Learn more about Organizational Partners on our Resources page.

How It All Started

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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

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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

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

Lutheran Theological Seminary of Philadelphia

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

Felix

Volunteer

Amanda Mahany

MSW Student Intern

Franz

Volunteer

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