02 May Every month is national volunteer month!

…a message from Executive Director Marsha Eichelberger

In April, we celebrated National Volunteer Month. Of course, for an organization like Inter-Faith Housing Alliance, every month is national volunteer month! Last year, over 900 volunteers served Inter-Faith for more than 13,000 hours. We’re able to funnel more resources directly into our goal of ending family homelessness because we keep an astonishingly low overhead. We have a small staff – the rest of what we do is accomplished by volunteers.

Many volunteers come to us through their place of worship. The Interfaith Hospitality Network not only provides shelter for families in crisis, it also provides congregants a chance to live out their faith by serving the less fortunate and participating in repairing the world.

Other volunteers enjoy the camaraderie of volunteering. Whether as a team building program or a school group initiative, doing good works together often encourages fast friendships and many, many laughs!

Still others are encouraged by the chance to do some small, simple act that makes a big difference for our community. Family homelessness is not just a big city problem—there are families struggling silently right around the corner. Volunteers with specific skill sets or extra-large hearts find that they can be part of the solution.

No matter how or why our volunteers come to us, they truly make a difference in the lives of our families and the community as a whole. At least once a week I hear a story of the way a volunteer’s actions, words, or presence touched someone in need. Each time I hear these stories I’m encouraged anew—while there is much need, suffering, and struggle, there are just as many people eager to help.

Thank you.

Executive Director Marsha Eichelberger