Church Coalition Planning To Offer Shelter For Homeless

Thu., Nov. 14, 1996

By Jonathan Martin jonathanm@spokesman.com

With winter approaching, a coalition of Spokane churches is preparing to open a homeless shelter.

The Interfaith Alliance Hospitality Network of Spokane will host up to 14 people a week, offering meals, showers, counseling and job searches.

The coalition of 10 churches had hoped to open by Thanksgiving, but it still needs two more host churches and $12,500.

It now hopes to begin caring for families by January.

The money would help remodel a day center and laundry facility at First Covenant Church, 212 S. Division.

“We have organizations around town begging us to take families,” said Ingrid Aderhold, a spokesman for the coalition.

The coalition is part of a national group started in New Jersey. At least 11 states have similar networks, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society organized a church-based homeless shelter in Coeur d’Alene.

The network operates like a round-robin dinner group, with each host church taking a turn housing families in its building. Nine additional churches have signed up to give volunteer hours and money.

Each church would play host up to five times a year.

The network is designed to give comfortable living quarters while helping homeless families recover.

“These are the houses of God, and we part of his family,” said Aderhold. “These families are our guests, and we treat them such.”

Prince of Peace Lutheran Pastor John Voswig spurred the network last year by hosting Karen Olson, the New Jersey homeless advocate who created the first Interfaith Alliance Network.

Agency officials say that more than 2,700 homeless people were turned away from overbooked emergency shelters last year. Spokane Neighborhood Action Homeless Office turns away an average of 10 families every day.

Hosting South Side churches include Manito Presbyterian, St. Mark’s Lutheran and Manito United Methodist.

Supporting South Side churches include Centenary United Methodist, St. Stephen’s Episcopal, First Presbyterian and Moran United Methodist.

To help, call Aderhold at 327-5612 or Sandy Nokes at 838-1083.

, DataTimes

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