and my toys.”
Can you imagine telling your child to choose one stuffed animal to take with them – and leave the others behind? When a medical crisis, car repair or job loss strikes, that becomes reality for a child.
Emergency Services
No family should be without a place to call home, but sadly, it’s a reality for many families here in Kent County. Family Promise of West Michigan provides emergency shelter and basic needs to families with children experiencing homelessness. While a family stays in our homeless shelter, we provide a welcoming and safe place to land and connect families with resources to help them thrive. We provide family emergency shelter through a variety of different settings and models, and our most well known and loved shelter programs are listed below.
Interfaith Hospitality Network
Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) is the heart and soul of Family Promise – it’s the one program that every Family Promise affiliate has. IHN provides shelter, meals and connections for homeless families by partnering with 40 congregations throughout Greater Grand Rapids to provide overnight rooms and hospitality.
During the day, families work out of our Day Center, where they receive housing, employment support and other wraparound services to help them achieve their goals of independence.
100
families served in the last few years
90%
of families find a home
85%
remain housed two years later
Ways to Connect
Learn more
about IHN
Get your congregation involved
How you
can help
IHN Coordinator Portal
Pathway Home
Collaboration runs in our DNA which is why partnering with a local rescue mission was a no brainer. In 2015, we connected with Mel Trotter Ministries to provide 25 additional rooms of emergency shelter to families and children experiencing homelessness. Through this collaboration, we’ve helped hundreds more families in a cost-effective and caring way.
