Message from the Director

In late April, I attended the 8th national conference organized by our national affiliate, Family Promise, formerly National Interfaith Hospitality Network, in Sacramento, California. Over 230 participants from 36 states, representing 95 operating and developing Networks attended. This year’s theme was Staking Our Claim for Strong Families.

The conference opened with a keynote address by Jim Towey. Mr. Towey is the president of St. Vincent’s College but his impressive career also includes serving as legal counsel to Mother Theresa and then as an advisor to President Bush as Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. He spoke passionately about the duty of all to serve others. Felipe Luciano, a former gang member, and now a successful author and motivational speaker, captivated the audience by telling of the mentor who never gave up on him and helped him turn his life around.

Perhaps the most meaningful part of the conference to me was the ability to share with other IHN directors and board members from all parts of the country. I met some of the newer directors closer to home from Charlotte, Raleigh, and Spartanburg, SC. I presented a workshop entitled, “Healthy Networks, Happy Volunteers” with directors from New York and Minnesota and felt that I had found new friends in Erica and Joanne.
The most westward Network formed to date is in Kailua, a suburb of Honolulu, Hawaii and it was delightful to meet director, Kent Anderson.

From New Hampshire to California, Montana to Louisiana, Interfaith Hospitality Network’s are making a real impact in the lives of homeless families. Besides providing shelter and meals, Networks, including SIHN, are helping with budgeting and parenting skills, tutoring, clothing and furniture donations and extended support after moving into permanent housing.

In January, 2003, National Interfaith Hospitality Network changed its name to Family Promise to embrace the broad array of programs that they have made available to low-income families. New networks developed since then have also taken on the name Family Promise followed by the city or county name.

In March, 2007, the Sandhills Interfaith Hospitality Network’s Board of Directors voted to change our name to Family Promise of Moore County. The reasons were similar to those of the national organization. The name is cumbersome and does not adequately describe all the services we provide. Also, many volunteers feel uncomfortable using our acronym, SIHN.

So, in the next few months, we will officially be making the name change from Sandhills Interfaith Hospitality Network to Family Promise of Moore County. We hope you agree that this new name reflects all that we are doing to meet the needs of our neighbors in need – by providing shelter, food and supportive services to homeless families and by providing vehicles to low-income workers through our Wheels to Work program. We look forward to continuing to work together with you to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the families we serve in our community.

Our Director - Susan Bellew