Volunteer
Notes
Click
on your topic of choice.
- It’s
nice to hear your
name,
so learn the names
of our guests, too.
- Labeling
people creates invisible
barriers. Remember
that guests are guests,
not “the homeless.”
Labeling—whether spoken,
or printed on a posted
sign—creates divisions
and can foster an
“us” and “them” syndrome.
- Personal
questions can be tough
to answer, so don’t
put guests in awkward
positions by asking
personal questions.
If guests need to
talk, give them the
chance, but don’t pry.
- We
all like to keep some
things to ourselves.
All information about
guests is confidential.
Don’t discuss guests’
situations with other
people.
- Everyone
can use a little privacy.
Our churches and synagogues
become temporary homes
for our guests. Knock
before entering a
guest’s room.
- Sometimes
we need to spend time
alone. Respect guests’
needs for quiet times
alone or with family.
- We
all have bad days.
Depression, sadness,
and hopelessness may
come. Allow guests
the space to deal
with their emotions.
Be prepared to forgive
outbursts without
judging guests ungrateful.
- We
understand and care
for our children.
Allow guests to do
the same. Avoid contradicting
guests’ instructions
to their children.
Always ask parents’
permission before
giving things to children.
- Parents
need a break. Offer
to tutor, play with,
and plan activities
for interested children
while their parents
take a break.
- Adult
guests should be treated
like adults. Although
our guests are in
situations that may
make them temporarily
dependent on others,
remember that they
are adults who are
capable of making
their own decisions.
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How
does your church organize
its Host Committee? Here’s
the standard GIHN model.
- Primary
Coordinator: manages
the program at your
church, heads planning
and implementation
of volunteer training,
communicates with
last week’s and next
week’s Hosts, greets
guests on Sunday,
the person to call
if there’s a problem,
serves on the Rotation
Advisory Committee.
- Assistant
Coordinator: makes
the master schedule
and ensures that
all shifts are covered,
recruits and encourages
volunteers, serves
as backup to the
Primary Coordinator.
- Setup
Coordinator: recruits
and schedules volunteers
to set up and take
down beds and furnishings
at the beginning
and end of your week
of hosting.
- Meal
Coordinator: recruits
and schedules volunteers
to prepare meals,
ensures that meals
are nutritious and
that meals are not
duplicated (lasagna,
fried chicken, spaghetti,
etc. only once).
- Transportation
Coordinator: recruits
and schedules van
drivers for mornings
and evenings, checks
van for needed maintenance,
ensures van is gassed
up and ready for
the next week, and helps drivers remember that they are welcoming guests, not transporting cargo.
- Supplies & Donations
Coordinator: makes
sure Host and GIHN
pantry supplies and
staples are stocked,
solicits and coordinates
gifts to guest families
(clothing, furniture,
household good, jobs,
etc.)
- Activity
Coordinator: plans
special activities
for the guest children
and adults, maintains
the supply of games
and toys. (Note: With
kids out of school,
summer offers many
more ministry opportunities
with GIHN for your
church. It’s hard
for us to imagine
what an afternoon
at the park or a
trip to the ice cream
shop means to our
guest families. Outings
don’t have to be
expensive to be blessings.)
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This short list is from actual volunteers. If you've got a tip, please email it to Clarke@GIHN.org.
- Always trust God. When it looks like things are falling apart, people aren't showing up. God ALWAYS provides!
- Do something social with your team at least once a year, something fun. It helps things flow smoothly during ministry times.
- Practice rotation within the ministry team. A coordinator's first job is to find the next coordinator. After two years lay down the primary coordinator position and take up the overnight coordinator for a year or so, then do meals. Stay fresh.
- Practice delegation of responsibility within the host team. Have separate coordinators for meals, transportation, overnight shepherds, etc. Moses had the 70. Jesus had the 12.
- Break bread with or at least meet with your host team before the week to build unity.
- The more organized you are ahead of time, the more smoothly your host week will run. Here's a link to a web page with a couple of templates for organizing volunteers. Feel free to customize it your needs.
- Keep some record (sign up sheets) of who's had their training, and make sure that everyone has had training before they help with their first rotation. Take advantage of trainings at other host sites. Most of the information is transferable, and you never know when someone will uncover a great tip!
- Use the group list feature emails and keep them current. It is the 21st century. Email is the way most folks keep up. Even text-addicted teens still check their email!
- Support, recognize and thank your volunteers, both in your group emails and in congregation-wide publications; this will keep volunteers coming back and bring in new ones. It will also increase support for the Guilford Interfaith in your congregation.
- Making a walking tour of the host facility has become a helpful part of guest orientation.
- Have guests help with Sunday morning load out. On Saturday evening give each family a large plastic bag labeled "Dirty Linen." The label helps prevent tossing the linen out with the garbage! Some congregations use clear bags for linen.
- Watch those sweets, especially doughnuts! Regardless of what some research indicates, the anecdotal evidence is extensive - sugar and small children equals that boom-bust cycle many of us know all too well.
- Make up your mind to enjoy the experience. It makes a difference!
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When
we first explain Guilford
Interfaith Hospitality
Network to individuals,, they
almost always ask how
they can get involved in
or help with our ministry
to homeless children and
their families. Unless
the folks asking are a
grant-making foundation
or the like, we try to
steer them to one of our
Network faith congregations.
Besides being too thinly
staffed to supervise and
coordinate single volunteers,
we believe and practice
the first phrase in our
mission statement, “By
uniting the faith community
and those who support
our mission . . .” Our
prayer is that Guilford
Interfaith will bring
folks together in the faith community.
That
being said, here are
the Top Ten Ways folks
can help Guilford Interfaith achieve it’s
vision and mission:
Vision: Guilford Interfaith Hospitality Network is a faith-based community that eliminates family homelessness.
Mission: By uniting the faith community and those who support our mission, Guilford Interfaith Hospitality Network assists homeless children and their families by providing shelter, compassionate care, and counseling with the goal of sustained independence.
- Pray!
Being a faith ministry,
Guilford Interfaith relies on prayer for its
fiscal, material, and spiritual
provision. Pray for the
ministry. Pray also for
our guests, that they would
know peace and find strength
to achieve healthy sustained
independence and freedom
from want, lack, and fear.
- Support
some of Guilford Interfaith’s
fund raisers. Watch the newsletter and your email for opportunities to join the Network family for fun and food while supporting your Guilford Interfaith.
- Become
a regular GIHN supporter.
We
encourage
you to make a tax
deductible contribution
today by check or click
here to
make contributions
online. We
have dozens of
churches
and scores of individuals
who regularly support
GIHN as part of
their stewardship.
A little more that 50% of GIHN’s
income
comes directly
from
local churches
or
their members as
part of their own
outreach, tithes,
and offerings. Another 30% comes through fund raisers from those same individuals, many of whom are faithful Guilford Interfaith volunteers. Bless you, bless you, bless you!
- Arrange
a Guilford Interfaith fund
raiser at your church.
A high school senior from one Network church organized a concert at at her church. They sold cookies, snacks, drinks and took up a collection for Guilford Interfaith. The High Point Rotation did a Chilli Cook-off. The Knights of Columbus from St. Pius X did a Hamburger & Hot Dog Cook-out. You can do
something like that at
your church, maybe a pancake
breakfast, a spaghetti
dinner, or a hymn sing.
Proceeds and love offerings
can go to Guilford Interfaith
to make sure your Network continues to operate its two shelters.
- Volunteer
on your church’s GIHN team.
There are over 50 teams out
there, and all of their Primary
Coordinators will be happy
to help you find your place
in the ministry. Every
seasoned Primary Coordinator
is always on the lookout
for their successor as
well as for coordinators of meals, drivers, laundry,
and evening activities.
You can become one of those
coordinators or just take
one of the slots in the
volunteer schedule, i.e.,
drive the van one morning,
help fix dinner one evening,
or be an overnight shepherd,
the easiest job in the
Network (you sleep!). You
could also schedule an
hour so or to just “be
present” at one of the
day centers. You might
be surprised what your
presence could mean to
mom struggling to keep
her head up for her family,
or what it might mean to
a little one who needs
a hug!
- Become
a part of the Network.
What? Your church isn’t
a part of the Network already?!! Well, give
us a call and find out how the Network can help your church fulfill its mission..
- Join
a Guilford Interfaith event
task force. You can help
plan, organize, and execute
a fund raiser.
Bring your
talents, ideas, and energy
to one (or more) or these
events. Ideally, up to
20% of our funds would
come from events.
- Join
a GIHN committee. We need
a few folks to plan the
year-long activities of
several committees: Events,
Communication, Outreach,
and Finance. You’ve been
blessed with talents and
interests, so share them. We value and
need them. We need you!
- Join
the GIHN Board of
Trustees. The commitment
is a bit longer than
other committees,
and the challenges
are more strategic.
The rewards of ministry
leadership for Guilford
Interfaith are knowing
you’re sheltering
homeless families not
just for today, this
week, or
next month but for
years to come. That’s
the Board’s goal.
Click
here to see who's
on the Board today.
- Pray
some more. “Pray without
ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians
5:17
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