Voicing Support for Section 8 Housing

St. Michael's Lutheran Church
Cherry Hill, New Jersey

After St. Michaels's Adult Forum and Teen Forum had completed the Just Neighbors curriculum, the groups got together to plan what their next steps would be. Together, they decided that they would write letters to and arrange visits with their representatives and senators to let them know that they supported their opposition to cuts in the Section 8 Housing Program.

Bethany United Methodist Church
Cedar Park, Texas

"My class had been very involved in missions work before experiencing the Just Neighbors program," said facilitator Michelle Deere, "and I thought we would cut back on what we would be doing, but after completing Just Neighbors, people wanted to do more. The group then built a bike shed for the Austin Children's Shelter, held a bike and car-seat drive, and made improvements to the Church's playground area. [The program] also helped us get more focused as to how to distribute the money we had collected to donate by making us think about the impact our contribution would have locally, statewide, and nationally."

Mamaroneck United Methodist Church
Port Chester, New York

The Just Neighbors program inspired the group to get involved in a letter-writing campaign and a literacy program. The curriculum has also helped reaffirm the commitment of those who are already involved in community-service initiatives.

Milford First United Methodist Church
Milford Ohio

Following their Just Neighbors experience, more members of the congregation are interested in the church's becoming an IHN host congregation in 2006, others have gotten involved in the local food bank, while still others took part in an email campaign that sought to prevent Cincinnati from cutting its Human Services Budget. As a result of the campaign, the budget was not cut.

Leverington Presbyterian Church
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Just Neighbors inspired members of the Leverington congregation to volunteer with a neighboring temple that is an IHN Host Congregation. Another group of congregants began tutoring children at a local community center. And another group, which volunteers with Habitat for Humanity in another part of the country, is now looking into how they can increase affordable housing right in their own neighborhood.

United Methodist Church of Summit
Summit, New Jersey

After just six of the nine sessions of Just Neighbors, United Methodist Church invited the Director of the local Housing Authority and the Director of the Housing and Community Development Network to meet and strategize with members of the congregation. Church members are planning advocacy training for members of all the social action committees in town and will continue to offer the Just Neighbors series to congregants in their effort to continue to raise awareness.

St. John the Evangelist Church
West Chester, Ohio

As a result of the Just Neighbors program, twelve people have formed two initiatives: a political action committee and a tutoring program. The political action committee will research policies that affect those living in poverty. The summer tutoring program will focus on tutoring math and reading to children living in Section 8 Housing.

Stern Hebrew High School 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

After using the Just Neighbors program in their classroom, the students at Stern Hebrew High School initiated a fund-raising campaign and issued a request for proposals to agencies serving the homeless throughout the Philadelphia area. Just Neighbors inspired this group of high school students to become philanthropists, advocates, and activists.

Northwest Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network

One of Director Rachel Falkove's favorite success stories is about the volunteer who came to stay.  Shirlyn Swann, vice president of a local bank, read a news story about NPIHN and called to volunteer.  She attended a Just Neighbors workshop and was immediately inspired to begin mentoring IHN families.  She also went on to develop a financial literacy program for local high schools. "We have IHN families who have left the network but continue to come back to meet with Shirlyn, to share their success stories and continue to learn and receive mentoring," states Falkove.