Good news!

I definitely did get the case manager job I was hoping for! The downside is that the hours have been cut from 20 to 12 for the time being (Seacoast Interfaith Hospitality Network is a non-profit and is all grant driven) because the money for my position is being split between me and the new position the woman who had my job is creating. We're hoping come 2008 that I'll be able to be back up to 20 hours. In the meantime, I'm going to sub at John's school again for the three days I won't be working at the shelter.

I figured since no one is really familiar with SIHN, I'd post a little blurb about it:

Any family can meet with hardships causing loss of income, health, and home. When these crises present themselves, a community shares hospitality and transitional assistance with families facing temporary homelessness. The Seacoast Interfaith Hospitality Network (SIHN) provides a structured path toward self-sufficiency, consistent income, and stable housing. Seacoast IHN relies on hundreds of community volunteers from different faiths. Our mission is to meet the food and shelter needs of guest families while preserving their dignity and privacy. Families with children under 18 years old are admitted to the Seacoast IHN program following an interview process. A case manager designs a custom goal-oriented plan with the family that defines steps to regain self-sufficiency and secure housing. Until that plan is fully executed, usually 8-12 weeks, guest families receive compassion and encouragement from our volunteers.

Local faith-based institutions open their facilities to serve meals, provide private sleeping arrangements, and distribute personal necessities to up to 14 guests at a time. Professional staff operate the Family Resource Center by day where families receive information and advocacy to services including public housing, employment, training, and education. The Center also provides a kitchen, children’s play area, computers, and telephones.

A typical day in the network begins early at the host congregation where families pack lunch, have breakfast and board the agency van or drive themselves to the Family Resource Center, school, work, or training programs. In the evening, guest families return to the host congregation for the evening meal, followed by playing, sharing, and doing homework. Each family then retires to private quarters for the night.

The community rallies to empower and encourage families to become independent and to maintain that independence after leaving the network.

After several years of development, Seacoast Interfaith Hospitality Network opened its doors in November 2003 with 8 faith-based partners and one paid staff person. Each partner in the network provides scores of volunteers to fulfill the mission of the organization, while offering each congregation the opportunity to serve those in the community in need right in the congregation's own building. Congregations that normally would have little interaction are working together as partners to provide this important service to families. No preaching is permitted, but volunteers are able to demonstrate their faith commitment through the example of their good deeds. In 2006, Seacoast IHN had 2 paid staff, more than 400 volunteers, and 13 congregations involved and more are needed.

You can check out the website at www.sihnnh.org and see more about it!

I'm very excited about starting off in this new position, and am looking forward to it gaining more hours! The other nice benefit is that Pati, the director, already knows about me being pregnant, and instead of having to pay for daycare, I can bring the baby to work with me! That will be a huge money saver!