Silver Spring Interfaith Housing Coalition |
|
| Building on the strength of local congregations to end homelessness through affordable housing and mentoring support. | |
| Home | ||||||||||
| About Us | ||||||||||
| What We Do | ||||||||||
| Get Involved | ||||||||||
| Support Us | ||||||||||
Contact Us:
|
About Us
Silver Spring Interfaith Housing Coalition (SSIHC) builds on the strength of local congregations and community to end homelessness by providing affordable housing, case management, resource access and mentoring support. Our affordable housing programs help to sustain healthy and diverse communities in Silver Spring and Takoma Park where residents can learn from each other as they share their goals and dreams.Mission
Silver Spring Interfaith Housing Coalition (SSIHC) is a nonprofit (501c3) organization of local congregations working together to provide housing opportunities in our neighborhoods for low income families and individuals, especially people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. We provide professional case management and volunteer mentoring support to help residents build stronger and more stable futures for themselves and their children. SSIHC will work with all who support this mission without regard to religious affiliation.Goals
- to end homelessness by providing affordable housing opportunities in our community
- to create long-range solutions to poverty by providing financial literacy training, asset development strategies, job training opportunities, and access to safe and affordable day care
- to nurture active and meaningful participation from a growing congregational membership base
- to educate the community about the causes of homelessness and community-based solutions
Board of Directors
 |
| Officers | |
|---|---|
| Paul Holmes, President Christ Congregational Church |
Richard O'Connor, 1st Vice President Community At-Large |
| Ted Foster, Treasurer Christ COngregational Church |
Robin Madden, Secretary St. John the Baptist |
| Board Members | |
|---|---|
| Julie Frost-Bellgowan St. Bernadette Church |
Larry Gorban Tikvat Israel |
| Ann Gray Sligo Seventh-day Adventist |
Julia Jarvis Interfaith Families Project |
| Darcy Lane Sandy Springs Friends Meeting |
John Morris Seekers Church |
| Barrie Ripin Temple Shalom |
Elizabeth Roush Sandy Springs Friends Meeting |
| Betsy Sharon Community At-Large |
Dominique Smith Colesville United Methodist |
| Janice Taggart Good Shepherd United Methodist |
Madeline Wetzlar St. Luke Lutheran |
| Paulette Wright Colesville United Methodist |
Staff
| LaCharla L. Figgs Interim Executive Director |
Liz Anne Ganiban |
| Candace Jack, MSW Case Manager |
Delores Beamon Case Manager |
| Sandra Miller Program Assistant |
|
| Charles Crumb Bookeeper |
Consultants
| Marcus Motley, PhD |
Congregations
SSIHC turns commitment into action by offering members of local congregations and the community the opportunity to serve their neighbors through our affordable housing programs. If you belong to one of our member congregations listed below, a local congregation exploring places of service, or an interested community member we invite you to contact us to find out how you can get involved. Please contact us at 301-562-0520 or e-mail us at ssihc@verizon.net to learn how you can get involved.Member Congregations
| Christ Congregational Church 9525 Colesville Rd Silver Spring, MD 20901 301-585-8010 contact: Ted Foster and Paul Holmes |
Christ
the King Catholic Church 2301 East-West Hwy Silver Spring, MD 20910 301-589-8616 |
|
| Colesville
Presbyterian Church 12800 New Hampshire Ave Silver Spring, MD 20904 301-622-4555 |
Colesville United Methodist 52 Randolph Rd Silver Spring, MD 20904 301-384-1941 contact: Paulette Wright or Dominique Smith |
|
| Episcopal Church of Our
Savior 1700 Powder Mill Rd Silver Spring, MD 20903 301-439-5900 |
First Baptist Church 8415 Fenton Street Silver Spring, MD 20910 301.585.5454 |
|
| Good Shepherd United Methodist 9701 New Hampshire Ave Silver Spring, MD 20903 301-434-3331 contact: Janice Taggart |
Hughes United Methodist 10700 Georgia Ave Wheaton, MD 20902 301-949-8383 |
|
| Interfaith Families Project of Greater Washington PO Box 5413 Takoma Park, MD 20913 301-270-6337 contact: Julia Jarvis |
St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church 11600 Kemp Mill Rd Silver Spring, MD 20902 301-649-3700 |
|
| St. Bernadette Catholic Church 70 University Blvd Silver Spring, MD 20901 301-593-0357 contact: Julie Frost-Bellgowan |
St.
Camillus 1600 St. Camillus Dr Silver Spring, MD 20903 301-434-8400 |
|
| St. John the Baptist Catholic Church 12319 Hew Hampshire Ave Silver Spring, MD 20904 301-622-3933 contact: Robin Madden |
St.
Luke Lutheran Church 9100 Colesville Rd Silver Spring, MD 20910 301-588-4363 contact: Madeline Wetzler |
|
| St. Michael's
Church 805 Wayne Ave Silver Spring, MD 20910 301-589-1155 |
St. Stephen Lutheran Church 11612 New Hampshire Ave Silver Spring, MD 20904 301-622-1273 |
|
| Sandy Spring Friends Meeting 17715 Meetinghouse Rd Sandy Spring, MD 20860 301-774-3792 contact: Elizabeth Roush |
Seekers
Church 276 Carroll Street Washington, DC 20012 202-829-9882 contact: John Morris |
|
| Silver Spring Presbyterian Church 580 University Blvd Silver Spring, MD 20901 301-439-4646 |
Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church 7700 Carroll Avenue Takoma Park, MD 20912 301-270-6777 contact: Ann Gray |
|
| Takoma Park Presbyterian Church 310 Tulip Ave Takoma Park, MD 20912 301-270-5550 contact: Mary Jacksteit and Linda Kolko |
Temple Shalom 8401 Grubb Rd Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-587-2273 contact: Barrie Ripin |
|
| Tikvat Israel 2200 Baltimore Rd Rockville, MD 20851 301-762-7338 contact: Larry Gorban |
Woodside United Methodist Church 8900 Georgia Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20910 301-587-1215 |
What our Congregation Members Do
Our congregation members form the backbone of the organization. SSIHC congregations:- provide volunteers to serve as mentors, board and committee members, or "extra hands" to help with renovation projects, furniture donations, special events, etc.
- make annual donations that provide the foundation of financial support to the organization
- provide unused congregation property to be converted into affordable housing for SSIHC residents
- promote, publicize and participate in SSIHC's activities
- organize congregation youth groups or others to volunteer at SSIHC on property clean-up days, renovation projects or other special activities
- organize special collections of furniture, books, clothing, food and baby items
- educate congregation members about the causes of homelessness and some of the ways faith-based institutions can get involved to end homelessness
- offer their day care, summer camp, or other programs to SSIHC families at free or reduced cost
Supporters
Foundation Support |
|
| Citigroup Impact Grant | Fannie Mae Foundation |
| Freddie Mac Foundation | Fowler Foundation |
| House with a Heart Foundation | Phillip L. Graham Fund |
| Montgomery County Community Fund of the Montgomery County Community Foundation | George W. Rentschler Foundation |
| David H. Smith Foundation | Speer Fund |
| Washington Area Women's Foundation | William S. Abell Foundation |
| United Way Community Services Fund | Carl M. Freeman Foundation |
| Jeff and Sarah Kestner Fund | The Meyer Foundation |
| Spring Creek Foundation | Homebuilders Care Foundation |
| Mead Family Foundation | |
Government Support |
|
| Federal Americans for Independence Act | Montgomery County Community Development Block Grant |
| Montgomery County DHCA Group Home
Rehabilitation Fund |
Maryland Affordable Housing Trust
Fund |
Non-Member Supporting Congregations |
|
| Agape Mission Church | Fabrangen Cheder Community |
| Good Samaritans Silver Spring Lodge #215 | Interfaith Chapel at Leisure World |
| Our Lady of Good Counsel | St. Patrick's Catholic Church |
Case Study
Congregation Housing Fulfills Our Mission to Serve
|
In 2001, a committee of congregation members from Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Silver Spring reviewed options for a vacant home located on congregation property. Choices included leveling this 1920's bungalow to create much-needed additional parking. After hearing about SSIHC, the committee selected the far more challenging, yet ultimately more fulfilling option of creating affordable housing for a needy family. This courageous committee succeeded in convincing their entire congregation and church trustees to commit volunteers and financial resources to renovating the property for a homeless family. |
|
The project has mobilized members of the congregation who previously had not been involved in community outreach activities. A core group of 10 volunteers have worked tirelessly for 15 months to guide renovations, actually doing much of the work themselves. They have also recruited dozens of other congregation members who now view this type of project as an ideal opportunity to express their faith through action. |
|