The Pueblo Area Interfaith Hospitality Network (PAIHN), a Colorado non-profit corporation, provides safe transitional shelter for homeless families in the Pueblo area using the facilities of affiliated churches. The professional staff, located at our Family Resource Day Center, provides guest families with the necessary tools to regain self-sufficiency while providing a nurturing environment for their children. Families selected by IHN must demonstrate a willingness to help themselves, have specific goals and show initiative towards improving their financial and social situations. Before a family is discharged the head of the household must be working at a position which will provide sufficient income to maintain the stability of the family in independent living.
The mission of PAIHN is to provide shelter, sustenance, and support services to homeless families with children in the Pueblo Community. PAIHN works to alleviate the problem of homelessness and assist clients in their return to productive self-sufficiency thereby reducing their dependence on governmental assistance. The organization is able to provide 5,840 bed/nights and 17,520 meals a year.
1. To prevent out-of-home placement of children due to
homelessness. Often, when a family becomes homeless,
the Department of Social Services places the
child(ren) in foster care. However, DSS supports the
IHN program and allows Network families to stay
together while they are in the Network.
2. To provide shelter, meals, and emotional support to
families with children who are homeless. IHN presents
a comfortable, home-like atmosphere to assure that the
children don?t experience the anxiety that they might
by being exposed to an institutional shelter setting.
3. To meet the immediate, basic needs of homeless
families. When families enter the Network they do so
with a few clothes and other personal items. IHN
provides them with hygiene items and additional
clothing. When the family is ready to return to
independent living the Network, working with other
agencies, provides the family with necessary furniture
and household items.
4. To provide intensive case management for all
members of the family. For many adults, navigating the
social services system for the first time is
manageable only because of the direction and
assistance provided by the case manager. Children are
not always as flexible as commonly believed. The case
manager helps them to process their feelings and
adjust to their new, temporary setting.
5. To provide follow-up services for a period of six
months following discharge from the PAIHN. PAIHN's
service to guest families continues beyond graduation
to assure that they are able to maintain their
independent, self-sufficient life style.