In the Hour of Need Family Shelter

IHN of Greater Worcester first opened its doors in November 1997, with the YMCA of Greater Worcester as the fiscal agent for the program. The YMCA provided space for the program staff and daytime facilities for the guests. Families spent their evenings housed at the different congregations in the network. All Saints Church on Irving Street, Worcester was the first congregation to host IHN guests. In 2002, IHN of Greater Worcester was taken under the wing of a new fiscal agent, Friendly House Inc. IHN relocated its day center and administrative offices to Wesley United Methodist Church on Main Street, Worcester. For the next 9 years, over 34 greater Worcester congregations hosted families overnight at their respective sites for one to two weeks at a time throughout those years. In 2009, IHN decided to find and purchase a permanent location for the families, so they would not experience the weekly disruption of moving from congregation to congregation throughout the year. We started the lengthy process of finding a permanent location. IHN ran a capital campaign throughout 2011 and 2012 in order to secure funds for the down payment and other associated costs for purchasing a large home at 91 June Street, Worcester. After, supporters of IHN volunteered countless hours in renovating and furnishing the June Street house, and families moved in during November of 2012. The June Street house allowed IHN to increase the number of families served from four to six and increase overall capacity from 14 to as many as 26. Equally important, the house was able to accommodate staff and daytime facilities. Staff, families, and volunteers can now all work together in our beautiful home in support of our guests. In 2021, the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Worcester began undergoing a name change to In the Hour of Need Family Shelter. Our volunteer community helped us brainstorm and select the new name which better distinguishes who we are and our mission.

In the Hour of Need Family Shelter (IHN), works in partnership with the faith community, groups and individual volunteers to provide shelter and assistance to families with children who are experiencing homelessness. The program’s primary goals are to assist families in increasing their income and to help them secure permanent housing, while providing the critical support services necessary for them to succeed.