North Georgia United Methodist - Multiplying Financial Resources for Mission and Ministry

Hope is the key to a person teetering on the edge or fully immersed in the sea of homelessness.  Take Tammy and her daughter, for example. They had nowhere to live until they found Interfaith Hospitality Network of Athens, Inc.

“We are a network of congregations that provide shelter, meals and support services to homeless families,” said executive director Patty Freeman-Lynde. Whether they are converting classrooms into sleeping quarters or preparing meals for guests, volunteers from Athens First UMC, Princeton UMC, Watkinsville UMC, Oconee Street UMC, and churches of other denominations play a vital role in helping folks regain their independence.

“When Tammy first arrived, she was dealing with depression and low self-esteem. We drove her to GED classes, took her daughter to pre-K and provided shelter, food and encouragement,” said Patty. “Then one morning I heard her screaming because she had passed her GED tests.  It was very touching.”

A grant provided by the Housing and Homeless Council for the North Georgia Conference enabled Interfaith Hospitality Network to buy a van, which they use to transport guests to shelters, school and various appointments. Since 1990, this administrative agency comprised of lay, clergy and ex-officio representatives and at-large members has given more than 700 grants totaling over $2.8 million to United Methodist churches and non-profit organizations serving the needs of poor and homeless persons throughout the North Georgia Conference.

“The people who started our agency had the foresight to put 25 percent of the annual Homeless Offering into a permanent endowment with the North Georgia United Methodist Foundation until it crossed the $1 million threshold, which it did toward the
end of 2005,” said director Rev. Virginia Tinsley. “This investment strategy is allowing
us to do ministry in ways we never dreamed possible. Every year we’ve been able to
supplement grants with earnings from our endowment. One hundred percent of the
Homeless Offering now goes toward grants. By 2009, we’ll be able to operate without
any Conference apportionments.”

Through the Foundation’s guidance, the Housing and Homeless Council’s sound stewardship practices and the faithfulness of United Methodists conference-wide, this endowment will keep on giving hope for generations to come.