Volunteers from Duke Memorial UMC and Westminster Presbyterian gave of their time and talents in April and May to make the IHN dayhouse a more welcoming place for both the guests and the staff. A Bible study group from Duke Memorial painted the kitchen, the upstairs bathroom, and the Executive Director's office; and a workgroup from Westminster put an additional coat on the kitchen, cleaned out the kitchen cabinets, and painted the outdoor side steps. These improvements are noticed and appreciated every day!
Schweitzer Fellows partner with IHN on Women's Health Outreach
Two Duke med students, Lina Elbadawi and Naomi Jean Baptiste, have worked with Durham IHN families over the past school year to empower mothers to take responsiblity for their health and the health of their children. With funding through their Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, Lina and Naomi provided workshops based on areas of interest indicated by the moms, on a variety of topics including how to read food labels, breast health, diabetes, depression, heart health, and stress management. To stress the importance of being active, the women also participated in weekly activities which focused on belly dancing, “boot camp” and yoga.
The late-breaking news is that DIHN has just been awarded a Schweitzer Sustainability Grant. Even though Lina and Naomi will no longer be working with us, through the support of the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, our Duke Divinity interns will continue their work by providing education workshops and physical activities for DIHN families. The grant will provide IHN with much-needed additional computer equipment, giving bettter access to both our guests and our interns. Improved computer skills will be an outgrowth of the workshops.
Ground Broken for Former DIHN Guest's Habitat for Humanity Home
On Saturday, March 5th, former IHN guest Martha Nance and her family celebrated the blessing of the build site of what will be her new home, with the help of Habitat for Humanity and the Durham District of the United Methodist Church which is sponsoring the build. Dozens of supporters were on hand to congratulate Martha, her 5 year old son Alex, and her 25 year old son Adrian, and share lunch afterward.
Martha was an IHN guest in 2005. Alex was born during the rotation at Epworth UMC. What a joy he is in her life! Martha is extremely grateful for the role IHN played in helping her through a difficult period, and getting her back on her feet after Alex was born. And of course, we are thrilled that, 5 years later, she is becoming a home owner!
Our Duke Divinity interns and Duke Medical students who have been working with our guests this school year were among the IHN team who came out to show their support for the Nance family. Many IHN volunteers from the Methodist congregations who are sponsoring this Habitat build were also on hand to cheer, eat and work!
When Lashel was in the network, she often mentioned that she wanted to be able to "give back" once she was more stable, and she specifically mentioned Habitat for Humanity. So, Executive Director Catherine Pleil invited her to join in the fun one recent Saturday to work on Martha's house. Here they are painting the living room.
Durham IHN Volunteer Thank You Dinner and Workshop
On March 16th, IHN volunteers were treated to a pizza dinner (thanks to the generosity of Papa John's Pizza on Main St.) and then had the opportunity to attend three 1/2 hour workshops chosen from a variety of topics. The evening was held at Yates Baptist Church, whose hospitality is well-known to our guests and was once again evident.
The event gave the staff an opportunity to express their deep appreciation to our tireless volunteers who are the heart and soul of IHN. Workshops included both IHN-specific topics as well as sessions about broader issues surrounding homelessness in our community, including Durham's Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness, the Continuum of Care, and the city-wide initiative to begin faith-based Circles of Support teams for households coming out of homelessness.
Special thanks to session leaders Lloyd Schmeidler and Lanea Foster from the Ten Year Plan, Stephanie Williams from The Durham Center, and IHN volunteer session leaders Kit Chappell, Katy MacDonald, Roger Loyd, Robin Pietrantoni and Ceil Mathews. And of course, a big thanks to our hosts, Yates Baptist Church, especially Pam Wheeler and Kathy Stickley!
Our Duke Divinity interns and Duke Medical students who have been working with our guests this school year were among the IHN team who came out to show their support for the Nance family. Many IHN volunteers from the Methodist congregations who are sponsoring this Habitat build were also on hand to cheer, eat and work!
When Lashel was in the network, she often mentioned that she wanted to be able to "give back" once she was more stable, and she specifically mentioned Habitat for Humanity. So, Executive Director Catherine Pleil invited her to join in the fun one recent Saturday to work on Martha's house. Here they are painting the living room.