Dear Friends of RAIHN, 

Nancy Elliott and I just attended the Family Promise National conference in Orlando, Florida (April 29-May 2).  She attended workshops pertinent to being a Network Director and I attended those for Board members and volunteers.   

Below are some very interesting statistics I gathered.  Feel free to use this information. 

What I learned is that we in Rochester are doing very well.   When I read down the list of responsibilities of a Board I only felt we are weak in the arena of public relations. We are strong in strategic planning, governance, financial savvy, fundraising, human resources work, volunteers, hosts and supports. I will be a better president for attending the workshops on donor development and social media.  We have been truly blessed by the early wisdom of Peter Hallagan and Rev. Rod Frohman in their guidance of RAIHN as first and second presidents!  

In your work in your congregations I pass along some of the statistics which are as up to date as possible.   

There are 158 interfaith hospitality networks in 41 states (We were about the 100^th in 2004.).  There are 39 developing networks.  (Isn’t this amazing!)  There were 47,000 people served by Family Promise in 2009. 

Approximately 1.5 million children experience homelessness in a given year (2008).  

            640,000 are under the age of 6. 

            697,000 are enrolled K – 8. 

            204,978 are enrolled 9-12. 

            Of those:  

                        47% are Black, non-Hispanic 

                        38% are White, non-Hispanic 

                        13% are Hispanic 

                        2% are Native American 

                        1% is Other 

Among children who are homeless: 

            More than 1 in 7 have moderate to severe health conditions. 

            Almost 1 in 9 has one or more asthma related health conditions. 

Almost 1 in 18 are members of families where people hit or throw things. 

One is six suffers from emotional disturbances. 

The high school graduation rate for homeless students is less than 25%. 

(from America’s Youngest Outcasts, 2009, p. 52 

A child who has experienced homelessness experiences post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at twice the rate of returning Iraq war veterans.  (from HUD, July 2008) 

The number of renter households has grown by 2.2 million in the last two years, while the number of owners has contracted. 

As many as 1.5 million additional people could experience homelessness in the next two years. 

An estimated 40 % of foreclosures displace renter households. 

There is no city or county anywhere in the United States where a worker making the minimum wage can afford a fair market rate one-bedroom apartment. 

(The last four statistics are from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, 2009) 

42% of homeless children are under the age of 6.  

1 in 50 American Children will experience homelessness sometime before turning 18. 

(These last two statistics are from America’s Youngest Outcasts, 2009) 

Families are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population. (from the US Conference of Mayors Report, HUD HARA Report 2009) 

And interestingly as of 2009 all the participants nationally in the hospitality network: 

Denomination:                                    % of all congregations                        % as host          % as support 

Methodist                                 23.9%                                       68%                  32% 

Presbyterian                             15.25%                                      67%                  33% 

Catholic                                  13.20%                                      58%                  42% 

Lutheran                                  11.48%                                      68%                  32% 

Episcopal                                 8.34%                                       62%                  38% 

Baptist                                      7.64%                                       69%                  31% 

Christian Non-Denominational 6.11%                                     55%                  45% 

United Church of Christ           4.46%                                       36%                  64% 

Jewish                                      3.18%                                       46%                  54% 

Unitarian                                  1.97%                                       59%                  41% 

Church of Christ                      1.21%                                       79%                  21% 

Mennonite                               1.13%                                       68%                  32% 

Disciples of Christ                     1.02%                                       43%                  57% 

Reformed Church                    0.99%                                       67%                  33% 

Quaker                                    0.59%                                       31%                  69% 

AME                                         0.15%                                       50%                  50% 

(Oddly these figures add up to 100.47% and there are 22 more denominations listed in miniscule percentages.)