A Hand Up for the Working Poor
Our region is the fourth most expensive metropolitan area in the nation. With the high cost of housing, transportation, childcare and other basics, experts estimate that it takes more than $60,000 annually for a family of four in Montgomery County to be self-sufficient. That translates to an hourly wage of over $28.00 – 4 times the minimum wage! With an average rent of $1,200 per month for an apartment, low wage earners live paycheck to paycheck and are at risk for homelessness if a sudden health or family crisis leads to a temporary loss of wages, if a car repair bill is too high, or if a job is lost due to seasonal employment.

Interfaith Works offers a variety of community support opportunities to assist families who are dealing with difficult circumstances, including:

• Emergency Support
  We field thousands of calls annually from clients, caseworkers and congregations seeking emergency assistance, and through the generosity of our donors, we can make loans and grants or refer to other resources.
  
  
• Hand to Hand Project Safety Net
  This program provides families with interest free loans to prevent evictions and keeps families out of the chaos and turmoil of homelessness. Loans are paid directly to the landlord and repaid in cash or volunteer service.
  
  
• The Unmet Needs Fund
  This special fund helps with cash grants for medical and utility bills, or other family emergencies.
  
  
• Holiday Linkages
  Every year, hundreds of generous families in our community share the joy of the holiday season by helping neighbors whose budgets are tight and need help purchasing the extra food and gifts that make this time of year a true celebration. Our Holiday Linkage program matches struggling families—many in subsidized housing—with our generous volunteers who want to enrich their own holidays by sharing with others.

• Emergency Assistance Coalition
  The Emergency Assistance Coalition (EAC) is a network of providers who deliver emergency assistance to needy residents of the County. EAC members are public agencies, congregations, grassroots local assistance groups and other human service providers – groups who are familiar to serving those in crisis. The EAC meets monthly, working collaboratively to facilitate a comprehensive approach to the delivery of emergency assistance in the County.
  
  
• Project ENGAGE
  ENGAGE is an experiential learning program designed for community leaders to explore the issue of poverty in depth. ENGAGERs are men and women of many faiths and cultures, of varied age, race, economic status, educational background and life experiences. What they share is a willingness to learn from others and a common interest in thinking deeply about how to confront in our real world the abstract notions of poverty, justice and charity.

For more information about Interfaith Works’ Congregation & Community Support Programs, contact Rev. Rosetta Robinson.