The Beginning
In 1994 Karen Olson, CEO of the National Family Promise Program, contacted Father Bill Kenny of Christ the King Catholic Community, to discuss developing an interfaith shelter network in Clark County, Nevada. At that time the number of homeless families in Las Vegas was growing and there were no shelter programs that could provide services to an intact family (father, mother and children). Father Bill Kenny collaborated with Rabbi Sanford Akselrad of Congregation Ner Tamid and Pastor Charles Bowker of Reformation Lutheran to form the network. The Interfaith Shelter Program (IHN) began with 12 congregations signing on as overnight shelters and the Day Center was located at the Catholic Worker House on Van Buren Street in the historic Westside neighborhood. There were 14 people served nightly (up to 4 families).
Today
Over the years we have grown to be more than a place to find shelter. By implementing housing programs that we administer, educational classes and working side by side with other non-profits that administer rental assistance we have grown to be one of Clark County’s most respected non-profit organizations. We are limited now only by our Day Center size and have set out to launch our dream of a larger facility that will meet the needs of the programs we administer. These programs bring families back into their own homes with a plan to achieve independence. To that end, in April, 2018, we relocated our Day Center to a temporary site at 1410 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas. This will be our home until we complete the construction of the new, permanent building
