990 Nassau Street
Cincinnati, OH 45206
Child Enrichment Program
Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati’s mission is to provide homeless families emergency shelter and hospitality through interfaith communities and to work with families to find and retain stable housing. 62% of the individuals served by IHNGC are children who become homeless with their families. The IHNGC’s Child Enrichment Program works to protect vulnerable children, reduce traumatic stress, and help them achieve brighter futures by addressing the physical, educational, social and emotional needs of children experiencing homelessness. The program offers structured after-school activities, developmental screenings, parental education, referrals, and school assistance. Weekly activities include literacy outreach, homework help, visits from therapy dogs, arts and crafts, and play and sharing exercises.
IHNGC provided shelter, nourishing food, and Child Enrichment services and activities for 163 children in 2018. A Dater Foundation grant was used to purchase program supplies, to maintain a clean, safe playroom, and to provide the one-on-one attention that homeless children deserve.
Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati
990 Nassau Street, Cincinnati, OH 45206
(513) 471-1100
Project: IHNGC Child Enrichment Program
Focus Area: Social Services
A success story from Interfaith Hospitality Network
Last summer, we had a child who was in summer school due to behavior issues from the previous school year. She would easily get upset over small problems, and struggle to express her emotions and feelings in a positive way. She really began to open up each week when Melodic Connection visited. Melodic Connections provides music therapy, so kids begin to identify emotions and work on self-regulation and patience while playing the instruments. You could see quite a change from the day she entered the shelter to the day she exited. IHNGC’s Child Enrichment program provided a new outlet and offered new skills for her to address her feelings and move to the next school year better prepared to learn.
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