Many thanks to Unitarian Society of Germantown for hosting the annual neighborhood Martin Luther King Day of Service, bringing together hundreds of local volunteers!┬á The day reaped many benefits for PIHN- a cleaner and more organized family center, a start on bowls for next year’s Empty Bowl Dinner, lots of Houses for Change and some much needed shelving in our office!

Seen here- Debby Stern, PIHN Coordinator at Germantown Jewish Centre and granddaughters, Hanna and Gabriella, making their Houses for Change to collect spare coins to help bring about positive change for PIHN families

Together, we can fill an empty bowl.
Many of us have spare change lying around the house.
So, I, Christopher Rathbun, pledge to complete the Empty Bowl Challenge by taking and posting a picture with an empty bowl, filling that bowl with spare change, and contributing that amount or more to help a family experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia and around the world.

I nominate all of my neighbors and family to complete the Empty Bowl Challenge! You have 48 hours to pass this along to 3 of your friends! (You don’t have to be nominated, take the challenge yourself!) Every year, the Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network (PIHN) hosts an event called the Empty Bowl Dinner that raises awareness about family hunger and homelessness. Every guest leaves with an empty hand-made bowl as a reminder that every night hundreds of families go hungry in the City of Philadelphia.

We are excited to announce that PIHN has moved its Northeast Daycenter and office to the second floor of 6730 Torresdale Avenue, 19135. While we are sad to say goodbye to our former neighbors at the OCCCDA, this new location provides easy accessibility, and its location above Councilman Bobby HenonÔÇÖs office makes PIHN a convenient resource for community members. The new day center includes new amenities, such as a full kitchen and washer/dryer for our current and alumni guest families to utilize.

PIHN realizes, along with other agencies providing social services in Northeast Philadelphia,  that we could more effectively serve the community through collaboration and coordination. Therefore, Councilman Henon has entrusted Emma Wagner, who previously served as a PIHN intern, with formally organizing the Northeast Service Team (NEST). NEST is a collaboration of organizations that work together in order to ensure that vulnerable residents of Northeast Philadelphia will have access to all of the services and resources they need to thrive.

NESTÔÇÖs vision is that every individual and family in Northeast Philadelphia will live abundant lives, free of hunger, homelessness, and poverty. NEST is comprised of many great agencies, including Catholic Community Services, CityReach, Feast of Justice, Friends Hospital, The Greater Philadelphia Diaper Bank, Holy Family University Family Center, Kingdom Life Christian Center, The Philadelphia Furniture Bank, PIHN, Star of Hope Baptist Church, and Turning Points For Children.