Executive Summary

Interfaith Works (IW) is a community institution that began and continues as a collaborative effort to seek peace through addressing issues of social justice. IW’s largest community presence for the last 25 years has been the Homeless Services (IWHS) program. Ten years ago, IW made a radical commitment to reimagine homeless services in the community so those continually turned away by other shelters and services could have an opportunity to have their basic needs met and their humanity acknowledged. This commitment is grounded in peer support based staffing and leadership models that elevate the voices of those who have shared experiences with the guests and participants of IWHS programs. IW operates a 58 bed shelter, hazardous weather shelters, a day center, and a peer case management team that supports 90 units of permanent supportive housing, provides medical respite, and connects guests to services and resources. IW is a regionally recognized leader in low-barrier sheltering practices, and is constantly innovating to increase the social inclusion of the most marginalized community members. These practices focus on being consistent and participant led throughout all programs, while providing multiple depths of services so that the autonomy and dignity of participants and guests is centered in all IW does.

Aside from our role as one of the premier homeless services providers in the South Puget Sound area, Interfaith Works is a member based coalition of approx. 30 diverse faith and spiritual communities who work actively toward social justice and peace through community collaboration. We hold events throughout the year, such as our moments of blessing which reclaim public spaces in which violence has occurred, our Day of Remembrance litany for the unclaimed dead of Thurston County, and resetting our sacred table, a thanksgiving replacement event that is a collaboration with local tribes and IW members focused on acknowledging the past, and creating healing.

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