Our Community

The Family Effect works to reduce addiction as a leading cause of family collapse and harm to children in Upstate South Carolina. For more information visit familyeffect.org

United Ministries, in order to ensure that all might thrive in Greenville, offers thoughtful services that serve, transform, and empower those in need toward achieving self-sufficiency. Wings of United Ministries include education and employment, crisis assistance, and homelessness services (formerly GAIHN). For more information visit https://united-ministries.org

The mission of the Pleasant Valley Connection is to connect community residents, families, churches, and other organizations in a coordinated effort to improve the education, health, and well-being of those in the Pleasant Valley community. For more information visit https://dreaves6.wixsite.com/plesantvalley/about

Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County seeks to put God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. We believe that affordable homeownership is foundational for creating family stability, ensuring academic success for children and eliminating generational poverty. For more information visit https://www.habitatgreenville.org

Founded as a Presbyterian ministry in 1875, Thornwell is a full service, 501c3 nonprofit organization committed to providing the most innovative and effective solutions to help children and families in need. Thornwell provides Christian love and support to hundreds of children and families throughout Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. For more information visit thornwell.org

Our Interfaith Hospitality Network allows families with children to stay together as they confront the daunting challenges of tackling homelessness.

SIGN UP HERE for September 10 – 17 Hosting Week

The network consists of local congregations who share hospitality (in the form of emergency shelter, meals, and short-term housing) with families that include children who are experiencing homelessness, and to help those families achieve self-sufficiency and self-fulfillment.

Our program is unique, because it comprises the only collection of emergency shelters in Greenville for single mothers with sons who are age seven or older. GAIHN is also the only emergency shelter in Greenville for single fathers with children. Most other local emergency shelters separate family members by gender, and only GAIHN will allow homeless fathers and mothers to remain with their children. GAIHN also is the only place that can accommodate families with many children.

Ministry Opportunities:

Prepare & deliver a meal that serves 14 – 20 people
3 flexible hours
Serve as an evening host from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
3 hours/night
Serve as an overnight host from 8:30 p.m. – 7 a.m. Separate room(s) provided.
10.5 hours/night
Help wash linens
3 flexible hours
Serve on Set-Up and Take-Down Teams
1 – 2 hours

Contact Julia Bellew or Beth Edwards to get involved or learn more about the ministry opportunities.

What does GAIHN stand for? Greenville Area Interfaith Hospitality Network now joined with United Ministries.

Hospitality is the key- We as a congregation make the experience a true GAIN for guests & hosts alike. Families gain dignity and a way back to normalcy. As members of the church we gain a wealth of fellowship and the opportunity to make a real difference in someone’s life by doing what we do best at Westminster – gracious hospitality.
Hosting the program within our own facility in this very personal way provides hidden benefits for guests and for member of WPC. Guests feel the warm fellowship of God’s people in a very tangible way. Providing comfort and interacting with these struggling families brings the issue of homelessness to the forefront and puts a real face on this social issue. These families are not just “out there in a shelter”, they are guests in our church home and in real need of our hospitality.

Yet, temporary shelter housed in church facilities is only one part of what GAIHN does to address homelessness. Because of the generosity of so many member congregations, GAIHN has interim homes where guests “graduate” to on their road back to stable living conditions. Parents that demonstrate responsibility and complete milestones in required training programs become eligible for these homes. The next step for families beyond interim housing is section 8 housing or even home ownership. GAIHN works with those determined to help themselves to achieve permanent housing.

WPC is thankful to be a part of the hosting network with our members and beautiful church facilities. Quarterly we have up to 3 families stay at the church who check in on Sunday evening and check out the following Sunday morning by 7:00 a.m. GAIHN provides WPC with the names and ages of the families before they arrive as well as providing food preferences and any allergies.