The
MCIHN Guest Program
MCIHN is seeking to help homeless families who are in need of temporary assistance to get back on their feet. Families wishing to be considered for the MCIHN program must go through the guest qualification process to be admitted.
In the MCIHN program, guests will receive services and attend classes with the goal of getting back on their feet: finding a good job with steady income and affordable housing.
During the day, the guests will use the MCIHN Emerson Day Center in Conroe as a home base. At night guests will be staying in host churches in the Montgomery County area.
The MCIHN program can accommodate up to 14 guests. The initial admission is for 30 days. Satisfactory completion of agreed upon goals may extend the stay to a maximum of 90 days.
Referrals and inquiries may be made by phone (936-441-8778) during regular business hours, or by email: director@mcihn.org. As appropriate, families will then be scheduled for an interview with MCIHN's Executive Director.
After the initial contact with a family is made, the
MCIHN staff will conduct a telephone interview. Following this, the family
is invited to come in for a face-to-face interview. If the family agrees
to abide by the rules and guidelines set in place by MCIHN, they are admitted
into the program. 
Families
who wish to enter our program must meet the following criteria:
The
program is designed for adults with children under 18 years of age.
No
untreated or serious mental illness
No
serious criminal history
Must
have been clean and sober for the past 30 days
Must
not be fleeing domestic violence
Must
pose no threat to other MCIHN families or volunteers
Must be willing
to follow MCIHN "Guest Guidelines"
MCIHN's Executive Director will work closely with the
families in a number of areas. After a needs assessment, families are
assigned a case manager and connected to the appropriate resources available
in Montgomery County. Families are also required to attend Life Management
and parenting classes provided once a week by MCIHN. These classes are
designed to help families build the foundation they need to maintain permanent
housing and long-term independence.
Each day, the MCIHN van transports guest families between the host congregation and the Emerson Day Center. There, in addition to working with Executive Director on the aspects mentioned above, the families may leave for work or school or pursue job and/or housing searches.
The day center in Conroe
is equipped
with the following:
A
computer room with internet access
A
playroom with toys
Closets
where guests can keep
their belongings
A
large kitchen stocked with
breakfast and lunch foods
A
fenced backyard with playground equipment
A
food pantry for graduates
A
bathroom with shower
A
fully equipped laundry room
Reception
area with fax access
A
network van for transporting guests with no transportation
MCIHN utilizes churches in the area to host the families after the Day Center closes for the evening. This service rotates each week from one church to another. Churches provide transportation to and from their location via our network van.
While at the churches, families are provided with an evening meal, sometimes nightly activities, and a room with beds and bedding. In this environment, guests are able to maintain their dignity and privacy as the church becomes their temporary home. The kindness from these congregations helps diminish the hurt of homelessness in an environment where both volunteers and guests can grow and learn from one another.
