Inter-Faith Council for Social Service

Historical Timeline

In 1963, a group of seven local people united their volunteer efforts to address the conditions of poverty in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Thus the Inter-Faith Council was created, "to discover unmet needs and to respond through the coordinated efforts of volunteers." Crises intervention, as a compassionate response to personal and family emergencies, is the core of IFC's service to the community. Programs are designed to meet those needs that are not being met by other agencies. Also, IFC attempts to find long-range solutions to underlying causes of social problems.

1963

• Inter-Faith Council (IFC) forms as Inter-Church Council to continue work of Committee of Church Women United

1964

• IFC Clothing Distribution (Turned over to PTA Thrift Shop in 1978)

• School Lunch Program (Absorbed by OEO Federal Program)

• Pre-School Readiness Program (Now done by HeadStart)

• Helps family build a house (Now done by Habitat for Humanity)

1965

• IFC becomes a United Way Agency

1966

• Tutorial program for Chapel Hill-Carrboro elementary Schools (Spun off to Campus Y)

• Establishes Loan and Grant Fund

• Furniture Collection/Distribution program begins

1967

• Committee for low income, integrated housing starts planning for Chase Park & Elliott Woods

• Starts Community Program for Aging (Became town agency in 1970, then County Dept.)

1969

• Organizes Inter-Agency Council (Now Assoc. of Community Agencies)

1970

• Establishes Food Pantry at Wilson St.

1971

• Sponsors VISTA project to develop community centers (Four Family Resource centers currently exist)

1972

• Advocates for local Employment Security Commission office

1973

• Completes Chase Park and Elliott Woods apartments (Current operation by Inter-Church Housing Corp.)

1974

• Develops INFO, County-wide Information and Referral Service

1975

• Coordinates community response to Vietnam refugees

1976

• Develops Friends of Nursing Home Patients (Becomes County responsibility in 1979)

1978

• Housing Committee forms to build elderly and handicapped housing

1980

• Weatherization project begins (Suspended in 1988)

• Coordinates statewide effort to repeal Food Tax

• Gives "Children's Services News" space and support (Turned over to Child Care Networks in 1984)

• Budget counseling started for IFC clients

1981

• Advocates for uniform Housing Code (Adopted in 1983)

1982

• IFC Kitchen opens at Masonic Lodge; moves to Merritt Mill Rd. in 1985; moves to Community House in 1990

• Infant Car Seat Project (Spun off to County Health Dept. in 1988)

1984

• Adelaide Walters Apartments for elderly and handicapped built and dedicated (Now operated by Community Housing Alternatives)

1985

• IFC Shelter Program begins at churches, then in old town jail.

1986

• Senior Support Service works with patients released early from hospital (Ends in 1989)

1987

• CROP Walk sponsorship begins

• Mayor’s Task Force formed to establish permanent emergency shelter location

1988

• IFC 25th Anniversary Celebration

1989

• Medical Clinic opens at Community House

1990

• New Community House (Emergency Shelter/Community Kitchen) opens at Old Municipal Building

1992

• Initiates Social Worker Services at Community House

• Legal Clinic at Community House

• Sponsors successful grant application for AIDS Service Agency Family Care Home

1993

• 30th Anniversary Musical Salute

• Home visits for house-bound Family Service clients

1994

• "Project Home Start", Transitional Family Home receives HUD grant

• Smart Start provides social workers for homeless and at-risk children

• On-site Mental Health and Substance Abuse services at Community House

• Pediatric Clinic for Shelter children

• Employment Project for recovering homeless individuals (Spun off to Freedom House in 1997)

1995

• Hires first Executive Director

1996

• Family Connection Program for low-income families

• Video about the IFC is created

• Contracted with the Piedmont Consortium to administer Ryan White funds to assist people living with HIV and AIDS (Spun off to AIDS Service Agency of Orange County in 1997).

1997

• Relocation Committee formed for Wilson Street programs and staff

• Transitional housing facility construction begins

• First Kitchen Coordinator hired

1998

• Opening of Project Homestart for homeless families

• IFC begins Hispanic Outreach Initiative

1999

• Chapel Hill Mayor organizes IFC Relocation Taskforce

• IFC moves its Wilson Street office to Douglas Building in Carrboro

2000

• IFC Board of Directors conduct an agency-wide strategic planning process

• IFC establishes a Continuum of Care Committee to end homelessness

2001

• IFC Board of Directors approves new 3-year Strategic Plan

• Hillel Foundation implements Project Rush Hour ― a student led initiative to combat poverty and hunger

2002

• Hires First Volunteer Coordinator

• The Stewards Fund grant pays for renovations for IFC Food Pantry and Community Services operations in Carrboro

2003

• IFC purchases the Douglas Building in Carrboro for Community Services operations

• HUD funding for Project Homestart ends

• Reorganized HomeStart plans announced by IFC for homeless women and children

• 40^th anniversary celebration

2004

• IFC congregations host men’s shelter and kitchen services during Town renovations

• IFC and Chapel Hill Mayor convene planning group to address homelessness and new facilities