The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

History

"Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston (IM) is Houston's oldest interfaith-based social service organization. Founded in 1955 as the Church Welfare League and officially chartered as Houston Metropolitan Ministries (HMM) in 1969, IM has been a leading force in bringing together people of all faiths to serve people in need in the greater Houston area. Renamed Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston in 1992 to reflect support from increasingly diverse faith traditions, including Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Unitarian Universalist and Zoroastrian communities of faith. Together they provide the foundation upon which IM builds collaborative partnerships to serve children, seniors and refugees" (www.imgh.org).

Description

IM enables people of all beliefs to collaborate in serving children, seniors, and refugees. These collaborative efforts "enrich the quality of life of at-risk children through nutrition and supportive services, enhance the independence and dignity of low-income seniors, and improve the quality of life for refugees" (www.imgh.org).

IM provides services to the greater Houston area, including nine-counties. The organization functions with the help of more than 3,500 volunteers.

Interfaith Initiatives

"The goal of Interfaith Initiatives is to build interfaith relationships by being a resource to the interfaith community, building relationships with the various faith communities represented in Houston and engaging individuals in Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston activities" (www.imgh.org).

The Interfaith Relations Committee strives to promote interfaith understanding and cooperation among people of different faith backgrounds through education and service projects. The Committee is chaired by Rev. Bill Poe.

Interfaith Ministries Interfaith Initiatives for 2003 include the IM Leadership Institute centering on Women's Spiritual Gathering and Fall Lecture series, the Resource Bank, the monthly MOSAIC newsletter, Prayer Vigils, Interfaith Volunteer Opportunities, Interfaith Youth Leadership Council, and various services. Please see the organization's website at www.imgh.ord/index.htm for more details.

Location and Directions

Interfaith Ministries is located at 3217 Montrose Boulevard; Houston, TX 77006. Please call the organization at 713.533.4900 for detailed directions.

Additional information

Please refer to www.imgh.org for Interfaith Ministries' links to Interfaith Initiatives, MOSAIC, events calendar, jobs, resources, FAQ, photo gallery, services, volunteering opportunities, contact information, and project information.