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Dear Friend,
People often ask me what it means that FID is an interfaith organization. Normally, I say that we are rooted in faith that comes from our founding by pastors in the late 19th century. For decades, congregations made up the leadership of our organization. Today, a large number of our volunteers and community partners are from local congregations. We are grounded in the values of compassion and dignity, which, while not necessarily solely religious values, we feel deeply connected to them as part of our mission.
I will say that we don’t proselytize, there is no religious identity needed to use our services, and there are no forced religious activities. We value having clergy on our board of directors, and all of the previous executive directors have been clergy. And yet, many of the guests, particularly those in The Women’s Room, find great comfort in faith. So, I was heartened to learn of this recent experience that the staff shared.
At The Women’s Room, connection comes in many forms—sometimes through laughter, shared stories, or quiet acts of kindness. Lately, it’s also been showing up in something deeper: faith.
More and more guests have been gathering around the table to pray together—lifting up each other’s names, hoping for shelter, safety, and strength. Some share the same faith, others simply share the desire to hope out loud. But Jenny noticed that not everyone felt comfortable joining in. Some women seemed unsure, perhaps sensing that a communal space like TWR wasn’t meant for prayer.
So Jenny offered a simple, thoughtful solution: she opened the library room for those who wanted a few moments each day to pray privately, together. No pressure. Just a safe, quiet space to gather.
Since then, something beautiful has taken root. The group has grown. Guests pray for one another like sisters. There's a sense of shared care—of community—that only deepens as the days pass.
By making space for spiritual connection, Jenny helped foster something more: belonging. Because at The Women’s Room, honoring each guest’s humanity means welcoming all the ways they care for themselves and each other.
To close out today, I am sharing an incredibly sweet and heartfelt voice message that Tim received last weekend after our Back-to-School event. We gave out over 400 backpacks, and one little boy called to say, “Thank you.” This is a small, yet profound, reminder of why we do our work. Thank you for being a part of it!
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