You Don't Age Out of This Community

Connection doesn't end when a stay does. Our Community Events & Outreach program exists because research consistently shows that stable housing is easier to maintain when people remain embedded in a community that knows them. Every first Friday of the month, we take that principle off the page and into practice — with afternoon street outreach across Leavenworth and an evening community event open to current guests, former guests, volunteers, and neighbors. If you've passed through our doors or simply want to show up for your community, there is always a place for you here.

What Happens Every First Friday

The first Friday of each month follows a consistent rhythm that makes it easy to plan around and easy to show up for.

• Afternoon street outreach — Our team goes out into the community to connect with individuals who may not yet know about available resources or who need a familiar face and a direct conversation.
• Evening community event — Guests, alumni, volunteers, and community members gather at our facility for food, connection, and the kind of informal support that no intake form can replicate.

Both parts of the program matter. The outreach meets people where they are. The evening event gives everyone — regardless of housing status — a reason to stay connected to the people and the place that helped them through a hard season.

Why Social Connection Is Part of the Work

Housing stability and social isolation are directly linked. People who maintain consistent community ties after leaving a shelter are significantly more likely to sustain stable housing over time. That finding shapes everything about how we design this program.

The monthly first Friday events are not a bonus offering or a feel-good addition to our core services. They are a deliberate, research-informed part of how we help people stay housed. Belonging is the method. The goal is a life that holds together long after a guest's last night at 311 Kiowa Street.

A Space That Feels Like It Belongs to Everyone

Our consolidated facility on Kiowa Street includes two garden spaces that reflect the same values as our community programming. The vegetable garden supports guest wellness and gives people a tangible role in tending something that feeds others. The certified Monarch butterfly garden is one of the small, intentional details that communicates to guests, volunteers, and passersby alike that this is a place worth caring for.

These spaces are part of the community-connection environment — open, welcoming, and grounded in the belief that dignity shows up in the details.

Who These Events Are For

Community events and street outreach are built for a wide circle of people.

• Current guests of the Night Shelter and Day Center
• Former guests who have moved on to other housing and want to stay connected
• Volunteers looking for a consistent, relational way to engage with the community
• Neighbors and community members who want to understand and support the people around them
• Partner organizations coordinating resources and referrals

If you have never attended one of our events and are wondering whether you belong here, the answer is yes. First Friday is specifically designed for people at every point in the journey — including people who are just beginning to understand what that journey looks like for their neighbors.

For Donors: Why This Program Is Worth Supporting

Community events and outreach programming are often the first things cut when nonprofit budgets tighten — and among the most consequential things to lose. The case for funding this work is straightforward: the cost of re-entering the shelter system after a housing loss is far higher, for the individual and for the community, than the cost of maintaining the connections that prevent that loss in the first place.

When you support Leavenworth Interfaith Community of Hope, you are funding the full continuum — not just beds and meals, but the ongoing relationships that make beds and meals a bridge rather than a destination.

Stay in the Loop

The best way to stay current on first Friday events, outreach dates, and community programming is through our News & Newsletter page. We post upcoming events there and send regular updates to our subscriber list.

If you are a former guest, a regular volunteer, or a community partner who wants to stay connected between events, we would love to hear from you. Reach out through our contact page or stop by the Day Center any day between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Common Questions About Community Events & Outreach