Interfaith began as an ecumenical volunteer agency in the spring of 1974. Former Youngstown Mayor Jack Hunter, made a plea to the community to plan and implement a concerted housing maintenance program for families who were unable to effect necessary home repairs. Interfaith's purpose is to assist homeowners who have neither the physical nor the financial resources to maintain decent, safe, and sanitary living conditions.

In July of 1977, Interfaith was able to hire full time, paid employees with funding from the District XI Area Agency on Aging and the Cooperative Employment and Training Act.  Exemption as a non-profit, charitable organization was granted in 1978.  In 1979, Interfaith began an additional association with The Community Development Agency and in 1986 Interfaith joined the United Way family of agencies.  The remainder of our funds are obtained through private sector, ecumenical, and client donations.

Interfaith operates with a staff of between ten and fourteen persons, including crew supervisors and crew workers, an intake worker, office manager and director. In addition to providing employment directly, our materials are purchased locally to provide further support of the Youngstown economy.

In 1984, Interfaith received a special one-year appropriation from the Community Development Agency because of the great number of elderly and other low-income homeowners requesting roofing repairs. The appropriation provided jobs for an additional eight staff persons, and as a result; 73 new roofs were replaced for people in danger of losing their homes because of the extensive damage a leaky roof can cause. Of the 50 roofing applications still on file, Interfaith can only expect to complete one or two per year, due to money and staff limitations. Consequently, no new roofing applications are being accepted.

Monies received from these various funding sources have enabled us to complete over 12,500 home repairs since July of 1977; these repairs include, but are not limited to, the areas of plumbing, roofing, carpentry, painting, plastering, and furnace repair.