Based in New Castle County, Delaware, Friendship House is a non-profit Christian corporation in service to those individuals and families that are or are at risk of becoming homeless.  Welcoming to all, Friendship House strives to serve and as sanctuary and a stepping stone to each person in need through the traditional spiritual ministries of hospitality, education, empowerment and community.

Christian Character

While Friendship House espouses neither doctrine nor dogma, it will take the spirit and attitude of Jesus of Nazareth as its model for ministry to others.

It will strive to recognize and affirm each person as a child of God, believing in their inalienable value and capacity for growth.

It will maintain its local church ownership with special emphasis on collaboration, accountability and transparency.

It will accept no funding that would seek to limit or compromise its mission or method of ministry.

Hospitality

In all its ministries, Friendship House will always strive to  be as inclusive and compassionate as possible, discriminating against no one because of race, age, religion, sexual orientation, color or political beliefs.

 Its style of ministry shall be holistic -- focusing on the entire person and not simply on the client's issues or problems.

It will offer services that enable its clients to maintain their identity and self-esteem.

Since self-esteem also requires accountability, it will challenge staff, volunteers and clients to maintain a standard of behavior necessary for its community and empower programs to prosper.

It will welcome any volunteer who desires to walk with the homeless in the spirit of Friendship House.

Empowerment

 Since it understands that Homelessness is more than simply the lack of shelter, Friendship House will strive to create programs that empower its clients to address their current economic, social and/or spiritual experiences of displacement.  the goal is not simply housing, but personal re-integration into society.

Its strategic planning shall be consumer driven -- arising out of the perceived needs of its clients rather than the funding priorities of government agencies, corporations or philanthropic foundations.

Friendship House will put special emphasis on  transitional housing and job-readiness programs that empower its clients to address their socio-economic condition in a strategic and holistic manner.

It will seek to complement rather than compete with existing human services through a spirit of cooperation and by developing program that fill the gaps in the human service network.

Education and Advocacy

Through the participation of volunteers in its various ministries, Friendship House will seek to help all people see their stake in the social concerns of the homeless and the marginalized of our community.

Since the poor and the marginalized are often their own best advocates, Friendship House will create arenas for community interaction like our hospitality centers, our weekly breakfasts and our partnering program.

Friendship House will strive to raise people's consciousness to the structural socio-economic injustices that are the primary causes of homelessness. It will encourage its supporters to get involved in these justice issues.

Community

Through every aspect of its ministry Friendship House will encourage people to discover what unites them as children of God.

To the extent possible it will always seek to develop peer relationships among staff, volunteers and homeless folks who represent our one community.