National FIA

Interfaith Caregivers of Polk County is part of the national Faith In Action program created by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

There are five requirements that all Faith In Action programs have in common:

Interfaith – volunteers come from a variety of churches
Volunteer – our services are provided at no charge
Caregiving – volunteers provide non-medical services
Chronic Illness and Disability – volunteers serve people with these limitations
Home based – volunteers provide these services in the home

Click here to download a diagram of the five Faith In Action building blocks (requirements) in .PDF format. (Be patient as this downloads slowly.)

In 1984, twenty-five interfaith coalitions (congregations, churches, temples and synagogues) began to experience the strength and effectiveness of working together in a ministry of volunteer caregiving. Aware of the unmet needs of elderly and disabled, a national federation was formed. Its purpose was to assist congregations of all faiths to come together to provide an effective volunteer caregiving ministry.

Start-up funds for new Faith In Action programs were provided through grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. A program in Milwaukee, WI was one of the pilot projects.

Interfaith Caregivers in Polk County began with a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 1995. Click here to read history of our local program.

In 2000, the national Interfaith Caregiver changed their name to Faith in Action (FIA).

Today, there are about 600 Interfaith Caregiver and Faith in Action projects throughout the United States, Washington D.C., and the territory of Guam.

Click here to locate a Faith in Action program near you.

In 2005, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funded the last round of new Faith In Action programs. Their funding for the national Faith In Action program will be phased out in 2008.

Work is currently underway to establish a new coalition to support Faith In Action programs at both the state and national levels.