Philadelphia, PA (December 3, 2014) –World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 is reaching out to residents from across the Philadelphia Metropolitan region including South Jersey, Delaware, and the Lehigh Valley to participate in the “Host a Family” Program. In partnership with global travel company, Homestay.com, this accommodation alternative provides residents within 120 miles of Philadelphia the opportunity to open their homes and offer lodging to visitors from across the country and around the world for the 2015 World Meeting of Families. More than 10,000 delegates from 150 nations are expected to attend the Congress, which will be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center from Tuesday, September 22 to Friday, September 25, 2015. The Congress will be followed by a visit from Pope Francis to Philadelphia September 26 to 27, 2015, which is expected to draw upwards of two million visitors to the city. Host a family registration is now open and new hosts are registering daily; guests will have the opportunity to book available accommodations as early as January of 2015.

Homestay.com’s technology, which powers the “Host a Family” program on WorldMeeting2015.org, provides hosts with a secure platform for providing accommodations to both domestic and international visitors attending the World Meeting of Families. From young professionals to retirees, females to males, individuals to families, Homestay.com offers a variety of ways in which to participate as a host family for the World Meeting of Families 2015. Hosts can register a guest bedroom, a furnished apartment or even a shore house, as long as it falls within a 120 mile radius of Center City Philadelphia.

“The excitement for the World Meeting of Families and Pope Francis’ visit cannot be overstated,” said Donna Crilley Farrell, Executive Director for the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015. “The response to the opening of registration and confirmation of the Papal visit has been tremendously positive and we will need every housing option available. We are excited that Homestay.com offers this alternative. They are an internationally recognized and trusted brand that will provide a terrific, cost-effective housing option through the ‘Host a Family’ initiative. We often pride ourselves on the ‘brotherly love and sisterly affection’ that defines our region. Truly, ‘Host a Family,’ through Homestay.com, is an excellent way to show exactly that by offering our visitors a unique and authentic living experience.”

Those interested in becoming a host family for the World Meetings of Families – Philadelphia 2015 can register for free through an easy step-by-step online registration process via http://bit.ly/hostafamily. Information detailing the program, host family requirements and responsibilities, compensation, and cancellation are available via video and extensive FAQ at WorldMeeting2015.org.

Commented Alan Clarke, CEO of Homestay.com, “‘Host a Family’ is the perfect tool to deliver alternative accommodation choices for World Meeting of Families visitors as well as match like-minded hosts and guests. What Homestay.com offers aligns well with the mission of the 2015 World Meeting and with the philosophy of Pope Francis, by encouraging community and promoting family. We believe that ‘Host a Family’ can enhance and enrich the cultural experience for Congress attendees while also providing a most genuine Philadelphia visit.”

For more information regarding the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia next September, please visit WorldMeeting2015.org. An online retail store, featuring t-shirts, hats, pins and other small mementos, is also open and can be accessed at WMOF.MyShopify.com. You can also engage the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 on Facebook (World Meeting of Families 2015) (Encuentro Mundial de las Familias – Filadelfia 2015), Twitter (@WMF2015) (@WMF2015ES) and Instagram (WMF2015).

About World Meetings of Families
Beginning with 1994, The Year of the Family, the Pontifical Council for the Family has been responsible for organizing the World Meetings of Families in Rome (1994); Rio de Janeiro (1997); Rome (2000); Manila (2003); Valencia (2006); Mexico City (2009); Milan (2012); and now, Philadelphia (2015). Since its inception by Saint John Paul II, the World Meeting of Families has sought to strengthen the sacred bonds of family across the globe.

About Homestay.com
Homestay.com, named one of Europe’s top three travel innovators by PhoCusWright, is a Dublin-based firm pioneering new ways to enjoy experiential accommodation choices through a “hosted travel experience” homestay model. Moving this largely offline industry online, Homestay.com has also pioneered the “pop-up” homestay network, designed to solve acute accommodation shortages, mitigating price rises, and to help local communities benefit from large-scale local events. Homestay.com is a limited company and has raised venture capital funding through Delta Partners Ltd. The company also provides the Homestay Manager software to Homestay agencies and host families worldwide. Homestay.com chairman is Paddy Holahan, the founder and CEO of Newbay. CEO is Alan Clarke, formerly of Yahoo! and McKinsey and Company.

Contact
Ken Gavin
Director of Communications
215-587-3747