Family Promise of North Idaho

We are pleased to announce the opening of Family Promise of North Idaho, serving

Volunteers hard at work during the network's first training.

Coeur d’Alene and the surrounding area.  It is Family Promise’s 128th Affiliate, and the first network in the state of Idaho.

Opening with 11 hosts, the IHN is comprised of diverse congregations. The day center is currently an apartment owned by the Thryve Coeur d’Alene church, and another church will soon finalize plans to establish a permanent day center in a school building on its property. The affiliate director is Cindy Wood, whose experience in group homes and youth ministry is augmented by a passion for the program, bred from her volunteering in the IHN in Bozeman, MT.

Community Presbyterian in Post Falls welcomed the network’s first guest family, and the scheduled volunteers for that night were Family Promise of North Idaho’s Board President and his wife. The first guests are a mom and her two daughters, a pre-teen and a toddler. Laid off from her job in construction, she turned to the network because no other option allowed her to keep her family together.

Family Promise of Lorain County

We are pleased to welcome our newest affiliate, Family Promise of Lorain County, Ohio. The Affiliate officially opened its doors on Easter Sunday, March 23, led by Executive Director Nicolle Pierse, a talented social service professional. The Affiliate opens with ten host and ten support congregations, including a local mosque, and a day center occupying a house in Elyria.

With neighboring Cleveland’s IHN serving as a model, Family Promise of Lorain County started when several local service providers began exploring solutions to the county’s family homelessness problems. Every agency in the community reports turning away multiple families per week, or even per day. The county’s image of bedroom communities and leafy college campuses belies a 12% poverty rate, families camping in county parks and an estimated 28 shelter beds in a county with nearly 300,000 residents.

Family Promise of Lima-Allen County

We are pleased to welcome our newest affiliate, Family Promise of Lima-Allen County, which took in its first family Monday, February 8th. This is the second network to open in 2008 and the eighth in the Buckeye state.

The network starts with a van donated by a generous individual and a day center ideally located in the heart of town. A large building owned by Trinity Methodist serves as the day center, with more than 2,000 sq ft and considerable storage space, and a childcare program housed next door. The new network is ably led by Executive Director Tami Gough, an experienced social service professional.

Among the 14 host congregations are churches from every facet of American Christianity: Catholic, mainline, evangelical, non-denominational. St. Charles Catholic Church warmly welcomed the first guest family, a mom with two older children who found themselves homeless after recently relocating to the area.

In this heartland city of 40,000 located in northwestern Ohio, there is an estimated shortage of 56 shelter beds, and no options for families to shelter where a father is involved. While Lima is among the most affordable cities in which to live, 17% of children under the age of 18 live below the poverty line.

Family Promise of Baldwin County

Family Promise of Baldwin County board members.

Family Promise’s newest affiliate just opened in Baldwin County, AL, welcoming its first guest family on Friday, January 4th. Family Promise of Baldwin County is Alabama’s fourth network.

Largely rural, with several small towns and a growing vacation and retirement home community, Baldwin County has no services for homeless families, sending them east to Pensacola or west to Mobile. Hurricane Ivan exacerbated the challenges of affordable housing, as destroyed rental and low-cost housing was rebuilt into high-priced condos and second homes.

Efforts to form an affiliate began with social service workers who were referring families to Family Promise of Mobile, and who wanted to address the escalating need in their own county.  The network opens with ten host congregationsand a day center in a donated modular unit adjacent to Catholic Social Services in Robertsdale.  Executive Director Mike Brokowsky has long term experience in the management and operation of child care centers and is passionate about his new role.

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Daphne was honored to serve as the first host congregation, opening its doors to a mom and dad with a three-year-old child. The mobile home the family was living in was condemned as uninhabitable, and they soon found themselves sleeping in their car, even as temperatures dipped below freezing the night before they arrived at Holy Trinity.  With most of their possessions safe and secure in storage provided by a volunteer, the mother couldn’t bear to be parted from the family photo albums.  So as they settled in for their first night, the family was able to share precious memories with their evening hosts.

Family Promise of Manatee County

Volunteers participate in their first training.

Family Promise is pleased to announce the opening of our newest affiliate on November 19.  Family Promise of Manatee County, nestled between Tampa Bay and Sarasota Bay, becomes the site of our sixth affiliate in the sunshine state.

After diligent work by a team of dedicated supporters, the network opens with nine host congregations, with Trinity United Methodist Church having the honor of being the first host.  In the heart of downtown, Central Christian Church provides a day center for guest families and the network has a van on open-ended loan from the United Church of Christ. The network’s new Executive Director is Diana Shoemaker, a social worker who used to serve as an IHN volunteer herself in Ohio.

Members of the First United Methodist Church of Palmetto unveiled a welcome sign for the network’s first guest families: a mom and dad with two young children, ages two and four, and a mom with a seven- and nine-year-old. Both of these families were at risk of being separated, and both cited Family Promise as the first agency “willing to help” and able to provide for all of their immediate needs, rather than just referring them elsewhere.

Delaware County IHN

The newest Family Promise affiliate opened its doors in Delaware County, PA on September 16th.The Delaware County Interfaith Hospitality Network, located in Chester, becomes the 8th affiliate in the Keystone State.

Despite many middle-class and affluent suburbs in the county, over 27% of the residents of Chester are below the poverty level. Delaware County’s primary industry was shipbuilding, and with the departure of heavy manufacturing, the city of Chester fell into decline, while many neighboring suburbs became bedroom communities to Philadelphia.Within the same county, for instance, the borough of Swarthmore has a per capita income exceeding $100,000.

The Delaware County IHN opens with nine host congregations and a day center in Chester at the YWCA. Director Ruby Benson is a committed and talented social worker with extensive direct experience in case management for homeless families, most recently with Catholic Social Services. Along with significant congregational and individual donations, the network’s pool of funding includes grants from Boeing, Sovereign Bank, and local foundations.

The network immediately welcomed a full house: three families with five, three, and two children, respectively. The families were guests at Our Lady of Charity Catholic Church, which served as the first host congregation.That first week marked one of the guest’s 9th birthday, and the congregation held festivities in the church to celebrate with the birthday girl and her family.

Family Promise of Hawai'i - Honolulu

Our newest Family Promise network opened in Honolulu, HI on Sunday, July 15th, joining Family Promise of Hawaii's first network in Kailua network.  The new Honolulu network is served by ten host congregations and twelve support congregations, and its own day center.  The current day center is rented from Catholic Charities while long-term space is being refurbished.  It is hoped that the long-term space can one day serve as a centralized day center for both Honolulu and Kailua, and possibly for a third network.

Hawaii may be paradise, but there are 3,500 to 6,000 people on Oahu alone who are homeless. Less than 30 miles from the glitter of Waikiki, Oahu’s western coast beaches feature tent cities replete with families. With an unemployment rate below 3%, the issue is not jobs but simply the escalating cost of housing. From the very start, the network welcomed guests, three families numbering 2, 3 and 6 members.

Family Promise of Sarasota

Family Promise of Sarasota opened on June 25th, becoming our fifth affiliate in the

Volunteers work hard to finish setting up the rooms for their guests' first night stay.

Sunshine State. Despite being one of Florida’s wealthiest communities, the need in this Gulf Coast community is acute. Sarasota’s gaps analysis shows 103 unsheltered homeless family members. Local shelters report turning many families away, and the Salvation Army cannot accept intact ones unwilling to be split up—who make up about 10% of those they have to turn away. There’s a severe shortage in affordable housing in Sarasota, illustrated by its difficulty in recruiting teachers and police officers.

The network opened with a diverse group of 9 hosts and several more likely to join soon. Support congregations range from a Missionary Baptist church to a Lubavitcher Chabad House to community churches. The day center is in a house downtown, near services and transportation. Family Promise of Sarasota raised funds to open through grants from the Sarasota Community Foundation, contributions from local congregations and the generosity of individuals—including one who paid for the van. Lisa Hagerman serves as Network Director, and brings a marketing and administrative background, history of volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, and deep ties to the community. The network plans to hire a case manager later this summer.

Pine Shores Presbyterian Church, hosted the first family, a grandmother with a toddler grandson. A single father with a seven-year-old daughter entered the network the next night. The first evening saw shared joy, love and wonderful food.

Brainerd Lakes IHN

Brainerd, Minnesota welcomed Family Promise's newest IHN on July 8th. Brainerd, at the headwaters of the Mississippi, was in the heart of the Ojibwe nation. Zebulon Pike was probably the first non-native American to traverse the area, and others soon followed in the early 19th century. Today, the area is growing as a retirement community for the Twin Cities. As a result, nearly half of the population is either 18 and under or 65 and over. Brainerd residents fall below the poverty line at twice the rate of Minnesota generally.

The new Brainerd Lakes Area IHN merges a relocated Little Falls IHN-which had discovered that most of its guests came from Brainerd-with a homegrown developing network in Brainerd. This serendipity allows the IHN to open with 17 committed host congregations. The day center is in a house leased from the school district for $1 a year, and Little Falls Director Richard Mettler is reprising this role in Brainerd.

Family Promise of Chattahoochee Valley

On Sunday, October 29, 2006, Family Promise of Chattahoochee Valley opened in Columbus, Georgia becoming the sixth affiliate in Georgia. Located on the Chattahoochee River, Columbus is widely viewed as a growing urban center and is home to AFLAC Insurance and Fort Benning. Despite these signs of prosperity, the problem of homelessness still pervades the community. Statistics indicate there are currently 128 unsheltered homeless family members in the community.

Development efforts first began in the Spring of 2004, initiated and guided by Family Promise staff. Significant assistance and support also came from nearby IHNs in Savannah and Augusta.

Eight hosts are currently participating in the network, which has already benefited from the generosity of local citizens. For example, the network’s day center is located in a historic home donated for nominal fee to the program by the First Baptist Church of Columbus, which also serves as a host congregation. In addition, a local business owner is paying the annual insurance costs for the network van, which was purchased in part with a government grant.

First Presbyterian Church recently welcomed the first families. These families included a mother and her six-week-old baby and another mother and her three young sons, who had been led to the host congregation through a series of difficult events, including the death of an infant son. The network’s presence proved to be a blessing for the family, which has been on the waiting list for public housing for

the past 18 months. Once in the

network, the mother expressed just how much hope the program has given her for the future. A third family has just joined as well. 

Family Promise of Charlotte

On Sunday, September 24th, Family Promise of Charlotte became the ninth affiliate in North Carolina. Culminating an effort begun in 2004, Family Promise of Charlotte opens its doors with 10 host congregations, a day center at Providence United Methodist Church, a van, and more than a third of the budget in hand. New Network Director Kathy Bolster brings experience in social work programs for young mothers to her new position, as well as guidance she gained from IHN directors Jennifer Coye, Donyel Barber and Tony McDade during site visits.

The first host church, Christ Episcopal Church, welcomed three guest families this past Sunday: a couple with five teenaged children, a mother and 12-year-old daughter, and a couple with a toddler. Their stories are as diverse as the families themselves. One family moved to Charlotte from Pennsylvania, only to find that the mother’s nursing assistant license didn’t transfer smoothly. Another moved to Charlotte but ran out of savings before the mom secured a new job. A third is just struggling to get on its feet…but in the meantime, the dad is helping Family Promise of Charlotte design its website!

Christ Episcopal’s TV has grown cold as guests and over 100 volunteers work together, play board games, and enjoy the fellowship of community. Even the church bridge club, wondering about the hubbub in the other building, discovered the program and volunteered on the spot to help one mom buy expensive medication.

Family Promise of Santa Rosa County, Florida

Family Promise of Santa Rosa County became the fourth affiliate in the Sunshine State. A largely rural area on the Florida panhandle, east of Pensacola, Santa Rosa County has seen escalating housing prices as a result of Hurricane Ivan and growth in the retirement and second-home markets. The Escambia-Santa Rosa Coalition for the Homeless estimates nearly 5,000 homeless family members in the Santa Rosa County.

The network opened with 10 hosts, a day center donated by First Baptist of Milton, a new cutaway van they purchased for $16k, and funds raised from congregations and community events—including $25k in one evening at a fundraising concert. The Network Director is Debbie Laird who has a background in mental health counseling.

The first family to stay at the IHN included a mom and dad with two young daughters, 22 and 10 months respectively. The father lost his job after being injured, and could not afford housing with the limited hours he received once he got a new job at Burger King. They stayed with in-laws, but eventually it became too difficult, and the family looks forward to regaining control of their lives in the program. The second family was on the brink of losing their children to foster care because of their homelessness. The judge, familiar with Family Promise, ruled that as long as the family was in the IHN program, their children could remain with them. 

Santa Rosa County Board Members

Family Promise of Montgomery, Alabama

Family Promise of Montgomery is also the fourth affiliate in its state, Alabama. Until now, this capital city has lacked the ability to shelter intact families.  The Salvation Army, the only provider of shelter for moms with children, turned away a family a day on average.

FP of Montgomery has 10 hosts and nearly as many supports, a day center in a house owned by Frazer United Methodist Church (within a block of a major child-care center for low income families, a church with computer labs and the Boys and Girls Club of Montgomery), a van and about $70,000 raised, mostly from congregational commitments. The director, Beth Marra, is a New Jersey native who has extensive experience in social services, particularly working with single mothers.  The network also starts with an experienced case manager, Alina Norman, who will work with the families while Beth focuses on building the network’s financial and volunteer resources.

The first family to stay in the network was a mom and her young son.  The mom, who is employed as a chef, will soon be moving on to an apartment.  The day after this family came in, the network took in another mom and child and the third family followed the next week. 

Montgomery is a city woven into our nation’s history, from Jefferson Davis to Martin Luther King. It is home to the Rosa Parks Museum and the headquarters of the Southern Poverty Law Center, and now Family Promise of Montgomery adds another important layer of community involvement that will have a lasting, positive impact.

Kailua, Hawaii

The Kailua affiliate of Family Promise opened March 5, 2006. A suburb of Honolulu, it is the most southern and westward network formed to date. As the first affiliate in Hawaii, it brings the total number of states with Family Promise networks to 39. The network has 11 host congregations and a comparable number of support groups that include the Kaneohe Marine Base and the Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Center. Homelessness has become a growing problem in this state. Up until now, very limited shelter facilities have existed in nearby Honolulu. St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church has donated the day center for this new affiliate, a house owned by the church. Kent Anderson, director, is a former Peace Corps member who also worked for the Kingdom of Tonga. Kent Coarsey, board president, a former director of the Adams County, Colorado IHN, helped establish this new affiliate upon returning to his home state.

Bozeman, MT

Family Promise of Gallatin Valley opened March 5, 2006 in Bozeman, MT. Individual and congregation donations as well as a state grant have helped get one of Family Promise’s newest affiliates underway. With nine host congregations and seven support groups, Family Promise of Gallatin Valley has become the second affiliate in the Big Sky State. St. James Episcopal Church has provided its Canterbury House as the day center. Gloria Edwards, the new director, has considerable social service experience as the founder and first Executive Director of the local Victim Assistance Program and has worked as a community social worker for the Department of Family Services in Montana. She calls the new affiliate “an adventure of hope.”

Pasadena, Texas

In Pasadena, Texas, where the school system has identified over 250 homeless children, before Family Promise of Pasadena opened its doors in May, local homeless families were often referred to Houston for assistance. The first guests were a mom and toddler. Pasadena is now the eighth Family Promise affiliate serving homeless and low-income families in the Lone Star State.

The Pasadena affiliate has 8 host congregations and a Day Center in space provided by the Salvation Army. Our thanks to the Houston area affiliates, who provided encouragement, shared learnings, and opened doors along the way. The Mayor of Pasadena presided over the ribbon-cutting at the official opening.

Family Promise of Pasadena has received funding from a HUD grant, as well as local contributions from individuals and congregations, and events like concerts and the local strawberry festival.

Knoxville, Tennessee

The Knoxville affiliate opened its doors on July 3 when Farragut First UMC welcomed a family of six: mom, dad, and four children. The entire family was delighted by the hospitality of volunteers and the quality of meals-the kids were thankful to have their first glasses of milk in three weeks.  

The Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Knoxville has 12 hosting and 16 support congregations-the latter including the Muslim Community of Knoxville and the Bahai Center. The new IHN director, Kelly Owen, previously interned at Johnson City's IHN. The Day Center operates in collaboration with a leading local non-profit ministry center.

IHN development e fforts in Knoxville began when the population of homeless families in Knox County outgrew services available. Director of IHN Development Claas Ehlers facilitated the October 2003 community meeting-over 50 attendees demonstrated Knoxville's powerful drive to serve. Donna Lawson, IHN Director in Gainesville, FL, conducted opening training. In the IHN spirit of teamwork, Brian Rosecrance of the Johnson City IHN and other Tennessee IHNs lent valuable encouragement and counsel throughout the process.

Modesto, California

Modesto is a growing urban center of over 200,000 people located about 85 miles east of San Francisco. When IHN development began there, the only area homeless shelter facility was turning away about five families monthly. Family Promise of Greater Modesto has 10 host congregations, a Day Center at Church of the Brethren, excellent funding, and a terrific director, Ruben Sanchez.

The Network opened July 5 and its first guests were two families, one of eight and one of four, hosted by Church of the Brethren. The Host Volunteers were delighted when the guests insisted on pitching in to cook and clean-up during dinner-"it has been a joy for me and so much easier than I expected." Modesto is now the third California Network, joining Sacramento and San Mateo.

Family Promise Mat-Su, Alaska

Until Family Promise Mat-Su opened its doors, there was no emergency family shelter available in the Mat-Su Valley of Alaska-and all government and private agencies agreed that shelter and support services were needed.

Family Promise Mat-Su kicked off development with a community meeting presentation by Family Promise President Karen Olson and in April 2005, the IHN took in their first family, a mom with two teenagers and a toddler. Comfortable day center facilities, with kitchen, showers, meeting rooms, and an office, were donated by a host congregation. With the dedication of the local interfaith community and technical assistance and training from Family Promise, Mat-Su made Alaska the 36th IHN state.

Spartanburg Interfaith Hospitality Network (SPIHN), South Carolina

The city and county of Spartanburg lie in upland South Carolina, an area of farms and textile manufacturing whose economic base has shifted as factories closed and jobs relocated overseas. The Spartanburg Interfaith Hospitality Network (SPIHN) is the third Network in the Palmetto State.

Network development began with a dedicated core of local volunteers assisted by Family Promise. Several volunteers from Ohio IHNs who had relocated to the area helped inspire the community. Another key element in Spartanburg's success was partnering with the Greenville network, when several Spartanburg churches hosted guests during the summer, increasing enthusiasm and awareness. Demonstrating that an IHN is a community effort, Spartanburg used the novel approach of publicizing its efforts through the menu of a local drive-in restaurant.

Spartanburg also benefited from technical assistance and staff and volunteer training from Family Promise. The network opened its doors on April 24.

Family Promise of Sacramento, California

Shelters in Sacramento have been running at 100 percent capacity and turning away a third of all requests due to lack of resources.

Family Promise of Sacramento opened their doors on April 25 with 3 families of 13 individuals entering the network and several other families on a waiting list. The core leadership team has made an exceptionally strong start with 10 host congregations; a day center on the campus of Loaves and Fishes-with connections to social services and transportation; and an impressive fundraising record.

Not only has the IHN secured a $50,000 foundation grant, but-just as important, the IHN has raised nearly the same amount through special collections and congregational donations.

Gwinnett County, Georgia

In a comfortable Georgia suburb coined the "place where success lives," 1,400 family members, more than half of whom are children, are in need of shelter.   With only 28 beds available to homeless families in the county's motel shelter system, caring congregations moved quickly to establish the Gwinnett County Interfaith Hospitality Network.   Seventeen hosts and hundreds of volunteers later, the IHN kicked off its opening in March with a benefit golfathon, and is currently welcoming its first families to the network.   The Gwinnett IHN is the fifth network to open in Georgia, joining the Athens, Augusta, Glynn County, and Savannah IHNs.

Manitowoc, Wisconsin

After the recent closing of an aluminum processing plant, Manitowoc County's unemployment rate now tops 11%.   With no shelter for families in the past, the county has sent parents and children to nearby Sheboygan or Green Bay.   Through especially successful fundraising including bratwurst sales, an event with a motorcycle club and a $47,000 challenge grant matched in just a few months, the Lakeshore Interfaith Hospitality Network of Manitowoc County opened in February.  

Ft. Bend, Texas

Deep in the heart of Texas, the fourth Houston-area Interfaith Hospitality Network opened on February 12th in Ft Bend, an affluent suburb with insufficient shelters or services for homeless families.   The Ft. Bend Interfaith Hospitality Network's day center was provided by the New Hope Lutheran church and occupies its entire sanctuary building.   Ft. Bend was recently invited by another local nonprofit agency to join them and two other nonprofits in a gala fundraising event.   The gala's theme was "Lost Treasure of the Ancient World", an Indian Jones-type reference to the local agencies as lost treasure.   Over 250 people attended the event for an adventurous evening of dinner, dancing, and both silent and live auctions.   Proceeds from the event were split among the participating agencies.

Shawnee, Oklahoma

Three-year-old twins play in the Shawnee IHN day center backyard.

At one time home of the largest cottonseed oil mill in the country, Shawnee, Oklahoma is now home to the first program in the area to shelter and assist intact homeless families. A local college senior's research on the need of homeless families coupled with the efforts of a homeless shelter committee led the community to Family Promise and spurred the development of the Shawnee Interfaith Hospitality Network. UPS generously awarded a $25,000 grant to the IHN to transform a house into the day center. On January 23rd , the staff and volunteers at Shawnee welcomed its first family with three-year-old twins.

Longview, Texas

With no emergency shelters in Longview, Texas, and the nearest homeless shelter thirty-five miles away, Longview Interfaith Hospitality Network is the only shelter in the area that can accommodate intact families. This IHN-the sixth Texas affiliate-opened on November 21st and within days greeted two families, serving a total of seven children! Longview's day center is in a charming 1500 square foot house purchased by the network for a mere $15,000.

Nashua, New Hampshire

Family Room in Nashua Host Church

The Nashua IHN was the second network to open in New Hampshire, opening its doors on November 14th . With a large crew of dedicated volunteers and a recent surprise donation of $25,000 from First Church in Nashua, they're off to a promising start. A hosting volunteer recalls her experience with the first guests, a mother and her three children, as a "life-time memory." "The children were thrilled to see their bedroom, the play room and the living room."

Billings, Montana

With the opening of the Billings Interfaith Hospitality Network-the first under the big sky of Montana-Family Promise's reach expands to thirty-four states. Billings is also in a more remote location than any other IHN, situated 456 miles from the nearest affiliate. Billings is the most inclusive family shelter program in the area. In mid-November Billings hosted its first family of three, a grandmother and her two young grandchildren-only twenty months and four months old.

Athens, Georgia

Athens IHN Day Center

Not only is the Athens Interfaith Hospitality Network the fourth IHN to open in Georgia, it was Family Promise's 100th affiliate as well! Athens welcomed its first family with three boys on October 31st. The Athens IHN is the only program in the area that shelters intact families without charging guests a fee. Amanda Gray, Director of the IHN in Augusta delivered the opening training to an impressive crowd of 171 volunteers, coordinators, and board members. Volunteers transformed an historic house into a day center by renovating the entire first floor.