17304 Havenwood Road, Sparta WI 54656
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FAMILY PROMISE PROGRAM
Our core program is a way for communities to address the challenge of family homelessness by using existing resources. Not only does this make the program cost efficient, it makes it effective. Family Promise is not just about getting families into housing, but addressing all the underlying issues and using the community to keep them in housing.
HOW IT WORKS
The resources are already there. In the community there are congregations that can provide space in their buildings to serve as temporary homes. Day centers, where families can take showers, receive case management and look for housing and jobs, can be located at a house of worship or agency. There are multiple options for transportation to get families from the host congregations to the day center and back. With volunteers giving their time, making meals, and sharing hospitality, family homelessness is addressed without the creation of expensive shelters. Across the country, people have realize1116 (2)d that this innovative approach truly makes a difference for families experiencing homelessness—and more than 180,000 volunteers.
These volunteers are the core of the program. They share food, spend the night, play with children and lend their passion and expertise to help families get back on their feet. They prove that motivated people can solve family homelessness..
A COMMUNITY RESPONSE
In every community, these core elements exist. By bringing the community together on the issue of family homelessness, Family Promise is able to address a major social problem in a holistic, effective way. Once the community becomes engaged, people understand the root causes of family homelessness and take steps to address them. As a result of Family Promise Affiliates, more than 1,500 community initiatives—housing programs, homelessness prevention, childcare and much more—have been created.
A LONG-TERM SOLUTION
On average, 74% of the families we serve will gain long-term housing while in the program, in nine weeks. Not only does this high success rate mean many more families stably housed, it is also a tremendous cost saving to the community as diversion from far more expensive interventions. Our approach of keeping families together, identifying their strengths, partnering with the community for solutions means that families are at much lower risk of returning to homelessness.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Family Promise changes lives. We change lives for the nearly 70,000 parents and children we serve each year, giving them the ability to realize their true potential. We also change the lives of our 180,000 volunteers, giving them a meaningful outreach right in their own communities.