Winter weather can be challenging, especially for those who are experiencing homelessness. That’s the inspiration to highlight Family Promise, an organization working to end family homelessness across the United States.
Family Promise is the largest nonprofit addressing family homelessness in the nation and there is a great need for their services. According to information shared in videos and posts in 2023, 42.9 million households spent more than 30% of their income on housing costs and 21.5 million spent more than 50% of their income on housing. In addition, 3 million children in the United States experience homelessness every year.
Family Promise has 200 Affiliates in 43 states, staffed by over 180,000 volunteers. Together they run a variety of shelter, prevention, and stabilization programs such as the examples below.
Prevention and diversion programs aim to keep families out of shelters by providing services such as temporary hotel stays, landlord mediation or rental assistance. Emergency shelter is offered on a rotational model which means mobilizing volunteers to help house families in community space. Stabilization programs focus on tenancy training, financial capability and other educational initiatives. Housing programs include master leasing, transitional in place programming, and housing choice vouchers. Finally, when needed local communities organize to provide services such as food pantries, furniture donation and holiday gift drives.
The results from using this holistic approach are impressive. 63,000 families were served in 2023 and over 80% of families in the Family Promise shelter program exit into stable housing.
If you’d like to get involved, look for an affiliate in your community and volunteer. You can also make a monetary donation and help amplify their work by spreading the word on social media. Follow Family Promise on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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