Weekly Mission Spotlight: Family Promise

Family Promise of Wake County

Opening its doors in 1994, Family Promise of Wake County (Family Promise) began as Wake Interfaith Hospitality Network (WIHN). It has developed into a multi-faceted program addressing homelessness and its causes. Family Promise’s mission is to transform the lives of families experiencing temporary homelessness by helping them find support services and safe, affordable permanent housing in our community. This is accomplished through their Day Center, Emergency Shelter Program, Transitional Housing Program, and New Lease on Life and Aftercare Program.

70 percent of Family Promise families successfully graduate from the Emergency Shelter program, due in large part to the dedicated support of supporting congregations and the case management provided by their professional staff of social workers during each family’s time in the program.

First Presbyterian Church is a host congregation for Family Promise, and pre-COVID-19, FPC provided emergency shelter in the Stock building four weeks per year. During the pandemic, the program has pivoted to using transitional apartments adjacent to the day center for the homeless families, while the host churches provide breakfast, lunch, snacks and evening meals for the families.

Our next host week is June 6-13, 2021. It is once again off-site. Church School class leaders should have already received information regarding evening meals from Jan Denny and Sharon Starnes via email. We are partnering with Highland United Methodist Church, who will provide meals the beginning of the week. Our Phoenix Church School class will provide dinner on Wednesday and our Journey Church School class on Friday night. Church of the Good Shepard is joining us once again and providing dinner on Thursday evening.

Return to rotational host model has been moved to November 7, 2021. Our next hosting will be the week of September 12.

On June 26, Family Promise is hosting Night Without a Bed social media challenge to raise awareness about family homelessness. They are asking families, children and Family Promise volunteers to sleep anywhere without a bed such as a car, tent, or a living room floor and post it to social media. Post a photo or video to social media using #NightWithoutABed.

Recently, Family Promise held its Annual Spring Job Fair. Employers were onsite to meet with clients about potential job opportunities. HeadStart also worked with families to register children in their program.

To learn more about Family Promise of Wake County, visit www.familypromisewake.org »

If you have any questions, please contact:

Sharon Starnes
starnes2013@gmail.com

Jan Denny
jpdenny19@gmail.com

Kathy Johnson
kjohnson@fpcraleigh.org
(919) 833-4070

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