One Year, Many Partnerships…

My first anniversary as director of Family Promise is just around the corner, and I can’t help but feel a measure of pride in all we have accomplished.   This year we celebrated a milestone of 100 families who have passed through our network seeking shelter – 300 men, women and children needing and receiving a warm bed, meals and hope for a better future. 

The demand is growing, and we are responding to that need by kicking off the campaign to build our second network here in Monmouth County.   Soon, we will have both a southern and northern Monmouth rotation capable of handling more than 40 homeless families each and every year!  The lives we change will be incalculable over time, and it will be thanks to the hard work of our volunteers who give so generously each year.

The Hope for Children Foundation continues to be a dedicated partner, fully engaged in making a real difference in the lives of children and families of Monmouth County.   Their financial donation this year has enabled us to establish the “Hand Up” program (which pays security deposits, transportation, childcare and enrichment services for families graduating from the shelter), a computer and one free year of internet to every graduating family, the “Family Pride” stabilization program (which provides in-home support for up to one year for all graduating families), the “Step Up” program (single parents receive rent, utility and childcare assistance for up to two years after graduating if they are attending school or job training), and an amount for program support, development & implementation.   The scope of what we are able to offer program graduates is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of this foundation, and we are so touched that they have become true partners in the successes of our families.

We are sorry to say that this year Keansburg United Methodist had to leave our network as host after several years of serving our families, but we are grateful for the work of their congregation and coordinator Martha.   No worries, we haven’t lost them entirely, they will always find ways to support the network!

 I hope all of you are as excited as we are about the new faces who will be joining us as we change and grow.   Church on the Hill (Ocean Twp) became a host this year and did a fabulous job – and I am certain our new partners will also do as well as they join our network.  

I would like to thank all the coordinators for making this first year such a pleasure.   To all of our community partners, another grateful thank you.   Our partnerships change lives – and there is plenty more to come!    Blessings to you all - 

The Donation Program of Family Promise

One of the early observations I made after I joined Family Promise of Monmouth County was that families moved into empty or sparsely furnished apartments when they left our shelter – sometimes sleeping and eating on the floor for several weeks or months.   I wondered if they ever felt that they were coming “home” at the end of a long day, or if the children were able to perform at school if they weren’t able to get a decent night’s sleep.   

Everyone deserves to feel proud of the place they live, to invite friends or family over to share the joy of a new home, and to have a safe place in which to raise their family.  

The Hope for Children Foundation provides us with funding as a result of their generous fundraising gala held in November of each year.   In 2007, our staff decided to take a chance on a new idea and utilized a portion of the foundation money to create a donation and storage program.

It’s easy to participate in this program.  Area residents who wish to donate gently used home furnishings simply call our office, and several times a year we partner with Econo-Line movers in Wall Township to pick up those items.    The furniture is placed into storage and every graduating FP family who moves into an apartment is given the opportunity to “shop” in our storage facility.    The day they move, each family moves into a furnished apartment complete with beds, tables, dressers, refrigerators, and other necessities.   The staff and I install window blinds or curtains and all the small touches to make it a true homecoming for a family.  

We thank the Hope for Children Foundation for generously supporting this and many other programs for us, and invite all residents of Monmouth County to call us with donations of furniture.