"Um, no."
This was my internal reaction the first time I learned about Family Promise. I had heard about this program and that it would require me to spend the night at my church with a homeless family. I mean, there aren't even any beds at my church. Why would I want to sleep there, and with people I don't know? What if they snore?
Fast forward a few years to now, when I know so much more about Family Promise and their mission. They are such a valuable service to our community and our families in crisis. For the past few years I've taken a lot of dinners, though I've still never spent the night at church.
Family Promise is a national organization that helps families experiencing homelessness get back on their feet. The families sleep in churches (or sometimes other centers) and different volunteers bring them dinner each night. During the day, the kids go to school while the parents go to classes and to look for jobs. Families have to be vetted to get to be a part of this program, which lasts for about 3 months and has an excellent success rate.
Family Promise of Bell County (in Temple, TX) is growing and is raising money to build a center, Promise House, for the families they serve. The families will be able to stay in one location for the duration of their time in the program, which will give parents a better feeling of stability and help children get more sleep (which will improve quality of life for everyone, let's be honest!).
I am proud to announce Family Promise as this month's Hickory and Elm donation recipient as they work towards raising the funds for Promise House. Join with us in supporting this wonderful cause!
Learn more about Family Promise and find one in your area at https://familypromise.org/.
More about Promise House: https://www.familypromisebellcounty.org/promise-house