Family Promise of Grayson County Newsletter | December 2019

Our mission is intersecting faith and community to empower Grayson County families to end child homelessness.

Message from our Board Chair There is nothing I’d rather get this Christmas, than the news I just received. This week, two families have graduated out of the program, and into stable housing. Remember that ‘graduating’ means the family has saved up enough money, and has sustainable income resources in place, to be able to live in a place of their own. And having a place of their own gives a family hope. How awesome is that! These two families have a combined 7 children who will now sleep in their own bed. Every night.  And…now our program has room for more families with children, to get them into the proven program Family Promise offers, so they too can begin that journey to a new home and future.  That journey only happens as a result of the love and kindness each of our volunteers offers at one of the host or support congregations. Thank you so much for all you do to move these families in positive directions. Providing food, sitting with families at dinner, being an over-night host, arranging games and activities, supporting or managing the logistics. It takes a village. I’d like to thank our board for their passion for our mission. Thank you to our talented and dedicated staff. Thank you all who show up at the Day Center and just add value to the program (you read about them each month in this newsletter). Thank you to the Bed Race Committee. Thank you to those who developed a new website for us this year. Thank you to those who just show up and help us get things done. Or bring fresh ideas to the table. It just doesn’t work without all those who volunteer here at Family Promise of Grayson County.  Best wishes for a very Merry Christmas to you and your family. And thank you for your support.  Asa Jesse   Board Chair  Family Promise of Grayson County  Website

A Special Thanksgiving Dinner

A HUGE thanks to the Seventh Sin Motorcycle Club for blessing Family Promise with boxes of food, pies, turkey, and all the Thanksgiving trimmings!  Much to the delight of the children that were present, club members roared into the Day Center parking lot on their motorcycles, wearing their leathers and cuts (vests), and delivered the food.  The 7 th Sin Motorcycle Club is a nonprofit organization that raises money and support for law enforcement, veterans, and children’s organizations.  All of the chapters of the club delivered Thanksgiving meals to families in Southeast Oklahoma and North Texas!

Paragon Realtors Supports Family Promise with Gift Cards

Paragon Realtors, a Texas real estate firm, is in the business of helping people find homes.  They recently helped our Family Promise guests in their quests to attain stable housing, but not by selling them houses.  At the end of October, realtor Mark Tooley invited Family Promise Executive Director Leigh Walker to speak to the Paragon group at their monthly breakfast.  The realtors later chose to support Family Promise by providing a gift card tree decorated with $420 in gift cards and cash!  The gift cards primarily will be used by guests to purchase gas for driving to and from work.  Some of the cards may be used by guests to purchase Christmas gifts for their children. Realtor Norman Gordon and one of Santa’s “elves” presented the tree at their Thanksgiving luncheon!  Thank you to Paragon for your generosity!

Sherman Quilt Makers Provides Quilts to Graduating Families

The Sherman Quilt Makers once again shared their time, talent, and generosity with guests graduating from Family Promise into their own homes.  We are so happy for these families, after much hard work, to have achieved this success.  We also are very grateful to the Quilt Makers for making our guests feel special by blessing them with these beautiful quilts!  Thank you to Mary Jacobs for delivering the quilts to our families!

Congratulations!

We are excited for these two families to be moving on along their journey. All of the congregations who are part of the network of churches supporting Family Promise of Grayson County, will continue to pray for you in support of all you are doing to provide for your families.

Upcoming Training

Remember that volunteers who interact with families in the program (dinner hosts, over-night hosts, etc.), must attend Family Promise of Grayson County training.  Lakeway United Methodist Church (15015 N. State Hwy 289 in Pottsboro) on Tuesday, December 10, 2019 from 6:30-8:30 PM Fairview Baptist Church (222 W. Taylor Street in Sherman) on Wednesday, December 11, 2019 from 6-8 PM Contact  Leigh Walker  (903-271-1088) for more information or to RSVP.

Learn More

If you would like to learn more about Family Promise of Grayson County including: How to participate How to volunteer How to support through donations Please visit  https://www.familypromisegrayson.org/  or contact Executive Director, Leigh Walker at  director@familypromisegrayson.org .

Family Promise of Grayson County | 903-271-1088 |  Contact| Email| Website