July 2019 Update

Building community, strengthening lives.

July 2019 Update

Having A Place To Belong - A current families perspective

Our experience has been beyond positive. Family Promise and everyone who volunteers have made us feel wanted, loved, encouraged, and most of all unashamed. They have given us a true sense of belonging. Family Promise is truly a caring advocate for homeless families.

When we first came to Family Promise, we were greeted with understanding and open arms. The whole staff listened to our story with compassionate ears instead of with harsh judgement. Family Promise is by far the best program for homeless families.

The host sites and volunteers are great! Family Promise has carefully trained them with professionalism. What I mean by this is that they don't pry into your life. But if you chose to talk or share your story, they are very understanding and very friendly. The volunteers too treat each family with respect, love and kindness. My favorite part of this program is when we meet our new host site each week and they are excited to meet us!

Thank you, Shandi Williams

My experience has been amazing. All of the staff here are very supportive and knowledgeable. The Family Service Coordinator, Allisa, has gone out of her way to give the support and guidance needed for our success. The outstanding volunteers make it easier to cope with our current situation. They make us feel so welcome. It is truly a blessing not to have to sleep in our car. Everyone is so loving, open, respectful, and warm hearted! I have not felt judged for being homeless.

Thank you, Gary Williams

Volunteering Note - From Family Promise National

For Kristine and her family, volunteering as overnight hosts at Family Promise of the Mid-Willamette Valley was an eye-opening look into the lives of families experiencing homelessness. Following a recent overnight stay, Kristine penned the following note to the Affiliate's Executive Director, T.J. Putman.

Thank you for the wonderful opportunity of being able to serve as overnight hosts last night. This is something our 3 boys look forward to every time. They're always asking when we get to sleep at the church again. It's such a blessing to serve the families you work with. And it's such a humbling reminder of how hard it is doing this on a daily basis (from the families' perspectives).

I love staying overnight with the boys and as a family, but I won't lie and say the day after is usually a little harder as a parent as kids are often more tired, cranky/whiny, and when I say kids, I mean me too. I have so much more respect for these families going through SO much transition (searching for work and housing AND switching churches to sleep at on a weekly basis AND loving their kids by being actively present and engaging with them.) So thank you (and staff) for being the light and love of Jesus in these families lives on a daily basis. The work you do truly matters and I appreciate every one of you.

Blessings,

Kristine

When housing is more affordable and accessible, it’s less likely that a household will experience homelessness; and those that do so will exit homelessness more quickly and stably. But recent data reports lead to growing concerns about the state of housing affordability in America – including the dearth of rental units affordable to people across all income levels.

Out of Reach report for 2019 , issued by the National Low Income Housing Coalition: A Few Takeaways

Nearly every county in America has an insufficient stock of rental units that are affordable and available to low-income renters.
The difference between wages and housing costs varies by locale, but there is no state where a minimum wage worker can afford a modest two-bedroom rental unit, if they work only 40 hours a week. This is true even in states where the minimum wage is set higher than the federal minimum wage.
A single worker making the federal minimum wage would need the rent to be $377 a month to spend less than 30% of their income on housing, which is the common definition of “affordable.” On average nationally, the one-bedroom fair market rent is $970.

Current Needs

The Day Center and our families are currently in need of:

Vacuum for the Day Center (for rug for babies to play on)
Bottled water
Laundry supplies (detergent and fabric softener)
Paper towels
Disinfectant wipes
General cleaning supplies
Antibacterial pump hand soap
Kleenex

FPSSC Stats

2018

58 families served: 104 children and 168 people total

Access Point - 15 families: 28 children and 41 people total

Emergency Shelter - 23 families: 36 children and 65 people total

Bridge Housing - 14 families: 21 children and 37 people total

Open Door - 6 families: 19 children and 25 people total

Dates to Remember

Volunteer Training: 8-13 -2019 at the Day Center, 4-5:30 PM - This training is for anyone who wants to volunteer with their congregation doing meals, hosting and overnights. All volunteers must go through training. Please RSVP to Allisa at [email protected] to ensure adequate space is available.

Coordinator Meeting: 9-10-2019 at Christ United Methodist Church, 5:30-6:30 PM - This meeting is for Coordinators at the Host and Support Churches.

From the Director

Family Promise Affiliates across the country are making a huge impact on their communities and together we are making an amazing impact for families in our country. Thank you to anyone and everyone who is involved in Family Promise in any fashion! We truly are Building Community and Strengthening Lives!

Thank you for all you do and bless you all!

Jennifer Fagenbaum, Executive Director

[email protected]

941-497-9881 ext. 106

Special Thanks for funding support in 2019 for our programs to:

Annette J. Hagens Foundation

Christ United Methodist Church

Community Foundation of Sarasota

Emmanuel Lutheran Church

Epiphany Cathedral CCW

Evalyn Sadlier Jones Foundation

First Baptist Church

First Christian Church

Grace United Methodist Men's Club

Jerome & Mildred Paddock Foundation

Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumnae Club

Kates Foundation

Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary

Plantation Community Foundation

Project Give

Quinn Charitable Foundation

Royal Venice, Inc.

St. David's Episcopal Church

Sarasota County

Sarasota County Sheriff, Tom Knight

Stephen & Janine Marrone Foundation

Trinity Presbyterian Church

Trinity United Methodist Church

United Way of South Sarasota County

Venice Community Orchestra

Venice Golf & Country Club

Venice/Nokomis Rotary Club

Venice Presbyterian Church

Women's Fellowship VUCC

Women's Sertoma Club of Venice

VOLUNTEER

If you would like to become part of the family, please visit our website to send us your information and we will be in touch about volunteer opportunities.