Dear Friends of Family Promise,
Thank you for your continued commitment to the families and individuals we serve, and to Family Promise during these challenging times as we deal with the uncertainties of COVID-19. As we closely follow guidance from national, state, and local officials, we want you to know the steps we are taking to ensure we can continue to provide services to families who are homeless and to people who are experiencing hunger. We appreciate your dedication and we are committed to keeping our volunteers and those in our programs safe.
What we are doing to help now
Unfortunately, homelessness and hunger are not suspended during this crisis; our services are still critically needed, possibly more than ever. The following are steps we are taking to ensure the people we serve are safe and their basic needs are met:
- As our shelter model, the Family Promise Network, engages volunteers and families in shared spaces, we are following the lead of our local officials to minimize risk. For families currently in our program, we are stringently following best practices for the prevention of COVID-19. We are adjusting our sheltering model to limit the number of volunteers and family members who have direct interaction. Families in our New Leaf Apartment Program are being encouraged to follow local public health guidelines, including “social distancing.”
- We are encouraging new families who reach out to us for shelter to attempt to “shelter in place” to limit exposure. If this is not possible, we will assess each family separately to determine how we can best assist them.
- Low-income families can potentially be very hard-hit by the health crisis through the loss of wages, jobs, transportation, childcare, and more. They will need our support now and into the future. Families in the Network, families that are currently in our New Leaf Apartments, and families who are in our Post-Shelter Program, are all receiving personalized support via phone and video conferencing from our dedicated case managers. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we will also provide the families with gift cards, household cleaning items, baby and personal care products, etc., as needed.
- Our Walk-in Dinner continues to address hunger in our community during these trying times. Our volunteer groups are still preparing dinner for up to 130 people per night for those needing a free meal. We are closely monitoring that number and it will be adjusted upward if we see a rise in the number of people seeking meals.
How you can help now
While we are ALL feeling uncertain at this time, the families, individuals and children we serve need our help more than ever, and we have a plan to provide that help. We ask that you please continue to support Family Promise in any way you can, so we are able to provide services to people who are especially vulnerable during this crisis.
