Family Promise of Lower Bucks (FPLB) is launching a month long fundraiser called Tuck One In. As this is back to school time each of us involved with tucking your children in at night and providing all of them the basic supplies they need to succeed most likely can’t imagine your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews or friends children not only not having those school supplies but not having a home. A warm place to sleep in a bed, hot meals or even sometimes any meals. This is a reality right here in Lower Bucks County Pennsylvania. A small group of faith based volunteers did research in search of a mission. They identified that over 400 school aged children in the 7 Lower Bucks School Districts are identified as homeless. Being saddened these volunteers knew they had to help. First confirming the 400 number because it seems impossible here where people drive nice cars have many high end cell phones and spend $5.00 on a coffee there are those in the background. Unseen, unknown that are living in their cars, in a shelter or on a waiting list and that family children also live on friends floors or couches. Live in the woods, or worse have no where to live. How could they help. They found the National Organization Family Promise that was addressing this very issue. They did research and discovered the Family Service Association Of Bucks County Emergency Shelter has a very long waiting list and that’s coming off the end of the summer. The other difference is that emergency shelter that is doing great work had split up the family unit. Men in one room and women and children in another. They also struggle with the chronic homeless, substance abuse and mental health issues. Family Promise is a smaller group and there must be children involved no single adults. The prospective guests are screened for substance abuse, mental health issues, and a criminal background check. This insures guests are doing everything they can to help themselves. If they get accepted into FPLB they will enter into a contract with our coordinator that has specific goals, training and obligations that should the guest not be on target will be reviewed for dismissal or be placed on an amended plan. This is all results oriented. This is why the national organization has hundreds of successful local programs in operation that boast proudly the fact that they have a over 70% success rate at placing their guest families back into self supportive self sustainable independent housing where they will become contributing community members again.

We are almost ready to begin providing full time services right here in Lower Bucks. We are holding a public awareness campaign and fundraising opportunity during the entire month of October 2013. We will have activities going on including opportunities to dine out at Chick fil a Oxford Valley, Buffalo Wild Wings Langhorne, Cris Croix Fairless Hills and others where all you have to do is show up, mention family Promise of Lower Bucks and a portion of your guest check will be donated by the restaurant to FPLB and will help homeless children right here at home. We will have hosts available to provide information about other ways you can help if your interested.

If you want to help us help homeless children and their families right here in Lower Bucks you can make a donation on this website or thru Paypal sending your donation to fplb@comcast.net.

You can also contact me, Jerry F. Coleman at fplb@comcast.net or by calling 215-943-7573.

You can also LIKE US on FACEBOOK at www.facebook.com/Family Promise Of Lower Bucks