Hospitality Network
Our rotational shelter program and warm hospitality are the foundation of the Family Promise model.
Family Promise of Lower Bucks joins affiliates across the country offering hospitality to families. The innovative model — using existing space like congregations and other organizations and volunteers motivated by compassion —has helped hundreds of thousands of children and adults in our national network of 200+ Affiliates. Working with community resources, Family Promise of Lower Bucks provides comprehensive and targeted services, including extensive case management, at 1/3 the cost of traditional shelter. Furthermore, Family Promise of Lower Bucks serves families of all compositions, often providing their only shelter option to stay together as a family.
Because of the depth of services and community support, families stay safely housed, and are provided services to increase their success at regaining independence.
HOW IT WORKS
The resources are already here. In the community, there are congregations that have provided space in their buildings to serve as temporary homes. The Day Center, where families can take showers, receive case management, and look for housing and jobs, is located in Levittown.
There are multiple options for transportation - FPLB provides transportation in a 15 person van to and from the host site. For transportation to jobs, we are located near bus lines, some families have cars, still others have friends and family members help with transportation. For transportation to school, the home school district of the student (prior to joining the Family Promise program, will provide bus transportation to and from the Day Center).
With volunteers giving their time, making meals, and sharing hospitality, family homelessness is addressed without the creation of expensive shelters. Our volunteers are the core of the program. They share food, spend the night, play with children and lend their passion and expertise to help families get back on their feet. They prove that motivated people can solve family homelessness. And, in the process, they truly create “home” – and a community – for families who have no place left to turn.
A COMMUNITY RESPONSE
By bringing the community together on the issue of family homelessness, Family Promise addresses a major social problem in a holistic, effective way. Once the community becomes engaged, people understand the root causes of family homelessness and take steps to address them. Family Promise Affiliates have created more than 1,700 community initiatives—housing programs, homelessness prevention, childcare and much more—that target the issues of poverty and homelessness on a local level.
A LONG-TERM SOLUTION
Not only does our 88% success rate mean many more families stably housed, it is also a tremendous cost saving to the community as diversion from far more expensive interventions. Our approach of keeping families together, identifying their strengths, and partnering with the community for solutions means that families are at much lower risk of returning to homelessness.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Family Promise changes lives. We served 126,000 parents and children last year, giving them the ability to realize their true potential. We also change the lives of our 200,000 volunteers, giving them a meaningful outreach right in their own communities.