How We Operate
There are three complimentary components to the basic organization of Family Promise . They are the Interfaith Hospitality Network, the Day Center, and the Van. In addition, we offer other programs: Mentoring, Transitional Housing, Recycled Rides,
The Basic Components
1. Network
The lifeblood of Family Promise of Manatee County is the network of faith communities that open their doors and host the guests on a weekly basis. Currently, there are 12 host churches and 10 support churches. The host churches serve on a rotation, hosting the guests once every 12 weeks. While at the host church, the families arrive about 5:00 PM and share in a dinner prepared by members of the church. Throughout the evening, the families have the opportunity of sharing together and living in as close to a normal family setting as possible. In the morning, they share in breakfast and prepare lunches before leaving to return to the Day Center around 8:00 AM.
2. Day Center
From 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, the guest families come to the Family Center located at Central Christian Church. At the day center, families have access to laundry and shower facilities, telephone and internet access. During the day, the families are able to do some typical home activities for themselves and their children. It is the home base for our families, providing them with a mailing address.
Also during the day, the director and case manager provide case management and supportive services for the guests as they work on goals of achieving housing, employment, and self-sufficiency. This is a part of what makes our working model unique. By providing our families with a “homelike” environment at the day center and having our volunteers provide compassionate hospitality at the host congregation, the families we serve are called our “guests”.
3. Van
Transportation to and from the Day Center is provided by a 15 passenger van, on loan from the Congregational United Church of Christ. It is driven by a volunteer driver who picks up the families in the mornings at the church and brings them to the Day Center, and then at 5:00 in the afternoon, they reverse the process. Without the van, the network of faith communities would never be able to provide the hospitality they offer.
Additional Programs
Mentoring
Mentoring is a new program of our agency. Our goal is for low-income families and individuals to build committed relationships with trained mentors to help the families and individuals define and meet goals in order to achieve and maintain self-reliance.
Transitional Housing
Even after a Family Promise guest family secures a job, and graduates from the IHN program, they face many obstacles in re-gaining their independence. For example: An individual earning the minimum wage would have to work 108 hours per week in order to afford an average two bedroom apartment.
To maximize the prospects for these families in times such as these, Family Promise has started a Transitional Housing program. This new program has been created to provide housing the families can afford. Trinity United Methodist Church has partnered with Family Promise for the use of several of their properties for this program.
Volunteers from our churches in our network, especially Harvest United Methodist Church and Trinity have provided labor and expertise to help rehabilitate these homes for our families. Local businesses are also providing donations to help in this process.
The Family Promise families will now be able to move into these transitional homes enabling them to save on a regular basis and to become more financially stable as they toward self-sufficiency.
If you would like to be part of this program in finding, transforming, and managing these homes please contact us.
Maintain Their Rides
Another big issue in everyone’s life is the maintenance of their car.
The Maintain Their Rides program helps the families in Family Promise to do just that. The program teaches basic auto maintenance, such as checking tire pressure, fluid, and safety checks. When a problem arises then, through the cooperation of businesses, such as LKQ Corporation, who have donated parts, and Family Promise volunteers, who have installed these parts, the Families can maintain the safety of their cars. If you would like to help, parts and services are always welcome.
