(Temporarily suspended due to COVID)
Our partnership with Indiana County's faith community is indispensable to the Family Promise mission. Through Host and Support Congregations, the faith community supports our guests with a place to sleep, food to eat, and sharing of the love of Jesus Christ through acceptance, and encouragement. It's a blessed opportunity for a unique congregational outreach using volunteers of all ages to bring real change to families who have lost their homes.
If your congregation is called to engage in a truly transformational outreach, please talk with us!
THE BASICS
SOME DETAILS
Family Promise would love to talk with you about our mission and how you can help. Once the clergy and leadership on board and a Host Coordinator assigned, the Executive Director will ensure that everyone is fully trained and work out details to for a successful hosting week. References are available from other Hosting Congragations.
Host Congregations Family Promise provides the beds and Host Congregations provide bedding and other items. Guests stay in temporary bedrooms. While separate rooms are ideal, facilities without these accommodations use dividers. Host Congregations must have enough space to host up to 3 families and 14 people. Showers and laundry facilities are available at the Day Center, so these amenities are not necessary. Families usually arrive at 4:30 p.m. and beds are transported in the Family Promise van.
Support Congregations serve alongside the Host Congregation to volunteer meals and fellowship. To learn more about Support Congregations and their role, click here.
A typical day:
Families arrive at host facility around 4:30 p.m. and are greeted by volunteers who get the family settled, serve meals, play with kids, help with homework, encourage adults, and stay overnight. There are volunteer opportunities for the whole family.
Each morning families return to our Day Center which provides a homelike atmosphere. Arrival times vary depending on children's ages and if school is is in session. Employed family members go to work, while others work with our case manager to find jobs and housing. The Day center has shower and laundry facilities is also the Family Promise office. .
A Family Promise van and volunteer driver transports guests to and from the Host Congregation and the Day Center. We provide transportation to job interviews, housing searches, medical and dental appointments, and social service agencies.
If your congregation may be interested to join our team, please contact the Day Center at 724-464-5220 or [email protected]
We would love to speak to your Mission Committee, Clergy or any group in your congregation about how you can join this vital ministry!
Our partnership with Indiana County's faith community is indispensable to the Family Promise mission. Through Host and Support Congregations, the faith community supports our guests with a place to sleep, food to eat, and sharing of the love of Jesus Christ through acceptance, and encouragement. It's a blessed opportunity for a unique congregational outreach using volunteers of all ages to bring real change to families who have lost their homes.
If your congregation is called to engage in a truly transformational outreach, please talk with us!
THE BASICS
- The Network consists of 10-13 hosting congregations who offer space for 1-4 families (no more than 14 individuals, mostly children), to stay for a week at a time. Host Congregations ideally host 4 weeks per year; approximately once a quarter.
- During the day, families are at the Day Center with the Network Director works intensively with them on a plan to self-sufficiency.
- There is transportation provided to and from the Day Center and the congregations.
- Social Service agencies refer qualified families who are screened before entering the program.
- Volunteers provide meals, transportation, overnight security, facility support, and engage with adults and kids.
SOME DETAILS
- Who? This is a program for families with children. Our primary concern is that we provide children and their families with stability and start them toward self-sufficiency.
- Safety? Families undergo an intake process and individuals with active substance abuse problems, untreated mental illness or domestic violence are not accepted into the program.
- Volunteers? Congregations of all sizes host and most volunteers will have only a few hours committed with each hosting. Everyone participates: children, working parents, senior citizens. If a Host Congregation needs additional volunteers, Support Congregations service alongside.
- Space? Classrooms, meetings rooms, or a large space divided into discrete areas are used. Typically 3 or 4 areas are offered to no more than 4 families and 14 individuals (mostly children).
- Insurance? This is outreach involving families, and no different than your programs, This is a hospitality program, not a shelter.
- Money? Congregation expenses are minimal. Volunteers generally provide food, linens, and a few personal items. You will likely not expend for than $200 per host week.
Family Promise would love to talk with you about our mission and how you can help. Once the clergy and leadership on board and a Host Coordinator assigned, the Executive Director will ensure that everyone is fully trained and work out details to for a successful hosting week. References are available from other Hosting Congragations.
Host Congregations Family Promise provides the beds and Host Congregations provide bedding and other items. Guests stay in temporary bedrooms. While separate rooms are ideal, facilities without these accommodations use dividers. Host Congregations must have enough space to host up to 3 families and 14 people. Showers and laundry facilities are available at the Day Center, so these amenities are not necessary. Families usually arrive at 4:30 p.m. and beds are transported in the Family Promise van.
Support Congregations serve alongside the Host Congregation to volunteer meals and fellowship. To learn more about Support Congregations and their role, click here.
A typical day:
Families arrive at host facility around 4:30 p.m. and are greeted by volunteers who get the family settled, serve meals, play with kids, help with homework, encourage adults, and stay overnight. There are volunteer opportunities for the whole family.
Each morning families return to our Day Center which provides a homelike atmosphere. Arrival times vary depending on children's ages and if school is is in session. Employed family members go to work, while others work with our case manager to find jobs and housing. The Day center has shower and laundry facilities is also the Family Promise office. .
A Family Promise van and volunteer driver transports guests to and from the Host Congregation and the Day Center. We provide transportation to job interviews, housing searches, medical and dental appointments, and social service agencies.
If your congregation may be interested to join our team, please contact the Day Center at 724-464-5220 or [email protected]
We would love to speak to your Mission Committee, Clergy or any group in your congregation about how you can join this vital ministry!
Family Promise is grateful to the Host Congregations below. They provide over 600 volunteers who donate their time and resources to ensure that every child in Indiana County has a safe place to sleep and a warm meal to eat. We could not continue this ministry without them!
Host CongregationsBlairsville United Methodist Church/GBAP
Brush Valley United Methodist Clymer Presbyterian Church Grace United Methodist Church Graystone Presbyterian Church Hopewell United Methodist Church/GBAP New Life Lutheran Church |
Support CongregationsSUPPORT CONGREGATIONS
Harmony Presbyterian Church Homer City United Methodist Church Calvary Presbyterian Church Calvary United Methodist Church Christ Episcopal Church Catholic Churches of Indiana County Clymer Charge United Methodist Church First Christian Church Harvest Anglican Church Homer City CMA Hope Lutheran CHurch Lord Jesus Christ Assembly Marion Center Presbyterian Church Marion Center United Methodist Church Shelocta Community Presbyterian Church Summit Church Trinity United Methodist Church |
Our Mission: To bring the faith community together to help families regain their housing, their independence and their dignity.