Program:
Network Family Sheltering
- Budget:
-
$103,600
- Category:
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Housing
- Population Served:
-
Homeless
Program Description:
A sheltering program for working poor families with dependent children accommodating 14 people at any given time. Congregations and community groups rotate weekly to provide meals and sleeping quarters for overnight stay<em>.</em>
Program Long-Term Success:
<div>Helping temporarily families return to self-sufficiency</div>
Program Short-Term Success:
<div>Providing shelter for families who otherwise might be living on the streets or in their cars. We keep families together.</div>
Program Success Monitored by:
<div>Professional family case managers.</div>
Program Success Examples:
Anna entered the program earning $15,000 a year with a Food Stamps subsidy of $368/month. She was unable to hold a stable job because she needed to focus on securing services for her son who was diagnosed with autism.
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<p>The family went directly into transitional housing as the shelter program was closed at the time. Anna spent many hours fighting for her son’s services and secured all the services available. Having been referred to an attorney by a Family Promise board member, Anna was awarded $5600 back payments for her son’s disability. With services in place it became possible for Anna to maintain full time employment. Through the Break the Cycle Scholarship she was able to complete a certification program in Graphic Design and obtained a job paying $25,000. Anna was matched up with a Financial Mentor and worked to pay of $10,000 in debt while also saving $2400 in her Mandatory Savings account. Her FICO score went from 490 to 580 and she continues to follow her plan to reach her goal of 620.<strong> </strong>Having been referred to the First Home Club Anna opened a savings account to go toward purchasing her own home. Anna also attended a series of financial education workshops that included an IDA savings program with 100% match.
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<p>Anna was matched up with a Career Mentor who gave her support and guidance in negotiating a higher paying position with her employer. She left the transitional apartment after her 22 month stay and is currently earning $45,000. She supports her apartment unsubsidized and is no longer receiving Food Stamps. Having been introduced to the American Dream program, Anna continues to work toward her goal of purchasing her own home.
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<p>Through all this, Anna was given the emotional support she needed to recover from a damaging relationship and keep moving toward her goals. The Case Manager worked with her to recognize unhealthy patterns and to have a plan of action to put in place when she needed to pull herself out of a downward spiral. These life skills are part of Anna now and she will not only take them with her through her life, she will have them to teach to her son as well.
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Program:
New Leaf Transitional Housing
- Budget:
-
$139,755
- Category:
-
Housing
- Population Served:
-
Homeless
Program Description:
Homeless families move into apartments incorporated into local communities.
Program Long-Term Success:
<div>To return temporarily homeless families to independent living.</div>
Program Short-Term Success:
<div>To assist temporarily homeless families in attaining a level of personal responsibility before returning to independent living.</div>
Program Success Monitored by:
<div>Professional family case managers.</div>
Program Success Examples:
Hello, my name’s Jamal, and I’m a junior at Fort Lee High School.
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<p >When I first came to Family Promise (I could even remember the day), we were without a place to stay, with no friends, or family to help. I was hopeless, but my mom still had but a drop of hope left inside of her, just enough to keep trying until someone finally came through. When we first walked through the door to the building, everyone was graciously kind and greeted my mom and I. After all we had gone through that past couple days, after finally setting our suitcases down and having some time so sit and let my mind catch up with the situation; I felt at ease, as I was in the hands of people that would look after us like guardian angels. It took some time to get used to living with other families for a while, but we all got along well. I was only about 14 at the time, so the importance of having someplace to call home really didn’t matter to me, because I always thought in the end, we would be fine. I’m 16 now, and I still think about what would have happened had we not had the luck of being introduced to the wonderful Family Promise, that day. I can’t even begin to tell you guys how grateful I am because of the opportunities you gave my mom and I. So I just wanted to sincerely say, thanks.
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<p >Every day at Family Promise was an interesting day. There was always someone to talk to, but what I especially liked about the experience was that the people that worked at the churches made sure we were comfortable, every night, and treated us as they would their own family, because the best feeling is knowing that you belong somewhere, and that someone cares about your well-being. Despite how frustrated you might have been about the situation, the church staff still talked to all of the families and had the children engaged in many energy burning activities.
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<p >At 16, I finally realize how important it is for organizations like Family Promise to exist, because of how tough real life is. Because there are thousands of families that were in our situation, that desire just someone to care about them, a home to go to everyday and a bed to sleep in at night. The staff of Family Promise worked hard every single day to make sure we had the little things some families didn’t even realize were a luxury in our situation, like making breakfast, and dinner when we arrived, having T.V, and just someone to talk to when we had something on our mind. Since I was a little boy, I’ve always wanted to join the military, and having experienced such a series of life changing events like these, makes me want to go for it even more. I want to give back what Family Promise gave me; the opportunity to do well in life, to be successful. To protect those who have not a say in their future because of their financial situations. And I can proudly say that for every life I save, would be because Family Promise pulled lots of strings for us to be where we are. Being with Family promise taught me a good thing about our world: that there are still a lot of great people in it, and not having money isn’t a reason to judge someone.
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<p >For as long as I live, I will not forget Family Promise. They will be in my heart, my thoughts, and my prayers, until I die. Without them, I would not be Jamal Vassar, born 1996, graduating in 2014.
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Program:
Youth Council
- Budget:
-
$17,040
- Category:
-
Youth Development
- Population Served:
-
Homeless
Program Description:
Students from area high schools have joined together to provide child care, tutoring and crafts in the day center and to act as counselors for Camp Lots-Of-Fun.
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Program Long-Term Success:
<div>To give children lifelong memories of a fun summer experience.</div>
Program Short-Term Success:
<div>To give temporarily homeless children a fun experience.</div>
Program Success Monitored by:
<div>Professional camp staff and many volunteers</div>
Program Success Examples:
<p >I just finished up my volunteer week at Camp Lots of Fun. This was the second summer I had the opportunity to help out at Family Promise's day camp program for homeless children in our area. Once again, I felt privileged to be able to spend a week of fun and companionship with these terrific children. Despite the hard reality of their situations, they were like all other 6 to 12 year olds who want to run, play, swim, laugh, and have summer fun before going back to school.
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<p >I am in awe of how happy and kind the kids are. I think I might be angry or hurt. I always learn a lot about their strength and their ability to find the good in things. I know I volunteer my time but I am pretty sure that I get a lot more from the kids I am spending time with than I give. I can't wait until next summer when I have the chance to, once again, spend a week with a great group of happy, kind and really appreciative kids. I feel very loved and cared for by them and I know they are making me a better person.
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Program:
Walk-in-Dinner
- Budget:
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$2,496
- Category:
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Food, Agriculture & Nutrition
- Population Served:
-
Homeless
Program Description:
<div>A "no-questions-asked" dinner program at the Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center in Hackensack. Up to 180 dinners are served 365/365 by our volunteers.</div>
Program Long-Term Success:
<div>To provide a hot meal every day of the year to homeless individuals.</div>
Program Short-Term Success:
<div>To provide a hot meal every day of the year to homeless individuals.</div>
Program Success Monitored by:
<div>Bergen County Health & Human Services personnel.</div>
Program Success Examples:
The Director of the Housing, Health and Human Services Center shared a big thank you from the non-profit, Table to Table for our donations to the program. We know that it is difficult to plan the exact amount of food to prepare for our Walk-In Dinner Program since the number of guests fluctuates but it is good to know the excess is going to another very good cause. For the period of this report, Family Promise volunteers provided 52,089 meals to individuals at the HHHSC which donates much of the leftovers from our program so that nothing goes to waste. In 2011, the food our volunteers donated helped Table to Table exceed its goal and provide 8 million meals to the hungry in Bergen, Hudson, Essex and Passaic counties. This fresh food is shared with more than 50 organizations serving residents who are elderly, poor, homeless and homebound as well as pantries serving the working poor.