Family Assistance Ministries
Hunger & Homeless Prevention
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Client Aid
Since 1999, FAM’s Client Aid Program has helped those who are homeless or at immediate risk of homelessness regain housing stability. All clients meet with a case manager. They work together to develop a plan for stabilizing, including financial counsel and creation of a working budget. The first goal is diversion: if possible, to keep clients out of the system by uniting them with a support network. During these sessions, case managers also inquire about the healthcare status of clients, provide care coordination, and offer workforce development services. Depending on circumstances, clients may be offered financial aid for critical needs, including rental assistance to avoid eviction, utility assistance to avoid shutoff or resume services, medical and prescription assistance, and transportation assistance in the form of bus passes, gas vouchers, and vehicle repair. Need is verified and paid directly to service providers.
Interim/Transitional Housing
Gilchrist House is a 16-bed interim/transitional shelter located in southern Orange County serving homeless mothers with children and single homeless women. They come to us stressed and scared, sometimes fleeing domestic violence and living in places not meant for human habitation. Many are in need of services for substance abuse, domestic violence, mental health, or employment services. It is challenging for homeless women to locate and secure housing on their own, especially within Orange County where there is a lack of affordable housing for single-income households.
The focus is to provide safe shelter to women and children, help them secure permanent housing, and provide ongoing wraparound services as needed upon completion of the program. Since inception, 859 women and children have been safely sheltered and provided services to achieve permanent housing through Gilchrist House.
Emergency/FAMily Shelter
FAMily House is the only emergency shelter for families in south Orange County. It is a 36-bed, 11-room emergency shelter for homeless families with children. It opened in March of 2017. Most area shelters only accept women with children, which means fathers often must separate from their families to have the children safely sheltered.This program has low entry barriers. Families receive safe shelter for typically 30 to 90 days in order to be matched with permanent housing. Case Managers ensure that each child under the age of 5 is offered developmental screenings and that the whole family has access to healthcare coverage, is linked to a health home, and has access to mental health, dental, and vision care. The families are also provided with nutritious food choices, financial counseling, one-on-one case management, clothing, personal care items, workforce development, and are linked with Cal Fresh and other services to help create a stable-life plan.
Permanent Housing
FAM has two permanent housing programs that serve homeless individuals and families: Permanent Supportive Housing and Rapid Re-Housing. FAM’s outreach and in-reach teams use the VI-SPDAT assessment tool to assess clients' vulnerability, which determines the program most likely to be the best fit and lead to long-term housing stability.
Permanent Supportive Housing is for those who are chronically homeless with a mental or physical disability. FAM’s program currently houses 13 individuals in their own apartments, with FAM serving as the master leaseholder. Case management and a Friendly Visitor volunteer team visit weekly to ensure clients have the supports they need to remain housed. Rapid Re-Housing helps those who are homeless but are less vulnerable. Clients are provided with financial assistance, which may include security deposit and partial rental assistance at decreasing rates for the first 3 months, and ongoing wraparound services as needed.
Food Pantry
All people coming to FAM for help receive nutritious food choices. FAM volunteers pick up near-expiration-date food that grocery stores and restaurants can no longer sell, with 610 of these fresh food rescue runs each week. We also receive food, personal care items, and volunteer support from community partners. FAM then redistributes this food to hungry people in our community. This assistance meets immediate hunger needs, promotes healthier living, and helps children to perform better in school. It also means our clients can redirect the funds they would have spent on food towards other necessary expenses like rent and medical bills.
FAM has developed programs to address specialized food needs. For example, our Senior Care program meets age-specific dietary requirements. FAM satellite locations allow us to provide food to hungry families with limited transportation by offering food distribution closer to their homes.
Homeward Bound
Homeward Bound has helped 81 people since inception in 2017 who found themselves homeless and stranded on our streets from other parts of the country, reconnecting them with family/friends/support systems and providing transportation to reunite with them back home. Homeward Bound helps reconnect clients to family and resources for the best chance at long-term success.
Where we work
Awards
External reviews
Photos
Our Sustainable Development Goals
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Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Family Assistance Ministries
Board of directorsas of 06/04/2020
Mr. Dick Veale
Retired Sales Executive
Term: 2018 - 2020
Avarelle Silver-Westrick
Keller Williams OC Coastal Realty
John Buckles
Ventura Foods
Bob Grant
Robert B. Grant, CPA, Inc.
Dick Veale
Retired Sales Executive
France Helfer
TinyKicks, Inc.
Carolyn McOwen
Honorably Retired Presbyterian Pastor
Patrick Griffin
Griffin Optometric Group
Michele Palma Koschel
U.C. Irvine, Senior Director of Development
C. Kirk Steele
Allied Insurance, Cofounder
Nancy St. Pierre
Retired Educator / Philanthropist
Sara Sullivan
Community Volunteer
Edie Bly
Community Volunteer
Lorraine Hoon
FAM Events & Volunteer Manager, Retired
Ken Caresio
City of Duarte, Retired City Manager
Larry Leisenring
DBA LBL Financial Consultant
Nick Mastroni
Attorney, Retired
Fred Meyer
Health Care Consultant, Former CEO
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
No data
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data