New River Family Shelter Inc.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The New River Family Shelter (NRFS) is a nonprofit organization with 501(c) (3) tax exempt status. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors that meets regularly (typically once a month) to meet with shelter staff, discuss shelter business, form and evaluate policy, develop fundraising strategies, and plan for the future of the agency. NRFS has a paid full-time Executive Director who is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the shelter. Additional staff such as a Family Development Coordinator or a Programs Coordinator have been in times past as the shelter board saw the need.

NRFS is funded primarily through the support of individuals and organizations from with in the New River Valley and the Montgomery County & Radford United Way. The Shelter also actively pursues governmental and foundation funding. Recently, the Shelter invested in the Community Fund to develop a means to provide long-term funding for the organization. The Shelter does not charge for its services, and all donations to NRFS are tax deductible.

NRFS believes strongly that when a family is provided with a safe and comfortable place to regroup, they will be much more successful. Our shelter is designed so that the families can maintain a sense of dignity and independence while actively working to resolve personal issues that would otherwise keep them homeless. The Shelter facilities available to date are established for short term housing (30-90 days). The Shelter plans, in the future, to develop transitional facilities (3-6 months). We are dedicated to the goal of self-sufficiency for Shelter residents. Most of all, we give our families time to heal and the opportunity to leave the Shelter in a much better state than that in which they arrived.