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ENJOY! Shenandoah County Living NOVEMBER 2015
Family Promise Program to aid homeless families with kids By Tom Crosby
said Bowers, of the Antioch Church of the Brethren in Woodstock.
wenty-five churches of different faiths and sizes have banded together to provide promise and hope to Shenandoah County homeless families with children beginning in January. And they are doing so in a big way.
The first week of January, one of the 13 participating churches will begin a rotation. Churches will provide shelter, food and moral support once every three months to help homeless families get back on their feet financially with employment and a place of their own to live, and Family Promise will provide transportation.
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Unprecedented support was shown when 180 people showed up at the first organizational community two years ago outlining the national program known as Family Promise. There are 162 affiliates in 41 states operating Family Promise programs but none - even those in huge urban areas - had as many attendees show up to help address the wrenching heartbreak of homeless families with children, according to Claas Ehlers, director of affiliates for Family Promise, headquartered in Summit, New Jersey.
Volunteers from 12 other church congregations will also provide support helping children with their homework, engage in games, whatever is needed, said Bowers. Pastor J.D. Cutlip, of Lebanon Lutheran Church, is on the ninemember board of directors and has been a supporter during the two years it has taken to get the necessary program commitments.
“No church is too small to help,” he said. “We are a Christian organization, brothers and sisters in Christ, “They had the largest number ever,” working for the common good of he said. “They have overcome a lot these families.” of obstacles and I think they are And despite differences in religious going to be very successful.” doctrine and practices, Bowers And while the number of homeless noted, “This is something we can is hard to quantify, 49 children all get behind and it is great bridge were identified as homeless by builder across denominational lines Shenandoah County public schools doing something none of us can do in the 2014-2015 school year and ourselves. by year’s end, 29 were still homeWith input from a newly hired less, said the Rev. George Bowers, executive director, the county’s who has spearheaded the effort to school system and social services get Family Promise on its feet. will select up to five families total-
Loweʼs employees Liz Morgan, left, a sales specialist, April Cook, center, administrator of custom service, and Chris Goolsby, right, live nursery specialist, volunteer their time recently to landscape the front of the future Family Promise Family Day Center on Indian Springs Road in Woodstock. Loweʼs donated $2,500 in materials for the project and volunteer labor. Valspar Paint is also donating $1,000 for the project. Rich Cooley/Daily
background check. Located at 781 Spring Parkway in Woodstock, next to the Valley Health Shenandoah Memorial Hospital and formerly a free health clinic, the nine-room Family Center will be an anchor for the families and office for the executive director.
ing no more than 14 people. Some It will be the home address for may be a single parent with a child. those applying for employment with computers for job searches Families must be free from alcohol and research, and where partici“Children are generally at the great- or illegal drug use, have no severe pants can receive counseling for job est risk among homeless families,” mental health issues and undergo a procurement and budgeting, plus connect with existing service agen• Family Promise participating churches: Antioch Church of the cies for advice and aid. The Center Brethren, Valley Pike Church of the Brethren, Saumsville Christian will also be used for laundry and Church, Wakemanʼs Grove Church of the Brethren, St. Johnʼs United showers. The program’s focus is keeping the family together through the recovery process.
Methodist Church, Strasburg Christian Church, St. John Bosco Catholic Church, Lebanon Lutheran Church, All Souls Anglican Church, Restoration Fellowship, Emanuel Lutheran Church/Caroline Furnace Camp, Mt. Hermon United Methodist Church and Strasburg/Narrow Passage Assembly of God.
• Supporting congregations: Christ Church UCC, Community Mission Church of the Brethren, Hawkinstown United Methodist Church, Mt. Clifton United Methodist Church, Otterbein Chapel United Methodist Church, Reformation Lutheran Church, St. Johnʼs UCCTomʼs Brook, Manor Memorial United Methodist Church, Walkerʼs Chapel Church of the Brethren, Wesley Chapel UMC, Zion Lutheran Church, St. Jacobʼs Lutheran Church and Mt. Calvary UCC
Among the many who have donated services and finances, employees of Lowe’s Woodstock store landscaped the center with shrubs and bushes and will help renovate the interior with painting and carpeting on their own time. Employees voted to support the program and Tim McKee, the store manager, said support is personal for him.
Loweʼs employee Ron Happ rakes the front lawn of the new Family Promise Day Center, which is scheduled to open in January. Rich Cooley/Daily
“I love my family more than anything,” said McKee. “If I were ever in their situation, I would want to know there are people out there who want to help. No one wants to see anyone homeless, especially children.” Woodstock’s First Baptist Church donated a van for transportation and the Family Center was provided by Valley Health’s Shenandoah Memorial Hospital.
rations and individuals and demonstrate a high rate of success. Nationally, Family Promise had a 77 percent success rate last year, according to Ehlers, with success defined as the family living in a place “they control, not with a friend or relative.” They ask affiliates to include 1.5 percent of their local annual budget to help the national affiliate’s outreach.
Bowers said he is hopeful the pro- Bowers noted, “Its miniscule when gram will continue to receive finan- you think of the services and expecial and moral support from corpo- rience they provide.”
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