Family Promise Of Bergen County A New Jersey Non Profit Corporation

PROVIDE SHELTER AND SUPPORT TO WORKING HOMELESS FAMILIES, AND A FOOD PROGRAM FOR THE HUNGRY OF THE COMMUNITY.

WALK-IN DINNER PROGRAM BEGINNING IN APRIL 2020, FP VOLUNTEERS BEGAN PACKING MEALS TO GO AND DELIVERING THEM TO FORMER RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY SHELTER FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE MOVED TO MOTELS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC. ADDITIONAL TO-GO MEALS WERE PROVIDED TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO CAME TO THE SHELTER SEEKING A NIGHTLY MEAL. FPBC CONTINUED THIS MODEL IN 2021 PROVIDING 50,000 MEALS TO THOSE IN NEED. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1991, THE FAMILY PROMISE WALK-IN DINNER HAS SERVED OVER 1.25 MILLION MEALS TO VULNERABLE ADULTS, FAMILIES AND CHILDREN VALUED AT APPROXIMATELY $6.25 MILLION. FAMILY PROMISE HAS PROVIDED NIGHTLY MEALS, NO QUESTIONS ASKED, EVERY NIGHT FOR THE PAST 31 YEARS. BEGINNING IN DECEMBER 2020, BASED ON ITS ABILITY TO COORDINATE AND DISTRIBUTE MEALS AND PRODUCE ON A LARGE SCALE EARLIER IN THE YEAR, FAMILY PROMISE TOOK A LEAD ROLE IN DEVELOPING AND COORDINATING THE DISTRIBUTION OF FREE MEAL VOUCHERS TO CLIENTS OF NUMEROUS ENGLEWOOD-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. THE NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS WINTER DINNER PROJECT PURCHASED MEALS FROM ENGLEWOOD RESTAURANTS ENABLING THEM TO STAY IN BUSINESS WHILE ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. THE PROGRAM CONTINUED THROUGH THE SPRING, TWICE AS LONG AS ORIGINALLY PROJECTED, AND REMOVED THE WORD WINTER FROM ITS NAME. DURING THE 27 WEEKS THAT THE PROGRAM RAN, 7,500 CERTIFICATES WERE DISTRIBUTED, VALUED AT $75,000. WHEN TROPICAL STORM IDA STRUCK BERGEN COUNTY, SEVERAL COMMUNITIES WERE PARTICULARLY HARD HIT. AT THE REQUEST OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, FAMILY PROMISE WORKED WITH LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN ENGLEWOOD TO DELIVER 5,000 MEALS TO RESIDENTS WHO HAD BEEN IMPACTED. FAMILY PROMISE ALSO STEPPED IN TO PROVIDE HOTEL PLACEMENTS FOR SEVERAL FAMILIES UNTIL THEY COULD FIND ALTERNATIVE LIVING SITUATIONS.

NEW LEAF/NEW LIFE: TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM - AFTER A TIME IN THE BRIDGE PROGRAM, CLIENT FAMILIES WHO SHOW PARTICULAR MOTIVATION AND NEED ADDITIONAL TIME TO ADDRESS THEIR PERSONAL, FINANCIAL, AND EMPLOYMENT GOALS ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE IN ONE OF THE FIVE APARTMENTS THAT FAMILY PROMISE MANAGES, SUPERVISES AND SUBSIDIZES. FAMILIES CAN REMAIN IN AN APARTMENT FOR UP TO TWO YEARS OR MORE AS LONG AS THEY ARE WORKING TOWARD THEIR GOALS. FAMILY CASE MANAGERS MAINTAIN CLOSE CONTACT, OFFERING SUPPORT TO FAMILIES AS THEY ASSUME MORE INDEPENDENT LIVING SITUATIONS. DURING THIS TIME, FAMILIES AVAIL THEMSELVES TO ALL OF THE SERVICES FAMILY PROMISE OFFERS. THESE INCLUDE:-JOB TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT, WHICH GIVE PARENTS THE TOOLS TO COMPETE FOR BETTER PAYING JOBS. CHILDCARE AND TRANSPORTATION SUBSIDIES REMOVE COMMON BARRIERS TO SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYMENT.-FINANCIAL EDUCATION EQUIPS FAMILIES WITH THE KNOWLEDGE NECESSARY FOR EFFECTIVE MONEY MANAGEMENT. EACH FAMILY MEETS WITH A FINANCIAL COACH AT LEAST MONTHLY TO ADDRESS THEIR INDIVIDUAL FINANCIAL CHALLENGES. ADDITIONALLY, ALL FAMILIES PARTICIPATE IN A MANDATORY SAVINGS PLAN. FAMILIES BUILD THEIR SAVINGS AND CREATE AN EMERGENCY FUND, WHICH PREPARES THEM FOR UNEXPECTED CHALLENGES ONCE THEY GRADUATE FROM THE SHELTER PROGRAM.-PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT WORKSHOPS HELP FAMILIES GAIN CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES BY INCREASING THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND CONFIDENCE. AS FAMILIES BECOME EMPOWERED, THEY BEGIN OPERATING FROM A STANDPOINT OF OPTIMISM AND SELF-DETERMINATION AS THEY ADVANCE TOWARD THEIR GOALS. IN 2021, WE ADDED A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS FOCUSING ON RESILIENCY TO THE CURRICULUM, WHICH WERE ENTHUSIASTICALLY RECEIVED BY THE FAMILIES.

HOMELESS PREVENTION PROGRAM - IT IS MUCH MORE COST EFFECTIVE TO KEEP FAMILIES IN THEIR CURRENT HOME THAN TO REHOUSE THEM AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN EVICTED. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE, AS RENTS HAVE SKYROCKETED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE COVID PANDEMIC. FUNDING IS AVAILABLE FOR RENT, RENTAL ARREARS, UTILITY BILLS AND SERVICES DESIGNED TO ALLOW FAMILIES TO REMAIN IN STABLE HOUSING. FAMILIES ACCEPTED INTO THIS PROGRAM MEET WITH CASE MANAGERS AND ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT THEIR CONTINUED SUCCESS MAINTAINING STABLE HOUSING. IN 2021, FAMILY PROMISE PROVIDED OVER $92,000 IN HOUSING STABILIZATION FUNDING.

THE FAMILY PROMISE NETWORK TEMPORARILY SHELTERS WORKING FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WHO BECOME HOMELESS. OUR APPROACH BEGINS BY FOCUSING ON THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF SHELTER, FOOD, SAFETY AND CARE FOR THE CHILDREN. THEN, THE FAMILY, TOGETHER WITH OUR PROFESSIONAL CASE MANAGERS, IDENTIFIES THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THEIR HOMELESSNESS AND DEVELOPS AN INDIVIDUALIZED DETAILED PLAN ON HOW BEST TO ADDRESS THEM AND MOVE TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY. FOCUS IS PLACED ON ENHANCING THEIR JOB SKILLS TO RAISE THE FAMILY'S INCOME. ALL FAMILIES TAKE PART IN FINANCIAL LITERACY CLASSES AND A MANDATORY SAVINGS PLAN. ALMOST ALL HOMELESS PERSONS HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME FORM OF TRAUMA DURING THEIR LIFETIMES. OUR HOLISTIC APPROACH INCLUDES LIFE SKILLS AND EMPOWERMENT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP FAMILIES TO HEAL AND GAIN STRENGTH AND SELF-CONFIDENCE. TOPICS SUCH AS WORKPLACE READINESS, HEALTH AND WELLNESS, POSITIVE PARENTING, COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS AND NUTRITION ARE COVERED. CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING AND YOUTH LITERACY ARE INVESTMENTS IN THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHILDREN IN THE PROGRAM. UTILIZING VOLUNTEERS IN THIS PROGRAM IS COST-EFFECTIVE AND DIRECTLY CONNECTS FAMILIES LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THOSE WHO HAVE BECOME HOMELESS. THIS CREATES A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE VULNERABILITY OF SOME LOCAL FAMILIES AND THE CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS.