The Faith Community’s Unique Response to Homeless Families
Family Promise – Salt Lake was founded in 1995 and is one over 200 Family Promise affiliates across the country, but the only such program in Utah. Various congregations take turns opening their doors and provide temporary shelter to 4 families at a time, through a rotation network. This unique shelter model mobilizes existing resources within the faith community to take a hands-on approach to homelessness
Each week, approximately 60 volunteers work to provide guest families with basic human needs: shelter, safety, and sustenance. Just as important, our volunteers also offer the additional services of: comfort, acceptance, and dignity. Both volunteers and guests grow from the Family Promise experience.
To address the growing crisis of family homelessness, Family Promise works diligently to expand our services to include: intensive case management, life-skill tools, housing costs, affordable apartments, and a Housing Retention Program which provides post-shelter support. Family Promise is committed to serving homeless families in-need and lessening their trauma, especially for the children.
Shelter Program
In addition to our Evening Shelter, during the day, guests in this program utilize our Family Promise Day Center where they access shower and laundry facilities, computers, day-time meals and transportation assistance. Families are able to use our Day Center address for housing and job applications while in the program.
Case Management Program
Staff works to support parents through intensive case management plans and to advocate for the services and assistance families need to regain their self-sufficiency.
Statistics show that once homeless families are assisted into housing, on-going case management services, such as rent and utility assistance, budgeting assistance, referrals to government and community service etc., help them remain housed. Family Promise offers 2 years of post shelter case management through our Housing Retention Program to help stabilize a family going through the crisis of homelessness.
Housing
Family Promise is proud to operate several low cost units designated for low-income families in an effort to respond to the shortage of affordable housing.