Family Promise Union County Executive Director Retiring
At the Starlight Gala in October, friends celebrated the work of Family Promise Union County (FPUC), our founding location, on behalf of children and families facing homelessness in New Jersey and beyond. At that time, Family Promise also announced the upcoming retirement of FPUC Executive Director Geleen Donovan after more than 20 years with Family Promise.
Donovan first came to Family Promise of Hunterdon County, NJ, in 2000 as a volunteer coordinator, helping to manage the agency’s volunteer base. She was hired as executive director of that location in 2004 and moved on to become executive director of Family Promise Union County in 2014. Over the past11 years, Donovan has been a driving force in the organization’s work to end family homelessness in New Jersey.
“Geleen’s leadership at FPUC has been transformative for Family Promise and for families facing housing insecurity,” said Cheryl Schuch, Family Promise CEO. “During her tenure, FPUC was instrumental in spearheading innovative work to address the crisis of family homelessness. Today, hundreds of New Jersey families can trace their success in finding a place to call home to the experience they had with Family Promise Union County.”
FPUC has been recognized as a leading service provider in New Jersey and was the first agency in the state to offer shelter diversion, a strategy that quickly rehouses families facing homelessness to spare them a shelter experience. In the past year, Donovan spearheaded an innovative housing initiative, partnering with a local congregation and long-time supporter of FPUC to transform unused building space into affordable housing for families in need. Thanks to her efforts, FPUC is a leading voice in the conversation around affordable housing in New Jersey and across the Family Promise network.
“My time at Family Promise has been a joy, a challenge, and a privilege, and I am so proud of how far we’ve come over the past 20 years. We’ve seen a significant increase in the number of families experiencing homelessness in New Jersey, and FPUC’s passion for housing justice is stronger than ever,” says Donovan. “I’m deeply grateful for the opportunties I’ve had at Family Promise and the people who have entered my life through this work. Family Promise is a place of hope where grace and miracles happen every day.”
Donovan’s last day at FPUC will be January 31, 2025. She will continue to support the organization in a consultancy role as she transitions into retirement.
The Family Promise Union County Advisory Board is looking for a successor. Information about the role is available at:
familypromise.org/get-involved/employment.