Last spring, when most people were worrying about the health pandemic and COVID vaccines, Karlene and her family had bigger concerns: where to sleep. Their car was their home for a brief time when they lost their housing and witnessing the chaos the pandemic had caused in the world, the …
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When Kylie says, “Life doesn’t stop for anybody,” the Cedar Rapids, IA, mom know knows what she’s talking about. This year, her three-year-old son, Cooper, underwent a kidney transplant, and finances have been tight as her partner, David, experienced an employment rollercoaster caused by the health pandemic. “We hit a …
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Ilisapeti had never learned to budget. When she, her husband, Hen, and their three children moved to Las Vegas, the casinos seemed more like a fun pastime than the treacherous path they became. “I loved the slots!” Ilisapeti recalls. “I enjoyed spending. I used up all our money without thinking …
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Like all parents, Amberlee wanted to keep her family safe when COVID hit. But when she unexpectedly faced unemployment and homelessness, “security” took on new meaning. Amberlee and her children were surprised to learn their apartment building was scheduled for demolition. Around the same time, Amberlee was in an auto …
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High school senior Anabel felt the impact of COVID more than most students. Medical care for her ill father induced Anabel’s family to move to Vancouver, WA, where they quickly discovered the city’s lack of affordable housing. While the family struggled with homelessness, schools went remote, so Anabel started her …
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Every other month, a group of retired teachers in Union County, NJ, meets for lunch. They may spend time reminiscing about their school days, but lately the conversation tends to be about homelessness. That’s because Patricia Novy, a former art teacher is leading the group in efforts to support families …
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Dana and her children have known homelessness in many shapes. When they found themselves homeless in the midst of a global health pandemic, the family slept in parks, in friends’ backyards, even in abandoned houses. At one point, they lived in a hotel far from Dana’s job that required an …
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This year, Romona and her children will have their very first Christmas tree and will create new holiday traditions. That’s because for the first time ever, they’re living in their own home. Until this year, the family lived in less-than-ideal situations. Their last residence had unreliable plumbing and a broken …
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Much has been written about the slow rollout of the $46.5 billion in Emergency Rental Assistance funding allocated by Congress to support tenants and landlords. The Treasury Department recently reported that states and localities have distributed just 11% of the existing funds. Pressure to speed up the rollout increased when the Supreme Court ended the …
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Nothing sounds as positive as the word “yes.” Unless you’re talking to families at Fort Bend Family Promise in Missouri City, TX, where “YEP!” is an even more affirmative word. The Affiliate’s Youth Empowerment Planning program, better known as YEP!, strives to minimize the impact of homelessness on kids.  “YEP! is the base of our overall program,” explains Etta Vincent, the Affiliate’s associate director. …
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Most employees at Family Promise of the Palouse in Moscow, ID, sit at a desk. But one staff member, Kevin, requires a bed. Kevin is full of compassion for families in crisis and loves his job, but inevitably he likes to lie down and get some shut-eye. It’s all in a day’s …
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Eight years ago, passionate young volunteers formed the Family Promise Club of Summit High School in Summit, NJ. Although in the middle of a pandemic, Josh Sacks, President of the Family Promise Club at the Summit High School, was determined to keep the mission invigorated. He brought in over 100 …
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