When I first moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, the beautiful trails of Lookout Mountain, the fish in the Tennessee River, and the hymns we paired with fiddle and guitar on Sundays made me feel at home. What made the feeling of Chattanooga as “home” permanent was not the natural beauty of …
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I am writing this after our first Family Promise family left the church to move to their “new home for the week”, another church here in Florence.  Goodbye was hard, not just for the family, who asked our Affiliate’s Director if they could please stay, but for us, as well. …
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Family Promise proudly announces the launch of Partners in Housing, an innovative solution designed to assist families experiencing homelessness transition quickly to owning homes of their own.  With funding from the Tides Foundation, Family Promise is making three initial grants of $10,000 to Affiliates in Colorado Springs (CO), Gainesville (FL), …
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Baby James takes a bow. “We are here this morning not just to be INSPIRED but to be EMPOWERED.  Inspired by the people you will meet today and empowered to make a difference.”   Martin Wise. With his opening remarks, Family Promise board member Martin Wise welcomed nearly 225 volunteers, …
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Family Promise of Central Connecticut opens as our first Affiliate in the Nutmeg State and brought their first family into the program on February 12th.  Their Executive Director is Don Carlson, who has spent over 20 years working in the Church World as a lay professional, primarily as a children …
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Last year, one out of 30 children experienced an episode of homelessness.    That number is simply unacceptable.   Recently, two other numbers with profound implications on low-income families have been in the news.   That first one is $6 billion, the proposed reduction in the HUD budget.  This would …
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Photo by New York Fed Family Promise President Claas Ehlers was named to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Community Advisory Group (CAG), a private-sector group comprised of leaders of nonprofit organizations, community development organizations, and philanthropic foundations from throughout the Federal Reserve’s Second District. CAG members will provide …
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I love talking with families who have been through the Family Promise program, so, before speaking at an Affiliate, I always have these conversations in order to share with  that Affiliate what it has meant to families.  You might think that families begin by talking about the shelter accommodations or …
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President Claas Ehlers with Trustees Richard Vicens, Angela Schroeder, Cary Hardy, and Martin Wise Family Promise is always looking to take advantage of the extraordinary talents of those who have been touched by our organization.  Whether a former guest or a captain of industry, compassionate individuals who want to make …
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In November, Family Promise launched the Power of One campaign to create eight new Affiliates and serve an additional 1,000 children each year. The Initiative honors Family Promise Founder Karen Olson, and raised more than $188,000 from 48 longtime and new supporters. Family Promise is leveraging these resources to respond …
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We are pleased to announce our new partnership with GrantStation, Inc., offering Affiliates the opportunity to identify potential funding sources as well as resources to mentor them through the grantseeking process.  GrantStation memberships are available for sale at the Family Promise store, offering complete access to GrantStation’s extensive selection of online …
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The first time I was confronted with my privilege was in a newly-created position marketing the Just Neighbors curriculum for Family Promise. I was a graduate student at the time, in an international affairs program focused on the many levels of systemic injustice. It’s one thing to sit in a classroom …
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