Giving Hope to Homeless Families
This Friday, the Democratic Club will hear from Cindy Wood, the Director of Family Promise of North Idaho (FPNI). Family Promise assists homeless families with dependent children. In fact, they work to return them to self-sufficiency. They achieve this goal by providing temporary assistance. To be specific, the program offers shelter, food, job assistance, housing assistance, counseling, and transportation. In exchange, the families are held accountable for addressing personal deficiencies. Cindy will outline the work involved in giving hope to homeless families. In addition, she will offer a closer look at this critical issue.
Fulfilling the Promise
To clarify, the expressed mission of FPNI is to give homeless families the skills and discipline needed to acquire and maintain stable housing. A key component of this initiative is provisioning safe, free and temporary shelter. To achieve this objective, Family Promise partners with local houses of worship. These churches and centers provide overnight shelter and meals. Currently, the program features 15 host and partner congregations. This interfaith network offers safe and nonjudgmental sanctuary to the families.
Moreover, the support and accommodations provided by the hospitality network allows the parents or guardians to focus on rebuilding their lives. To assist this process, a day center provides counseling resources, child daycare, and office facilities. In addition, the professional staff offers job search assistance and guidance regarding other support services in the area. Furthermore, all the services are delivered in a spirit of warmth and compassion. Ultimately, Family Promise sees homelessness as a temporary condition not a life sentence. In fact, the staff and volunteers commit themselves to making it a reality.
In summary, homelessness is a grave issue no matter who it affects. However, the problem is particularly grave for families. For example, over half of the guests in the FPNI program are children. To make matters worse, most are under the age of six. Fortunately, about 80% of the families completing the program successfully secure permanent or transitional housing.
National Perspective on Homelessness
SOURCE: https://www.idahohousing.com/homelessness-services-programs/idaho-homelessness-coordinating-committee/
In response to an increase in homeless issues nationally, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants funding to nonprofit and governmental bodies across the United States to combat homelessness. Idaho Housing and Finance Association is the recipient of the majority of federal homelessness assistance funds awarded to Idaho and is responsible for the grant administration and oversight of several predominant programs. Homelessness assistance funds are used to support a comprehensive and coordinated crisis response system that includes homelessness prevention, emergency shelters, transitional housing, rapid re-housing, and permanent supportive housing.
