Plans To Play: The Wulan Playscape Story

In just a short time, Family Promise of Spokane’s latest work will be unveiled at our Wulan Mar Playscape Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. More than a year in the making, the Wulan Mar Playscape will give children in our programs a safe, fun place to socialize and play without needing to leave the shelter.

"While shelter stays are a difficult reality, we are committed to making them as supportive and nurturing as possible," says Joe Ader, Chief Executive Officer of Family Promise of Spokane. "It's more than just a playground; it's an opportunity to create spaces where all kids can come together, build friendships, and just be kids."

But the significance of this playground is deeper than swings and monkey bars. Its course was set more than a decade ago when its namesake, Wulan Mar, came to Family Promise of Spokane with her family seeking help.

Changes

Wulan’s experience with homelessness was unexpected. She, her husband Randy, and her children Dimas and Leilani became homeless after moving from Hawaii in the early 2010s. In the wake of complications with their anticipated housing arrangement, the family was left with no job, no home of their own, and few prospects. So, when an online friend suggested that Wulan seek help from a charitable local organization, Wulan decided to take a brave first step.

Wulan connected with Family Promise, who helped her stabilize the family’s situation amid great feelings of uncertainty and stress.

“Homelessness [felt] embarrassing,” Wulan recalled during a speaking panel for Family Promise of Spokane’s podcast. “You can’t avoid it, you can’t get away from it.”

Wulan remembered that her young children, though aware of the situation, seemed to feel more comfortable because of the people and support they had around them. With help from Family Promise of Spokane, the family was able to secure housing in April of 2013.

Home

“Family Promise came through and helped us to make that happen.” Wulan said. And although the family had not been homeless for very long, Wulan felt a swell of relief and comfort upon settling into their new home. “I was thinking, ‘I have a brighter future here, having my own property, my kids are okay, my family is okay.”

And indeed, everything turned out to be okay. Her son Dimas pursued an education at Whitworth University, while her daughter Leilani entered her career as a baker. In 2020, Wulan was even able to purchase a family home, marking a full 180 degree turnaround from her situation just a few years prior.

Reflection

Wulan’s advice for folks struggling through homelessness?

“Homeless is temporary. It’s not going to be easy, but if you keep thinking positively on what is going to happen and what kind of future that you picture right now—just go towards that. There are a lot of nice people that will help. You just need to seek [them out].

I mean, I’ve proved it. I was able to do it. For the longest time I thought I wouldn’t be able to buy a house, yet here I am. [Homelessness] is not a choice. You can’t generalize. People just need the support […] to help them get on their feet and encourage them to [see] that this is just temporary, and to keep trying.”

Advocacy

At the same time Wulan and her family moved into their new home, she started a new job at Oldcastle Central Pre-mix and took it upon herself to spread the word about Family Promise in the workplace. In no time, she had mustered a regular volunteer effort and even the materials needed to construct the new Playscape. Wulan had transitioned from a guest seeking help to a community advocate providing it, going so far as to build a reputation for herself as the person who always brought delicious baked treats to volunteer events.

During the closing moments of the speaking panel, Wulan shared her philosophy about homelessness to the community.

“[As a community], all you need to do is open your mind. Not everybody is the same, not everybody has the same reason that they became homeless.” Wulan explained.

Tomorrow

There is a saying that we are all standing on the shoulders of giants—which is to say that the accomplishments of today would never be possible without the courage and sacrifice of those who were with us yesterday. To us here at Family Promise, this truth is bittersweet. In late 2024, while visiting family in Indonesia, Wulan Mar passed away. In memory of Wulan and her incredible will, Family Promise of Spokane is dedicating the new playground to her. Though she is longer with us, Wulan’s journey and passion will live on in the Wulan Mar Playscape and beyond in the vibrant lives of her husband and children.

Please join us on September 12, 9:30am at the Family Promise of Spokane Central Campus, 2002 E Mission Ave, Spokane WA 99202, to celebrate Wulan’s impact at our ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Wulan Playscape. You will have the opportunity to meet our staff, see the plans for the playscape, and learn more about our programs and services.

___

Samuel McLaughlin is a Digital Marketing Specialist at Family Promise of Spokane.

Community, Coffee, and Care: Family Promise of Spokane Partners with Indaba Coffee Roasters and Thrivent Member Network

SPOKANE, Washington - (June 4, 2025): Each month, Indaba Coffee Roaster partners with a non-profit organization through their Indaba Cares program, donating 10% of their First Friday sales to bring awareness and raise support for community causes. This June, Indaba is partnering with Family Promise of Spokane, an organization dedicated to serve families and communities within the Spokane area with the goal to end the cycle of family homelessness. Adding to the day’s excitement and impact,  Thrivent Member Network – Northwest Region is hosting a financial education event called, Financial Foundations: Your Blueprint to Thrive, at Indaba’s Monroe location.  Thrivent is a not-for-profit financial company that is dedicated to help their clients with their financial concerns, and give back to the community. This workshop will meet community members where they currently are, and give tools that will aid in their financial independence. Thrivent Member Network – Northwest Region also plans to match Indaba’s donation up to $1,000.

Thanks to community support and partners like Indaba and Thrivent Member Network – Northwest Region, Family Promise of Spokane continues to create innovating housing solutions for families. In the past week alone, seven families were housed, and six of them never had to enter a shelter. This innovation and collaborative partnerships, help Family Promise continue to grow and serve even more in our community. The CEO of Family Promise of Spokane, Joe Ader, expressed the importance of collaborative events like this. "At Family Promise of Spokane, relationships matter. Partnering with Thrivent and Indaba shows our care for the community and our commitment to helping families thrive." Ader said. 

Together, Family Promise of Spokane, Indaba Coffee Roasters, and  Thrivent Member Network – Northwest Regions show their continued support of the community and their ongoing commitment are valuable efforts that move toward the goal of ending family homelessness in Spokane County.

About Family Promise of Spokane 

Family Promise of Spokane envisions a future where no child experiences homelessness in Spokane County. Serving anyone who is 16 years of age or older who are caring for a child or pregnant, Family Promise helps families get housing and keep housing through robust programs that provide emergency shelter for families and work with families for two years after getting housing to stabilize their futures.

About Indaba Coffee Roasters

Indaba Coffee Roaster is a community-focused, Spokane based coffee shop dedicated to serving excellent coffee and creating spaces of belonging. From its origin in Spokane’s West Central neighborhood, Indaba has grown, maintaining their mission to uplift others, build relationships, believing that coffee is more than a drink, it is both communal and relational. Indaba's faith-rooted values strive for inclusion, and to amplify excluded voices in the community.

About  Thrivent Financial Services

Thrivent Financial Services is a Fortune 500 not-for-profit company that serves their clients through financial services with a commitment to help communities flourish. Guided by their faith-based values, they are dedicated to secure their client’s finances and investments, together with their mission to give back to communities and advocacies they support.

Spokane adds scattered shelter beds in partnership with Family Promise

Andrew Baertlein NonStop Local Multimedia Journalist

Jan 28, 2025 Updated Mar 3, 2025

SPOKANE, Wash. - Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown announced Tuesday that Family Promise will receive funding for 15 additional beds to invest in the city's growing scattered-site shelter model.

The scattered site shelters have been part of the city's vision since Mayor Brown took office. She praises the model for a lower impact to the nearby areas, managing people in need on a case-by-case basis, and decentralizing homelessness out of a singular area.

"Emergency shelter is critical, but we know we need more," Mayor Brown said. "It's not a one-size-fits-all."

Brown's Administration estimates nonprofits and religious organizations provide roughly 950 shelter beds at any given time. The scattered site system has added an additional 155 total, according to Mayor Brown.

Family Promise, focused on helping families with young children stay out of homelessness, has used a similar model for five years. They have homes in Chief Garry and the U-District housing multiple families under one roof on an interim basis while a more permanent housing solution becomes available.

On average, families are in these temporary 'shelters' for a month, according to Family Promise CEO Joe Ader. None of the homes have received complaints from neighbors.

"That's what we want. Look at this model. See how it could work in different communities," Ader said. "It's about outcomes. How many people are we getting into housing versus how many are entering homelessness?"

The timing of these new shelter beds is needed, according to Ader. A series of executive orders signed by President Donald Trump call several federal grants into question including housing vouchers for refugees, according to Aber.

"A freeze on that support for refugee families that are already here," Aber said. "It doesn't lessen homelessness, it increases it."

The scattered model has already shown success at Family Promise. The organization moved 805 people out of homelessness in 2024; 449 of those were children.

Mayor Brown also confirmed the Compassionate Addiction Treatment (CAT) facility is permanently moved off Second Avenue and Division. The new site is at East Third Avenue and South Arthur.

"This is about coordination and partnership. The city is not funded to do this alone," Mayor Brown said.

https://www.khq.com/news/spokane-adds-scattered-shelter-beds-in-partnership-with-family-promise/article_5214aa5e-dddf-11ef-9626-532bb1d8d1ff.html