Family Promise of Spokane is spearheading an innovative shelter model that serves families of all compositions, often providing their only shelter option in our area. This model — triaging families at a central location before directing them to the specific neighborhood shelter that best meets their needs —has helped hundreds of families. Working with community resources while using volunteers motivated by compassion , Family Promise of Spokane provide comprehensive and targeted services, including extensive case management, at 1/3 the cost of traditional shelter.
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And it works.
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On average, 85% of the people served in the shelter program secure housing within 8 weeks. Because of the depth of services and community support, families stay housed, and Family Promise of Spokane provides both prevention and stabilization services to increase our impact.
HOW IT WORKS
The resources are already here. Through the help of the Spokane community, Family Promise of Spokane purchased an 18,000 square foot facility on the corner of Mission & Napa to serve as our Family Promise Center, an administrative and triage hub for families. In addition, we partner with congregations and businesses that provide space in their buildings to serve as Neighborhood Sites. After families are assessed at the Family Promise Center and space is available, we move a family to a Neighborhood Site where they can take showers, receive case management, and look for housing and jobs, all in a family-friendly setting. With volunteers giving their time, making meals, and sharing hospitality, family homelessness is addressed without the creation of expensive shelters.
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These volunteers are the core of the program. They share food, spend the night, play with children and lend their passion and expertise to help families get back on their feet. They prove that motivated people can solve family homelessness. And, in the process, they truly create “home” – and a community – for families who have no place left to turn.
A COMMUNITY RESPONSE
In every community, these core elements exist. By bringing the community together on the issue of family homelessness, Family Promise addresses a major social problem in a holistic, effective way. Once the community becomes engaged, people understand the root causes of family homelessness and take steps to address them. Family Promise of Spokane has created more than 90 community connections on behalf of families —landlord relationships, non-profit coordination, childcare resources and much more—that target the issues of poverty and homelessness right here in Spokane.
A LONG-TERM SOLUTION
Not only does our 88% success rate mean many more families are stably housed, it is also a tremendous cost saving strategy for the community. Our approach of keeping families together, identifying their strengths, and partnering with the community for solutions means that families are at much lower risk of returning to homelessness.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Family Promise changes lives. We served 1,152 moms, dads and kids last year, giving them the ability to realize their true potential. We also change the lives of our 894 volunteers, giving them a meaningful outreach right in their own community.