Family Promise of Blount County
Our mission is to help families experiencing homelessness achieve sustainable independence through a community-based response.
What does that mean?
We are a safety net for families with children who, for many reasons, have unstable, unsafe, or no housing options.
Program Case Management
Our case managers do more than help families find safe, affordable housing – they identify strengths and opportunities for our families to grow.
Do you have a job or need a better job? Do you want to pursue moe education? Do you have safe, stable child care? Are your children enrolled in school? Is everyone in the family up to date with preventative care? Do you have transportation? What is your current support system? Do you have a budget? What do you need? What is important to you?
We have helped families with issues large and small. Our programs address barriers
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- Shelter: we keep families together. During covid that means we are using some of our Transitional Housing units as shelter. Currently, it is the best way to keep families stable and healthy. Volunteers provide meals and our staff works with the family for 1-3 months (sometimes longer if there is a new baby or another life event.)
- Transitional Housing: We rent to families at below-market rent to give them time to pay down debt or save toward permanent housing
- Going Home Staying Home: continued services for one year after leaving shelter or transitional housing. This is a safety net so they know they always have support at Family Promise – this might involve budgeting classes or good tenancy, recreational opportunities or a simple care package of cleaning supplies.
- Wheels to Work: a car donation program providing safe, affordable transportation to work.
- A Future Begins at Home: New in 2021! The need for services is much larger this year and when we can’t immediately shelter a family we can provide the other supports they need to help them find safe, affordable housing and other services.
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Partnerships
We partner with congregations of all faiths, with the United Way of Blount County Helpline agencies, with all three school systems (Blount County, Alcoa City, and Maryville City), with civic organizations and community volunteers of all ages.
If your congregation isn’t a part of our interfaith network please give us a call – we would love to find ways to serve together.
Community
Our volunteers are the heart of our programs. Their countless hours providing hospitality, meals, and fellowship are truly what makes Family Promise different. Our volunteers welcome our guests and provide a community-wide support system.
Family Promise of Blount County is proud to be a part of the BCEAC Community! The Family Promise National Statement on Racism concludes with “We will… work towards overcoming racism, so that race no longer defines who has housing”.
I wanted to point out a few resources that might be of special interest to BCEAC members:
- ⭐Family Promise we are one of over 200 affiliates nationwide
- ⭐Origin Story – a single act of compassion set in motion a national movement to end family homelessness. Think one person can’t change the world? Read this!
- ⭐Family Promise National Statement on Racism
- ⭐Impact report –Family Promise National has been working with the Stand Together Foundation as part of a cohort of organizations addressing poverty, incarceration, racial justice, and homelessness. As part of this effort, we were able to have an independent study done to assess aspects of our impact. The full report has terrific data, quotes, and feedback. But the story it tells is that the work of Family Promise Affiliates is highly effective.
- ⭐Redlining: A Building Block of Racial Inequality Past and Present – Family Promise National
- ⭐Sesame Street in Communities – topics to help kids with big concepts: Family Homelessness, Racial Justice, Incarceration, Healthy Choices. “We Got This!” is a story about Lily’s family staying in a shelter just like Family Promise!
⭐ Please click on the links to read more!
