FAMILY PROMISE OF BERGEN COUNTY

Programs

1. Walk-in dinner program: since 1991, family promise has been serving complete, nutritious, free meals to people who need them no questions asked. In the beginning, almost all of the meals were prepared and donated by local houses of worship. In 2008, family promise volunteers began serving meals to the residents of the county's shelter for homeless individuals at the bergen county housing, health, and human services center in hackensack. When covid struck in 2020, family promise delivered meals to the residents who had been moved to motels so they could isolate safely. Volunteers began distributing additional meals to-go to people of the community, many of them families with children, who were housed but had lost wages during that time and were food insecure. Recognizing the growing need, this practice continued even after the covid pandemic ended and is still operating to this day. As the price of food rises and the size of congregations shrink, family promise now pays for approximately one-third of all of the meals. In 2024, the family promise walk-in dinner served 70,124 meals to vulnerable individuals, families, and children. Receiving free meals allows families and individuals…

   $746,353 spentof which $587,388 as grants
   49% of program spending

2. Homeless prevention program: it is much more cost effective to keep families in their current home than to rehouse them after they have been evicted. This is especially true as rents have skyrocketed since the beginning of the covid pandemic. Family promise provides funding to working families for rent, rental arrears, and services designed to allow them to remain in stable housing. Often, a small amount of assistance can keep a family from spiraling into homelessness. Families who receive assistance meet with case managers and are able to participate in additional activities to support their continued success maintaining stable housing. In 2024, family promise kept 29 families - made up of 79 children and adults - in stable housing for an average of less than $3,200 per family in homeless prevention funding.

   $165,906 spentof which $97,300 as grants
   11% of program spending

3. New leaf/new life transitional housing program: homelessness is a complex situation with many causes and underlying issues. After a thorough screening and assessment period in the bridge program, client families who show particular motivation and need additional time to address their personal, financial, and employment goals have the opportunity to live in one of the apartments that family promise rents and manages. Family case managers offer guidance and support to families as they assume these independent living situations. Families may remain in an apartment for up to two years as long as they are working toward their goals. Families in this program are able to avail themselves of all of the services family promise offers including:- job training and educational advancement in order to qualify for better paying jobs- childcare and transportation assistance removes common barriers to successful employment- financial education improves money management skills. With the help of professional financial coaches, families are given the tools they need to address their particular financial challenges.- participation in a mandatory savings plan to create an emergency fund to be able to…

   $258,309 spentof which $105,694 as grants
   17% of program spending

4. The bridge program - since covid, working families experiencing homelessness are housed in local efficiency hotels in order to address their immediate needs of housing and safety. Families meet with a family case manager and explore the issues that contributed to them losing their homes and together, create a plan to address them. All families participate in financial education and other program to help them overcome obstacles to self-sufficiency. Families are in this program for one to three months, eventually moving into permanent housing, one of our transitional apartments or into other programs better suited for their needs.

   $173,315 spentof which $71,615 as grants
   11% of program spending

5. Camp lots of fun - this two-week end of summer camp offers children experiencing homelessness a respite from the stress associated with not having a permanent place to live. Children 5 - 12 years old enjoy the fun and attention of paid staff and volunteer counselors from the organization's youth council for the homeless and other teens. Acknowledging that many teens have to work during the summer, the organization offers a stipend to attract counselors from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

   $88,050 spentof which $17,892 as grants
   6% of program spending

6. Advocacy - board members, staff and qualified volunteers address the community, congregations, clergy, businesses, members of community organizations and students to educate them about the prevalence and causes of homelessness and the challenges that homeless families face. The goal is to educate the public to assess policies and the impact they might have on working, poor families.

   $76,410 spent
   5% of program spending

The 6 programs described on its FY2024 Form 990, listed largest first by expense. Program spending in total: $1,508,343.