Family Promise Of North Idaho
Family Promise® of North Idaho (FPNI) is an organization designed to return homeless families to self-sufficiency. We do this by providing temporary shelter, food, job assistance, housing assistance, individual and family counseling, and transportation. For FPNI purposes, a family is defined as at least one parent or guardian and at least one child under18 years of age. While providing these services, we collaborate with area agencies and organizations to maximize the impact of our combined services.
Description:
Before the families are admitted to the program, the Executive Director (ED) interviews the families and, in conjunction with area social service and law enforcement agencies, determines that there is no history of violence, severe mental illness, and no current addiction to drugs or alcohol. These parameters are necessary in our volunteer based organization.
Area (Kootenai County) churches provide shelter for up to five families or 15 individuals at a time. Host churches also provide meals. Our network currently operates with 11 host churches which share the rotation for hosting families one week at a time. (Six partner congregations also currently provide support to host churches.)FPNI transports families to and from the Day Center each day in a 15-passenger van. The FPNI trailer is utilized to move beds, along with family belongings, between host churches.
Volunteers are the backbone and heart of FPNI. Over the period of a year, 400-800 individuals will volunteer for Family Promise. The volunteers prepare and serve meals, serve as evening hosts, and two persons stay overnight. FPNI has also recruited “partner” churches. Five non-hosting partner congregations supply some of the volunteers to host churches. Prior to hosting, volunteers are trained in strategies for supporting and maintaining the dignity of our guests. Other volunteers cover office duties at the Day Center, provide transportation in the FPNI van, and assist with specific needs of the guests.
Families are hosted at a network church from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. A home cooked meal is served, brown bag lunches are prepared, and a simple breakfast is provided. The van arrives to take the guests to the Day Center where they can shower, wash clothes, and many go to work. At the Day Center, families have access to computers, internet, a phone number with answering machine, and the use of a mailing address. Children go to child care or school. The ED evaluates, on a case-by-case basis, what is needed to meet the goal of self-sufficiency. The ED considers the health of the family, viable employment – including training or educational requirements - financial responsibility, and permanent housing.
On weekends, the family room of the FPNI Day Center is ‘home-base’ for families. It is a gathering place where they can relax on a couch, play games and watch television.
History:
FPNI is an affiliate of the National Family Promise® organization. There are 150 affiliates across the country. The national average stay for families in the program is 56 days. The success rate of returning families to self-sufficiency is 80%. The national organization provides training for the FPNI board, volunteers and the Executive Director.
FPNI was incorporated on January 6, 2006 and received its IRS 201(c)(3) status on May 9, 2007. We began serving families on April 20, 2008.
Contact person: Cindy Wood, Executive Director, (phone), (email)
Office fax number: (208) 777-4209
Address:
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1687 E. Horsehaven Ave. Post Falls, ID 83854(See a map) |
Web Site: http://www.familypromiseNI.org
Directions:
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Go N. on Hwy 41 off of I 90, turn L. onto 16th proceeding west,
turn R. on Greensferry, proceeding north, turn L. on Horsehaven proceeding west. Go to Falls Christian Assembly on R. Park toward rear.. . . (more)
Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: n/a,
Walk distance (in minutes): n/a
Nearest Bus Stop: n/a, n/a minute walk |
| Last updated on October 30, 2009 |
