Family Promise of Carbon County

Family Promise of Carbon County is a nonprofit 501c (3) organization serving homeless and low income families in the county and surrounding area. We utilize existing resources in our churches to form a network of 12 host congregations who are willing to house homeless families in their buildings for 7 consecutive nights, 4 times per year. We also have 11 support congregations that help with preparing meals, providing fellowship, and sleeping over with guests.

SUMMARY: Family Promise of Carbon County opened our doors in 2011 and since then have changed the lives of so many people in Carbon county.

Our average length of stay is 90 days. We are a sober program and all adults must pass random drug tests and a background check.We are one of over 180 networks across the United States. There are over 4500 congregations and 110,000 volunteers making up these networks. Based on the support of volunteers and Host congregations, Family Promise programs are funded by donations, grants, and fundraising opportunities.

How we support families in need:Families referred to the program are interviewed by a social worker or program director. If there is space available and the director feels the family is appropriate for the program, they will enter as guests.

Community churches provide hospitality and fellowship to guests. This includes meals, some supplies and a place to sleep in the evening. During the day, guests are housed at our center in Lehighton. This is where the Director or other staff help families connect with community resources. Each family has a unique set of goals customized to meet their current needs and work toward being self-sufficient.A van and driver is used to help families get to and from the Day Center. While the host congregations change every week, the day center remains the same. This allows the family to have a stable mailing address to use in job and housing searches.

Volunteers are what really make this program a reality. They help in providing meals and other items to guests, assist in fundraising, but most importantly take time to sit and talk with guests. Having the ability to connect with others can give you great strength and encouragement. If you were observing this program in action, you may not know who is a guest and who is a volunteer.