Four times a year, one week each season, St. Paul’s opens the parish building doors and our hearts to 1 to 3 homeless families. We turn our classrooms into living spaces and Ordway Hall into a dining room. Staffing through volunteers we shelter, feed and offer these families a safe place in the evenings and nights that is warm and welcoming.
Every family is thoroughly vetted by the Family Promise program; no one is accepted to the program with drug or alcohol issues.
Parishioners taking part in this ministry can sign up for one or more of the following welcoming opportunities listed below. We encourage you to consider doing both the dinner and the overnight. It's so satisfying to get to know the families and provide them with the continuity of the same people for dinner and overnight.
1) Provide fixings for breakfasts and bag lunches.
2) Prepare and serve the evening meal (5:00-7:00 pm). The families are expected to clear up after eating.
3) Spend the night in dedicated spaces in the building in case a family needs assistance. There are comfortable beds provided! Two volunteers are needed (and there are two rooms available for those who prefer their own sleeping space). If you haven’t also provided dinner, you show up at 7:00 PM, and go to bed when you wish. The families have had their meal by then, and are tired and settled into their rooms. In the morning the families help themselves to breakfast items and make their own lunches. You leave at 7:30 after they have all left for the day.
4) Set up the living accommodations on Sunday and take them down again the following Sunday. The air beds need to be inflated (there are pumps provided) and made up with linens and blankets. The families bring their own pillows. The rooms should be tidied up and arranged to make the families feel welcome and comfortable.
Family Promise of Greater Concord brings people in need together with people who want to help. They provide the framework that turns compassion into action to help the homeless and low-income families in our area achieve sustainable independence. For more information about Family Promise of Greater Concord, please visit their website.
The Mission of Family Promise: Views from Volunteers
I can’t thank you enough for the opportunity to be involved with the Family Promise program. As a relatively new member of the church and program, I encourage our continued participation in this valuable, community outreach program.
I have found the program to be very well run at St. Paul’s. The communication between participants, via email, text and voice is incredibly strong. It allowed all volunteers to gain valuable insight into the needs of the participating families so their dietary needs, food likes-dislikes for meals, boarding/residential needs and well-being could be met.
Personally, I was able to participate in ways I was comfortable with, developed and strengthened new friendships, and was given a wonderful opportunity to stand shoulder to shoulder with ALL participants …the families and St. Paul’s volunteers alike. We truly walked in this journey of service to our community and faith together.
Father Jean preaches a consistent message of St. Paul’s as a church in and FOR the community. This is a message I could not agree with more and one which is truly exemplified by the Family Promise Program.
Thank you for the opportunity to participate. Selfishly, it brought me great joy as I greatly enjoyed my interaction with the families and fellow volunteers. The coordinators' smiles, kind spirit and laughter were just the best!
With Warmest Regards,
Laura
Several years ago, I was introduced to Family Promise through a cat named Fearless. When St Paul’s newsletter put out a plea for anyone willing to take in a family pet for a woman and her kids starting Family Promise, I responded with a “yes”. I did not want the family to lose their pet along with their home. Fearless, a 12 year old female cat was delivered to us by her mom.
At the time I had two cats and a dog and I was fostering a sick kitten. Fearless joined the tribe quickly and even came to love our laps. I stayed in touch with this family until 4 months later, they found affordable housing and were able to bring Fearless home with them once again.
Since then, I have enjoyed my volunteer time with Family Promise providing meals and supportive conversations. Who knew that a cat named Fearless would be my introduction into Family Promise. I believe St Francis had a hand in this discovery.
Donna
