January 2012 Family Promise Newsletter

You can access our January 2012 Newsletter at the following link:

Family Promise NNCC Newsletter Jan 2012.pdf

This newsletter is in PDF form, and suitable for printing/use in church bulletins.

Thanks you again for your support of homeless children and families in Northern New Castle County!

We extend our deepest gratitude for your support in 2011!

• Merci” to supporters of our Annual Appeal.  The financial contributions support our families to achieve lasting independence through our hospitality network and case management services.

• “Gracias” to those who donated their time and services!  Interested in reaping the reward of volunteering through our Day Center? Contact us for more info! info@familypromisede.org.

• “Mahalo” to all the in-kind donations! Our families received a new washer machine at the Day Center, one family received a donated car and another received much needed brake repairs.  

Keep the support coming!

Our  families are blessed because of your hospitality, help and hope!

Action! Action! Read all about it! Family Promise on Action News!

Channel 6 ABC News visited us! Our affiliate was one of five nationally to receive 200 comforters to give to a homeless child.  This was part of their Buy One , Give One campaign which has been extended through March!  For every comforter purchased, one will be donated to Family Promise.  Enter BOGO20 at www.thecompanystore.com and save 20%! We shared our blessings and gave comforters to Ministry of Caring, YWCA and Salvation Army!

Mission Milestones! In 2011...

• 80% of our families transitioned onto permanent or transitional housing!
• 18 families served through our network and graduate services; 26 adults and 30 children.
• Employment includes Christina School District, Wells Fargo, ManorCare, Christiana Hospital, WalMart and LaZBoy!

Celebrate with us…Two Years of Promises kept!

2nd Annual Luncheon & Silent Auction 

When: 

Saturday, February 25th, 2012 

11:00am - 2:00pm

Where: 

Westminster Presbyterian Church

1502 W. 13th St.

Wilmington, DE 19806

Tickets are $20 and you can get them in a few ways: 

- visit our website, www.familypromisede.org

- email us at events@familypromisede.org, 

- or mail a check to 2104 St. James Church Road Wilmington, DE 19808

November & December Donations Appreciation

Thanks to all of the individuals and organizations that donated to Family Promise in November & December - you are making a difference for homeless children and families in Northern New Castle County!  Here is a list of the organizations that contributed:

Artisans' Bank
DuPont
Fidelity
Hockessin United Methodist Church
Limestone Presbyterian Church
Marshallton United Methodist Church
Presbyterian Church of the Covenant
St. Philip's Lutheran Church
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
Trinity Community Church
White Clay Creek Presbyterian Church

Open House & Opus One

Meet the New Executive Director

You're invited to a Holiday Open House to meet Carolyn Gordon, our new Executive Director.  If you haven't been to the Family Promise Center before you can also take a tour.  Punch and cookies will be provided!  Please come welcome Carolyn to the family!

WHEN: Sunday, December 11, 2011 from 5:00pm to 6:30pm
WHERE:  The Family Promise Center - 2104 St. James Church Road, Wilmington

Opus One Concert

After the Open House, consider attending the Opus One concert at St. James Episcopal Church - right next door to the Family Promise Center!  It's recommended that you purchase tickets in advance.  A portion of the ticket sales will benefit Family Promise.  Thank you, St. James!  Here are all the details!

Opus One Christmas 2011 Concert

A Musical Christmas Story

“Sing Joy,”  a musical rendition of the Christmas story using contemporary music selections, will be presented on Sunday, December 18, at 7:00pm at White Clay Creek Church, 15 Polly Drummond Hill Road, Newark.   The program is free and open to all.  A love offering will be taken for Family Promise, a local ministry to homeless families.  Handicapped accessible.  Contact the Church Office at (302) 737-2100 with questions.

New Congregation!

We welcome Skyline United Methodist Church to the Family Promise network!  In the words of congregational coordinator Vicki Gordon-Stith:

 "Skyline takes great joy in joining the Family Promise team! As a congregation, we emphasize Radical Hospitality and Vital Spirituality and hosting families in our facilities allows us to live that radical hospitality in a way that we trust will nurture us spiritually. We look forward to learning the process and growing in faith through this life-giving mission."

New Executive Director For Family Promise!

Carolyn Gordon has joined Family Promise as our new Executive Director! She comes to us with tremendous experience, capability and enthusiasm for our mission.  Carolyn can be reached by calling the FP center or email:  carolyn.gordon@familypromisede.org.

Please feel free to stop by the FP Center during working hours to say hello. She also will be reaching out to meet others in the community and the wonderful volunteers in our congregations.

We also would like to thank Merrie Bailey who has served as interim ED for much of 2011. She has provided tremendous contribution to FP during this period, with particular strides in increasing the successful housing & job placement of our families. Thank you Merrie!

Carolyn Gordon Bio:

Carolyn Gordon is bringing to Family Promise over eight years of experience working in the non-profit sector. She has held a variety of roles including manager of a regional crisis hotline, direct care for adults with developmental disabilities, and case manager for at-risk youth. She has a MSW and an undergraduate degree in Psychology.

For the past four years she has created and managed Social Enterprise programming. Social Enterprises are small businesses that have a double bottom line: to hit earned revenue benchmarks while having a social mission. Her particular enterprise experience involved managing a retail and online bookstore, farmers market and a café that all served as job training for at-risk young adults. As a result, not only did she generate positive outcomes and receive political and media attention, she prides herself in making a mean latte and has an extensive personal library!

Under her leadership, youth served doubled and over 80% of the clients transitioned on successfully to full time employment and/or education endeavors. Additionally, funding was secured for the next four years and earned revenue increased each month. The outstanding outcomes she witnessed were due, in part, to supervising a tremendous group of volunteers and garnering resources from local congregations, businesses and schools.

She is very excited to bring her program development and evaluation expertise, case management experience and enthusiasm to Family Promise. She looks forward to helping the families of Family Promise achieve self-sufficiency.