OUR MISSION

"Family Promise® of North Idaho empowers families facing the crisis of homelessness to become self-sufficient. We serve families by providing temporary shelter, three meals a day, assist with securing suitable employment and housing, as well as financial counseling.”"

What is Family Promise of North Idaho?

• 17 unique partners of diverse communities of faith provide temporary housing and meals to families in need at no charge to them.

• Family Promise operates under the model of "hospitality." Volunteers are the programs "hosts" and the families staying in the network are our "guests".

• Family Promise staff and volunteers meet the guests' needs with a spirit of warmth and compassion.

• The Host Churches rotate weekly among the network to provide lodging and meals for approved families from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. the next morning.

• During the day, families come to the Day Center to meet with a case manager in obtaining housing and employment. Counseling and assistance with education needs are also provided.

• Volunteers are the heart of the Network.  They provide a variety of services at the weekly Host Church - such as  cooking, serving meals, transport services, and staffing during the night. Volunteers also help at the Family Promise Day Center and at Special Events and with Fundraisers throughout the community.

Is There A Need In North Idaho?

• In 2005, over 2,800 persons in Kootenai County were unemployed.

• Chronic poverty, coupled with physical and other disabilities, have combined with rapid changes in society, the workplace and local housing markets to make many people vulnerable to its effects.

• 32% of homeless families sleep or rest in places not meant for human habitation, including transportation depots, commercial spaces, cars or other vehicles, abandoned buildings, outdoor locations, and other venues of similar type.

• The average income of a homeless family is approximately $375 a month or $4,500 a year.

• 20% of Idaho's households do not make the $20,534 ($9.87 per hour) per year needed to rent a two-bedroom house.

• In Kootenai County, on any given night in January 2006, there were 228 homeless persons, 70 of whom were under the age of 19.  Thirty three families were homeless.

Did You Know...

• In a typical Family Promise Shelter over half of the guests are children, most of whom are under the age of six.

• Family Promise is committed to helping low-income families to achieve lasting independence.  We do this by providing a safe shelter, meals, and support services for homeless families and through programs designed to redress the underlying causes of homelessness.

• About 80% of families leaving a Family Promise shelter successfully secure permanent or transitional housing.

• One of FPNI’s key tools for measurable outcomes is the Self Sufficiency Matrix.  A guest families’ success is measured each month.  This also provides guidance on what to focus on for the following weeks.

 For more information about our national organization and 150 affiliates fighting homelessness, go to familypromise.org.