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The Family Promise Five is a weekly update that focuses on the FIVE topics, issues, events, volunteer opportunities or needs of Family Promise Waukesha County. This communication will update, inform and advocate for families who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness. Here is the Family Promise Five for March 22, 2024.
Our mission is to help low-income families and families experiencing homelessness achieve sustainable independence through a community-based response.
The Family Promise Five for March 22 are:
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Celebrate Social Worker Month!
“Social work is a calling because it takes patience, perseverance, resiliency, determination and reliability to be that support to families in need through some of the most difficult times of their lives.”
-Shayla Carey
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
Where would you stay if you were suddenly homeless?
1. NON CONGREGATE SHELTER GRANT
ARPA funds awarded to FP to purchase a Non-Congregate Shelter
Program
We are excited to announce that Family Promise of Waukesha County has been awarded funds to purchase a facility for non-congregate shelter. These funds can be used to acquire and/or rehabilitate a facility. Non-congregate shelter is a model of providing temporary housing to individuals experiencing homelessness by giving them their own space. Our Apartment Shelter Program, which we have been using since 2020, is an example of this model. We currently lease five apartments.
The value of the Apartment Shelter Model is that it promotes human dignity and reduces the stigma associated with homelessness while encouraging independence and responsibility. Creating their own routines, families are able to establish a sense of normalcy. These funds awarded by the HOME Consortium are part of the American Rescue Plan Act passed in 2021.
It is our intention to use these funds to purchase and rehab a multi-family unit(s) to be used as shelter for families with minor children in Waukesha County. Our goal is to provide shelter to 6-8 families in a combination of facilities we own and lease.
This is a significant moment for Family Promise of Waukesha County. It will allow us to expand our capacity to shelter families and stabilize our programming.
These funds are separate from our project to add an Apartment Shelter in Oconomowoc. We continue to seek an apartment, duplex or single family home in that area.
2. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Seeking volunteers to assess the habitability of Apartments
Volunteer
Volunteers are needed to help inspect residences for habitability. Our new application process includes ensuring that each home is fit for human habitation. Volunteers would accompany a Family Promise staff member and assist in completing the Habitability Standards checklist. This assessment reviews items such as accessibility, security, ventilation, cleanliness and sanitary, testing water supply, fire alarm and smoke detectors are operational and HVAC is operating.
Since this volunteer opportunity would have direct client contact each volunteer would need to complete online training sessions and pass a criminal background check. Volunteers would be needed starting in April. To learn more contact Maria maria@familypromisewaukeshawi.org
POLL OF THE WEEK
Where would you stay if you were suddenly homeless?
My car
A hotel
Move in with a friend or family
Rent an apartment
3. FROM HOMELESS TO HOME: YOU ARE THE KEY
Golf Outing to be held on July 22
Funding/Community Event
You are invited to the 2024 Family Promise of Waukesha Golf Outing which will be held on July 22, 2024 at the Oconomowoc Golf Club. This is our major funding event for Family Promise of Waukesha County. Individual registration for the Family Promise of Waukesha County golf outing will open on Friday, April 5, 2024. Mark your calendar now and start making plans to register your foursome. This event has limited foursomes available and fills quickly.
Our theme recognizes that the key to ending family homelessness rests in a community response. Homelessness is a complicated issue and demands a solution beyond shelter. Solving this problem requires a fully engaged community that advocates for additional affordable housing, living wages, our attitudes towards those who are living in poverty, improving client job skills and education and healing past trauma. We can do this if we all work together but YOU are the key!
To give sponsors maximum credit for their commitment to ending family homelessness, we encourage sponsors to commit before April 5.
4. HOME PRICES RISING FASTER THAN INCOME
46% renters statewide are cost burdened
Accompaniment
A new report by the Wisconsin Policy Forum has found that the cost of purchasing a house has far outpaced income over the same time period. This increase is due to the lack of home construction since the recession in 2008. Of course the entire housing market is related.
The increase in cost to own a home has frozen the market, meaning there is less housing availability for renters- driving up their costs as well. The report found that in 2022 46% of renters state wide are cost burdened. A similar study by the Wisconsin Policy Forum found that almost 44% of renters in Waukesha County are cost burdened or pay more than 30% of their income for rent. The housing issue goes well beyond rent, and what we see are those who are most vulnerable financially who do not have the resources to adjust to these increases.
5. TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Take our anniversary quiz to see how much you know about Family Promise Waukesha County
Mission
Let's have some fun! Take our 10 year anniversary quiz and see how much we know about Family Promise of Waukesha County. There are 12 questions each one worth 10 points. The individual with the best score will be awarded a $10 gift card to a local coffee shop. (This is why we ask for your email address.) In the event of a tie for the lead the winner will be selected randomly.
We are looking for your feedback! As we seek to tell the story of Family Promise of Waukesha County over the past ten years we need your help. For us to be able to document and tell our history we need people who have been involved since the beginning or those who have just recently started with the organization.
HAPPY WORK ANNIVERSARY LISA!
Lisa LaBorde has served as Administrative Assistant at Family Promise of Waukesha County since March 26, 2021. She is currently the second longest staff member. Happy Anniversary, Lisa, and thank you!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
March 22 Joe Out of Office
March 25 Staff Meeting
March 27 Fund Development Committee Meeting
March 31 Easter
April 11 Family Promise Giving Day
April 15-17 Family Promise Midwest Directors Meeting, Minneapolis
April 29 Board of Trustees Meeting
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