Valentine's Day event raises funds for Family Promise

A Valentine's Day get-together at the home of a Franklin Township couple raised some much needed funds for Family Promise, an organization that helps at-risk homeless families in Carbon County.

John and Tina Dowd hosted the event Friday night, which attracted approximately 75 people.

Each couple attending the party donated $180, which is the cost of assisting a family in need for one week.

As part of the evening's announcements, Tina Dowd, vice president of Family Promise, said the organization is in the process of organizing another Family Promise Bed Race on June 14 in Palmerton. It will be part of the annual Pacemakers Car Show.

The Father's Day weekend event is well-attended and should bring quite a bit of attention to the bed races.

"We need to have 10 teams form," she said. "Each team will raise $600 as an entrance fee to raise at least $6,000 for the organization.

"We're looking at businesses and gym members to challenge each other," she said.

Bob Fatzinger, executive director, said Family Promise is working. He said seven families have "graduated" from the program; five families are now living independently, paying rent and holding down employment. Another two families are living with their parents.

Those seven families included 17 adults and 16 children, most of whom are under the age of 12.

Family Promise provides temporary shelter for these families at 11 host congregations, assisted by eight support congregations. Some congregations supply food while others supply a bed; most congregations provide both. Fatzinger said congregations that do not have sleeping accommodations, offer to provide the evening meals.

"People's E.C. Church and St. Matthew's Church have partnered," he said. "People's Church has space for sleeping, while St. Matthew's does not. So People's Church hosts the families and St. Matthew's provides the meals.

"We are always hoping to bring in more churches," he said.

Fatzinger explained that family members leave their belongings at the day center while they work, while others might do laundry, shower, seek employment and continue their education during the day.

He said there are always classes in progress, such as for nutrition, parenting and living skills, plus some family members are attending college to enhance their education.

They are then taken by van to the host church for an evening meal and a place to sleep.

"Children go to day care during the day," he said.

Family Promise of Carbon County can support four families at a time or up to 14 people. Every family who is accepted has to have a custodial child under the age of 18 to be eligible for the program.

Fatzinger said that most families stay with the program for an average of 108 days or about 15 weeks. He said that is how long it takes for a family to save up enough money to become self sufficient.

"Finding affordable housing is tough," he said. "Most subsidized housing specific to families has a waiting period of at least 18 months," he said. "Many of our families utilize other organizations while in our program. We have families who go to Care Net for parent counseling and we have Penn State Extension present nutrition classes. We constantly have something going on."

Fatzinger said families are appreciative of the program.

"We are always so happy to see families get back on their feet and find a new place to live," he said.

"You can't judge someone who is homeless," Fatzinger said emphatically, "because we could all become homeless within two or three months if something catastrophic happens."

He said Family Promise has offered services to families who are displaced by fire, but so far no one has taken them up on the offer.

For those unable to attend the Valentine's Day event, but who would like to help Family Promise, Fatzinger said he is hoping to bring in more people to join the 180 Turn Around Club. The club got its name from the cost of hosting a family for one week: $180 to "turn a family around."

For more information about Family Promise, call Fatzinger at 610-379-4757.