We want to build a second Family Stabilization Hub!

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Families in poverty face daily challenges in meeting basic needs, including substandard housing, hunger, homelessness, inadequate childcare and unsafe neighborhoods.  Families in poverty struggle to pay bills, they are limited by bad debt and they can often feel stuck in low-paying jobs.   The Covid pandemic only made things worse.

Family homelessness has jumped by over 200% in the last 5 years in Erie County. 

Family Promise of WNY is very good at working alongside families to help them stabilize.  We do the basics, like making sure everyone has shoes that fit, a cell phone that works and all their identifying documents.  And we do the big things, like removing bad debt and helping families build good credit, working with teens on paths to independence and helping families find jobs that promote upward mobility. 

The need is great and we want to help more.  We are seeking to expand our services to reach more families in need.

Our mission and our NYS regulations limit us to working only with families. 

We serve all kinds of families, no matter if they are led by single moms, single dads, two-parent families or are multi-generational.  75% of the people we serve are children.  

Our clients are referred to us by different service providers, but our primary partner is the Erie County Department of Social Services.  We accept self-referrals for our Eviction Prevention program.

The following people do not qualify for our services:

• single adults
• children without parents
• people seeking legal status in this country
• people with untreated mental health conditions
• people with untreated substance abuse disorder
• people with a violent criminal background
• people fleeing an active domestic violence situation
• sex offenders

EVICTION PREVENTION

Our Eviction Prevention program allows us to work with families in the community who are at risk for eviction and help them overcome barriers so that they stay housed and stable. 

SHELTER DIVERSION

Our Shelter Diversion program allows us to work with families imminently facing homelessness.  We engage with them for a brief, intensive 30-day period to offer targeted interventions to keep them out of the shelter system. 

TEMPORARY HOUSING

 We offer temporary housing to families who have become unhoused and need more wrap-around support to stabilize and find their way back home. 

STABILIZATION

Our Stabilization Program helps newly housed families build resilience through targeted employment, educational and financial goals in order to stay stable.

Across all our programs, we don't just do housing.   We help families get jobs, build their credit, connect with medical and mental health providers and get children enrolled in school or daycare.  Our Stabilization program helps families work on long-term financial, educational and career goals.

While our project will not be fully designed until we have heard feedback from the community, we are proposing to build a 3-story building which can accommodate 10 families or up to 50 people at a time - most of whom will be children.  The building itself will be designed to fit into the neighborhood, include beautiful landscaping, a children's play area and a 3-story mural.

Our project builds on our existing model of strong management, clear expectations, and community partnership.  Families will receive structure and support, including kids catching the school bus every morning and a 9:30pm curfew for all residents every night in order to maintain good sleep habits.  Our building will be staffed 24/7 and will provide a level of vigilance to any neighborhood we are in.

 The stress of a housing crisis is unsafe for children:

• Housing instability leads to families separating in order to survive.
• Housing instability leads to dangerous environments for children due to constant transition and fewer options.
• Housing instability disrupts a child’s education and increases levels of anxiety and depression
• For children under five years old, the chronic stress of housing instability can interfere with critical early brain development.

That is why we are so passionate about getting families housed a quickly as possible. 

Family Promise can usually resolve a family's housing crisis in less than 60 days.  As we do this, we wrap families in structure and support.  Our building is regulated strictly and safety is our number one priority due to the children living there. 

We understand homeowners are worried about their property values.  Our research shows that small projects of 50 or less people like the one we are proposing do not impact property values because they lack density.  We do know that adding a brand-new build into the neighborhood valued at over $12 million will be healthy development. 

We strive to be good neighbors!  We will bring the following benefits to our new community:

• Expertise - As an expert in the field, we will help neighbors triage questions regarding how to help unhoused people in need.
• Vigilance - As a facility open 24/7, we will have eyes on the neighborhood at all times and will work together with our neighbors to keep the community safe.
• New Development - We are projecting our project will add over $12 million dollars of value to the neighborhood.