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Articles
 Green County Director, Bryce Riemer |
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Family Promise of Green County, WI, along the Illinois/Wisconsin border, is the 6th Affiliate in the Badger State. It all began with a community meeting in March and culminated with the acceptance of a family into the program on November 7th. That’s 239 days; about 7 weeks less than it takes to gestate a baby. On a definitely related note, it also had one of the largest turnouts for a community meeting, with more than 130 people coming to Monroe UMC on a cold March evening.
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| Sly and friend. |
The New Jersey Nets’ team mascot, Sly the Silver Fox, led 25 children from Family Promise Affiliates in northern New Jersey, on a shopping spree at Toys “R” Us in Paramus on December 14th. Representatives from the Nets, Toys “R” Us and Family Promise Affiliates in Sussex, Essex and Morris counties took part in the pre-holiday festivities.
Each child was presented with a $200 gift card and turned loose in the aisles of Toys “R” Us. With Sly’s help, they quickly filled their carts with video games, doll houses and action figures. It was hard to tell who was having more fun—the kids or their parents.
On the Monday before Thanksgiving, the New Jersey Nets celebrated their Season of Giving by donating 125 Thanksgiving food baskets to low-income and homeless families at Family Promise Affiliates in Morris County and Bergen County.
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| Karen Olson, President, and keynote speaker Diana Butler Bass. |
Family Promise representatives and supporters, more than 260 in all, convened from September 23-25, 2011 in Salt Lake City for their national conference, Moving Mountains. The theme reflected the challenges faced by families and Affiliates alike in the current economy, as well as the amazing work being done by 171 Affiliates across the country each day. The conference was made possible, in part, by the generous sponsorships of American Express, MassMutual, Dinsmore Steele, Recycled Rides, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and Brian Jaffe Associates.
Family Promise introduced new logoed Family Promise apparel at our national conference in Salt Lake City. Affiliates from across the country purchased items for staff, board members, volunteers and guest families. With the holidays approaching, now is the perfect time to stock up on Family Promise gear!
 Bradley County Director Shady Hernandez surrounded by staff and Board |
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Family Promise of North Central Palm Beach County is the 9th affiliate in the Sunshine State. Centered around West Palm Beach, FPNCPBC took time to develop. But last fall the network hired a director, Rhonda Clinton, a seasoned non-profit professional and quickly set to work getting the rest of the network into shape, in response to great need. More than 1600 children in the county school district are identified as homeless, the vast majority of those in greater West Palm Beach.
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| Affiliate Network Director, Brandy Hill. |
Family Promise of Collin County, TX comprises the northern suburbs of Dallas and marks the 13th Affiliate in the Lone Star State. Collin County has a population of nearly 800,000 with only one family shelter which turns away dozens of families each month. Nearly all social services are concentrated in Dallas to the south.
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| Director Chris Najarro readies the Day Center. |
Family Promise of Santa Clarita Valley becomes our fifth network in California. Santa Clarita is the 24th largest city in the state, yet only came into existence in 1987. Through consolidation of several towns, including Valencia and Newhall, a new city was created. Like many boomburbs, it is primarily a middle and upper-middle class community with few social services. There is no shelter for families in the Valley. 850 Children in the junior/senior high school were homeless in 2009; this does not even account for the children under 12, the largest segment of homeless children.
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| Family Promise Trustee Susan Watts enjoying the festivities. |
Family Promise’s 9th Annual Spring Event was a tremendous success, raising more than $240,000 to support our efforts to help families in need. Held at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J., on April 29, the event was attended by 123 donors, volunteers, Trustees and friends of Family Promise.
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| Carolyn Winfrey Gillette |
Carolyn Winfrey Gillette has written, "O God, You Give Welcome," a hymn dedicated to Family Promise. Beginning with the opening lines, “O God, you give welcome; you care and provide. You cherish each person with love reaching wide,” the hymn goes on to praise the work Family Promise does and the families they serve. A video slideshow of the hymn as performed by the Masterwork Camerata can be viewed here. Both music and lyrics for performance purposes are available for download here.
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