Family Promise of Coastal Alabama
Through no fault of their own, something unthinkable happens: rising house costs, loss of a job, catastrophic illness, or the loss of spouse. They find themselves without a home and too embarressed to ask for help.
Our mission is to provide temporary shelter, related services and nurturing support to families as they work to achieve and sustain independence. 
In 2003, Mobile formed an affiliate, the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Coastal Alabama. The Homeless Coalition originally brought the idea of IHN to Mobile and turned to Government Street Presbyterian Church for support. The church gave the organization a two year grant to help jump start its mission. Other local congregations signed on to shelter families for one week at a time on a rotating basis.
Family Promise provides case management for Housing Link – a federally funded Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP) for Mobile and Baldwin Counties. Households eligible for Housing Link are assigned a case manager for assessment, services and assistance. Case management services include: outreach, intake appointments to determine eligibility, documentation of eligibility, development of case plans, referrals to other community resources, and assistance with housing search. Households interested in applying for Housing Link and the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program can begin by calling 211 and requesting an application.
Program Description
The Family Promise Network Program brings shelter, meals, and support services to families without homes. Family Promise Networks are a cost-efficient, effective, and replicable community response to family homelessness. Because they make use of existing community resources, they can be implemented quickly, without major start-up costs. There are basic components to our program:
- Host/Support Congregations: Each Host Congregation provides private or semi-private space for each family. The Host Congregation is responsible for picking up the Family Promise utility trailer with the cots (that Family Promise provides) from the previous host church and transporting the cots to their church. Volunteers will then unload the cots and make the beds (the congregations provide the linens and pillows) in preparation to receive our families. The Support Congregations provide much needed volunteers, supplies and finances when needed.
- Day Center: Guests use a local Day Center from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM, where the Family Promise Case Manager, a professional social worker, provides case management services. There, guests pursue employment, tend pre-school children, shower, and do laundry. The day center provides guests with a mailing address and a base for housing and employment searches. Many guests are employed during the day, while older children attend school.
- Transportation: The Family Promise Network has two vans: a mini-van and a full sized van capable of seating 14 (thus, one of the reasons that we cannot exceed 14 individuals). We transport guests to and from the Day Center. Family Promise also uses its vans to carry bedding and luggage to the next host congregation, and collect any donations made to the organization.
- Fundraising: Since the Network is a 501(c)3 the organization is financed through donations, grants and fundraising.
- Social Service Agencies: Family Promise works in collaboration with other Social Service agencies. Local social service agencies refer families to the Network and may also help guests find or provide housing, jobs, and other needed services.
- Volunteers: Volunteers are essential to our success and provide a wide range of services like cooking and serving meals, playing with children or helping them with homework, interacting with guests with respect and compassion, and providing overnight security. The Network depends on its success through its volunteers. Learn how you can volunteer.
Family Promise thanks Employers Administrative Services, Inc., Griffith Shell, and JennKenn Interactive for supporting the work of our agency.
