Family Promise of Greater Phoenix Shifts Operations, Seeks Donations Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Family Promise of Greater Phoenix, a nonprofit organization that rescues primarily first-time homeless families and their pets by providing emergency shelter and basic needs while assisting these families in returning to independence, has had to completely change its operations model amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, Family Promise relied on its network of volunteer churches and synagogues to shelter and feed the families they serve while Family Promise assisted these families on their journey back to self-sufficiency. Family Promise has had to abandon their community-based model in order to protect their volunteers and families from potential spread of the virus.

Currently, Family Promise is sheltering more than a dozen families at their day center in south Scottsdale and relies on volunteers to provide meals to the families. If they are unable to secure volunteers to provide meals for the families, they spend an average of $500 per night to feed their families, an expense that is quickly adding up for the nonprofit.

“Our community-based model has been turned on its head as we navigate how to best protect our volunteers while ‘keeping our promise’ to our families,” said Ted Taylor, Executive Director of Family Promise of Greater Phoenix. “We are so thankful to our network of volunteers that are still able to help us support or families during this challenging time. We ask the community to help us support these families and keep them safe.”

Homeless families are more at-risk during crises and pandemics than other populations as housing instability limits access to hygiene and families facing homelessness are not always able to secure basic needs such as cleaning products and sanitizers. Additionally, the stress of housing instability and lack of access to nutrition and wellness make families more susceptible to disease.

To support their short-term needs, Family Promise has developed an Amazon Wish List of requested donations to support the families they are serving. The Wish List can be viewed athttps://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/W6UJ3HHNVV2F. Family Promise is also requesting monetary donations to support their day-to-day operations of sheltering their families at their day center. Donations can be made at familypromiseaz.org.

About Family Promise of Greater Phoenix:

Family Promise envisions a nation in which every family has a home, a livelihood, and the chance to build a better future. Family Promise of Greater Phoenix rescues primarily first-time homeless families from the streets and provides emergency shelter and basic needs in a sixty-day program designed to assist their return to self-sufficiency. Their shelter includes a sanctuary for the family pet, the first such program in Arizona. Learn more atfamilypromiseaz.org.