Family Promise's delivers on day center to help struggling Escambia families find housing

Of course they would deliver. After all, "Promise" is in their name.

After launching in 2020, Family Promise of Escambia County is closer to fulfilling its vow to support families facing housing woes.

Last week, the nonprofit interfaith organization hosted an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony at its new Day Center on East Belmont Street in downtown Pensacola. Family Promise leaders are waiting for bathroom and shower facilities to be finished in the Day Center, which is a converted family facility at First United Methodist Church of Pensacola that the church leased to Family Promise at a discounted rate.

When the facility opens next month, families sheltered at night by Family Promise's partner churches can stay and use the day center's facility during the day. Jennifer Lusher, executive director of Family Promise of Escambia County, said that once the day facilities are open, 10 area churches have volunteered to shelter families on a weekly basis.

"So, this is like a plane taxiing on the tarmac," Lusher said. "When I got on board, I told our team, 'We have to get this plane off the ground, but it needs to be solid.' This is our attempt to at getting it off the ground because the community has heard over and over again that we're going to do this, so now we actually have to do it."

Family Promise of Escambia County began in 2020 after a year of informational meetings with various local groups and receiving approval from the national organization. Family Promise has more than 200 affiliates across 42 states and has served more than 700,000 individuals, the majority of whom are children.

Lusher said the day center will offer more than just comfort and respite.

"If they need a job, we will help them build a resume and do job searches and we can help them with that," she said. "If it's finding housing, we can assist them with that. If it's interviews, they can come here and be prepped for that. It's all about helping the family with what they need to move forward, and it's also a safe place for the families."

The day center facility features a resource room with computers, a family room with beds, a meeting room, a play room, a training room and an outside play area.

First United Methodist Church of Pensacola is expected to be the first of the 10 committed area churches to house families in the evening, beginning next month. Other area Methodist churches are also on the list.

"Families are so important, and children being able to stay with their mom and dad, and just being able to survive as a family is crucial," said the Rev. Jean Tippit, district superintendent of the United Methodist Church Alabama-West Florida Conference. "I think you'll see more success for those children later if they're able to stay with their families. I've seen Family Promise work in other places, and I've seen it help people get on their feet after some traumatizing times. I think that will be the case here as well."

Related: Family Promise of Escambia County helps fight homelessness one family at a time

A 2020 report by the United Way of Florida indicated that about 46% of Escambia County residents earn less than the area's basic cost of living, affecting home ownership, and even leasing and rental opportunities, for many families.

"We easily get 30 calls a week, and that's on the low side, from people who are either experiencing housing instability or will be evicted before the end of the week and things like that," Lusher said. "It's unreal. There are families in cars, or they're couch surfing. There are some in the woods and on the street. There are a lot of people in need of help."

In recent months, Family Promise of Escambia County officials have given out small "micro-loans" to families needing immediate funds and have also helped others find housing. With the day center and the church rotation, even more families will be helped.

"We've helped 50-plus families to keep from being evicted," said Donna Pruett, Family Promise of Escambia County community advocate. "We've helped with small funds, but it was for people who had three-day eviction notices and just needed a little more money, or who needed to get their car repaired so they could get to work."

She called the day center "unbelievable."

"It's going to be a nice place for the families to come to," Pruett said. "It's a safe place where they can get help with resources."

For information and details on how to help, go to www.familypromiseofescambia.org.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Family Promise Escambia day center at First United Methodist Church