The Family Promise

We all know the saying.... it takes a village....  But it's true.  Whether it's the homeless in our home town, runaways, crime, or drugs, we're all in it together.  Some how there's a connection.

We watch out for our neighbors' homes when they're on vacation.  We collect newspapers and mail in their absence.  We share our bounty whether it's fish, home grown carrots, or canned rhubarb salsa. We watch out for each other.  We have neighborhood potlucks and worry when they're ill.

It takes a village.

But here's a concept you might not be familiar with.  Family Promise.  It's a national program that is coming to Juneau in the near future.  What is it?

Mendenhall Flying Lions Club donated $5,000 to help Family Promise get off the ground.  Left is Pastor Tari Stage-Harvey, Lions Mike and Nancy Norton and Donna Hurley.  Other MFLC Lions present (but not in the picture) were Lions Soapy Lingle and Bob Hurley

It's a promise to help the homeless, single parents in our community through their darkest hours.... living without a home.

You and I.... we come home from work every day to a nice home... to heat... electricity.  We have a way to cook our meals.  Heck we have a meal to cook!  We have a fridge and pantry usually full of food items.  We have a table to sit at to help our children with their homework.  We have a way to wash our hands, take a bath.  We have a bed to sleep in at night, a place to tuck our children and a place for them to snuggle with their stuffed animal.

Most people don't ask to be homeless.  It just happens.   They don't know where their next meal will come from or where their child will sleep at night.  They may not even have a means to brush their teeth in the morning or wash their hands at night.

Family Promise will give our homeless, single parents and children a temporary place to call home while they work with a caseworker to find a job, day care, and other services.  Family Promise will clothe them, give them a bed to sleep in at night, and three solid meals each day.  It will give them a place to brush their teeth, to do their homework, to be normal.  It will help them with their new beginning.

Family Promise is just getting off the ground.... getting the area churches together that will host our homeless.

Family Promise needs your help.  They need donations and will need volunteers.  If you care about the homeless of Juneau, help them help our community.  It really does take a village.

For more information, you can contact Family Promise of Juneau at info@familypromisejuneau.com. or PO Box 32775, Juneau 99803

Thank you.
Lion Nancy