Nonprofit strives to do more for local homeless families

COEUR d’ALENE — Family Promise of North Idaho serves an average of 18 families in Kootenai County facing homelessness each year. About half of those they serve are children, and most of them are under 6 years old.

This week marks Family Promise Week, an effort to bring awareness to the 2.5 million children who experience homelessness each year in the U.S. One in 16 will become homeless before they reach first grade.

“The calls we get for help are heartbreaking. A suicide in your family, a debilitating diagnosis, a car wreck when there isn’t any ‘extra’ to take time off work to heal or get your car fixed, no childcare and the inability to work from home and caregiving for a parent or child are all external circumstances that prevent families from being able to keep their head above water 365 days a year,” said Cindy Wood, executive director of Family Promise of North Idaho. “Homelessness is a situation, not an identity. We are here to transition people into stable housing with the tremendous support from our community.”

Wood said Family Promise is working with four families and have about “20 more on the radar.”

One family came to Family Promise after housing arrangements fell through. As if that weren't enough, they're also dealing with the death of a family member from COVID-19, a transition in employment, an upcoming surgery with no place to recuperate, and the stress of navigating school and COVID for the youngest family member, Wood said.

“Family Promise was a place to heal, rest and set the course for their next stage in life,” Wood said.

The kids who go through situations like these are three times more likely to be placed in special education programs, almost nine times as likely to repeat a grade and seven times more likely than peers to commit suicide, said Jonathan Greene, a board member and public relations representative for Family Promise of North Idaho.

COVID-19 has greatly impacted clients, Wood said.

“In such a tight housing market the thought of losing your home is practically an insurmountable obstacle,” she said. “The families we see are more stressed and dealing with so much more underlying anxiousness than our pre-pandemic families.”

Family Promise needs funding, but there are other ways to help too. Volunteers, organizations and religious congregations can host weekly meetings. FP provides training and support throughout the process.

“We have an aftercare program and a prevention program in addition to the shelter program,” Wood said.

FP is seeking a real estate agent or agency to implement the program “Keys to Good Tenancy” for renters and property owners willing to rent to client families.

Helping a family transition out of homelessness is an involved process.

“But first and foremost we provide a safe and hospitable environment,” Wood said.

Meeting basic needs like meals, space and heat are first on the list. Families are hosted in a church or motel. Fifteen local congregations and one real estate agency provide meals.

“We are using hotels more than we would like at this time,” Wood said. “It is hard for a family to function out of a one-room motel for an extended period of time.”

A case manager works with the family to get them back into steady housing. Finding qualified housing, ensuring reliability of transportation, implementing childcare or afterschool resources and health care for all family members is attended to.

“Families go through a financial literacy program and make a plan for any outstanding debt with budgeting,” Wood said. “We work with each unique family where they are. Our case manager provides encouragement, resources and is responsive to the needs of families.”

To contact Family Promise to find assistance or to help: familypromiseni.org or 208-777-4190. Family Promise is located on the bottom floor or St. Luke’s Episcopal Church on the corner of Fifth Street and Wallace Avenue and is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.