FAMILY HOUSING PROGRAM
What Is It? The Family Housing Program is a joint Christian effort of area churches and individuals teaming up with Loaves and Fishes FHP staff in order to help homeless families with children by providing a furnished home and supportive services. Families in FHP are evaluated each year for program eligibility. There is no limit to their stay in the home if program requirements are followed, and program goals are achieved.
Who Refers The Family To The Program? Our referrals come from Loaves and Fishes Emergency Family Shelter. When a vacancy occurs in one of our homes, potential families are interviewed and evaluated for eligibility as candidates for this program.
What Is Offered To The Families? Each family is given intensive social work with special emphases on goal planning, financial planning, employment skills, educational opportunities, counseling and parenting. Additionally, the program can offer assistance with medical care, transportation, clothing vouchers, and referrals to appropriate community resources. Families are also ministered to physically and spiritually. Visiting representatives from churches supporting the FHP offer the families much needed encouragement and care.
Who Supports The Home? Area churches link arms to support the households both monetarily and spiritually. They contribute $150-$200 per month to help supplement expenses such as food, transportation, utilities, telephones, maintenance, staff, office expenses, taxes and insurance. The more churches committed to helping the FHP, the more families we can assist. Each church names a representative or mentor who visits and ministers to an individual family. The representative is invited to periodic joint meetings with other church representatives. The representatives receive periodic reports from the FHP regarding program updates and updates on their individual family, which they can then share with their church congregations.
How Many Homes Are In Operation Now? We currently have 14 churches of all mainline Christian denominations participating and supporting 11 homes: 2 in Santa Rosa County and 9 in Escambia County.
