We are dedicated to the families in Gainesville who are temporarily without a home.
Our Family Promise committee serves our community’s most vulnerable families experiencing homelessness. In conjunction with Family Promise of Gainesville, United Church of Gainesville welcomes four families experiencing homelessness to stay on campus for a week at a time, four times a year. More than 70 volunteers purchase groceries, make dinner, spend the night, and much more to ensure these families are fully cared for during their week stay. We have recently returned to this rotational housing model after a two year hiatus during the pandemic.
Family Promise of Gainesville and United Church of Gainesville have implemented a COVID-19 protocol while our guests stay on campus, to encourage COVID-19 safety. All guests will have obtained a negative at home COVID-19 test before coming to United Church of Gainesville and any guests experiencing symptoms will be immediately relocated to alternative housing. All volunteers and guests are required to wear masks in common areas. Moreover, Family Promise of Gainesville has reduced the number of families who will stay at United Church of Gainesville from from four down to one or two. Because we are not able to share the vaccination status of our guests, we strongly recommend that our volunteers wear a self-protective mask and practice good social distancing measures.
During the two year pause of rotational housing, United Church of Gainesville provided catered meals each weeknight to multiple families being served by Family Promise of Gainesville, four times a year. In doing so, we simultaneously supported Chef Empowerment’s Underground Kitchen whose objective is to reverse the commonly found statistics of increased crime and decreased employment by offering vocational training and immediate job placement for individuals who successfully complete their program. Underground Kitchen prepared beautiful meals for our Family Promise families.
Additionally, United Church of Gainesville supports individuals experiencing homelessness at Grace Marketplace. Prior to the pandemic, our members would prepare and serve dinners to over 200 individuals, four times a year. Since the pandemic, we have been writing quarterly checks to Grace Marketplace to support its preparation of daily meals until we return to serving again, in-person.
It takes many hands to allow our Family Promise ministry to make the significant impact it does. If you would like to become more involved with our Family Promise committee, please email Lisa Debroux Ingram at lisa.debroux@gmail.com. We are grateful for the continuous support of our congregation. Your thoughtfulness and generosity are truly an inspiration to us and our community.
Lisa Debroux Ingram & Dawn Beachy
