Help when help is needed

Every family that comes to Family Promise is different. Some families move on more quickly than others. In October, we had such a family.

Shantel and Fernando* and their six children were displaced from their apartment after a mold issue was discovered, and the landlord refused to fix it. Shantel has asthma and became very sick. The family was unable to find an apartment they could afford, so they moved in with Fernando’s elderly aunt. After a short time, it became apparent that the apartment was not big enough for six active children, and the family was asked to leave. They slept in their minivan for two days before coming to Family Promise—all eight of them!

Immediately upon entering the program, arrangements were made for the children to return to school. The parents met with their Family Case Manager to begin creating a plan. In the meantime, Shantel received a job offer in the southern part of the state. The family decided to take a chance and move there, indicating that the children’s grandmother was willing to help with childcare.

Family Promise is there when a family needs us. This family only needed us for 10 days.

*Although some of you may recognize this family from the details of the story, with the children returning to school, they have asked that we use a pseudonym to keep their identities confidential.