Apartment Shelter Program
In the midst of this pandemic, homeless shelters for families are hurting for two reasons. First, more families with children than ever are calling to find a place to stay. Second, shelter staff and other families in the shelters have fears of contracting COVID-19 or have extra childcare responsibilities at home, leading many shelters to stop or reduce intakes due to inadequate staffing or inadequate space for social distancing. Simply put, this means more people need shelter at a time when fewer shelter rooms are available.
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Our traditional housing model uses existing community resources to assist families in need. As
a result of the national pandemic, our 13 host
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congregations were forced to close their doors on March 15, 2020, due to safety and health concerns for families and volunteers sheltering in close proximity. FPTC secured a temporary, emergency location to house guest families, however, the location is not sustainable for long-term use.
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As a result, we are seeking funding to rent three-to-six apartments at below-market rates for a term of up to one year. This request is part of a matching program from National Family Promise and will allow us to immediately double the impact of your gift and increase the number of units we can provide to families in our community who are experiencing homelessness.
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Family Promise of Tulsa County's plan, effective immediately, is to raise funds through the "Night Without a Bed" fundraiser culminating with participants sleeping without a bed in solidarity with those who cannot choose to on June 20, 2020. Money raised with help FPTC secure apartments for families experiencing homelessness, with the goal to rent six apartments with a 12-month lease. Each apartment shelter will be used as a 30-to-90-day stay for a family until they can secure their own permanent housing. When they do, a new family experiencing homelessness will enter the apartment shelter. While in the “Apartment Shelter Program” our guests receive intensive case management from our in-house case manager who works with each family to secure employment/income, housing, and childcare. Our case management services also include life skills and financial literacy training.
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As soon as congregations can return to hosting--whether that be July, October, January, or later, the case manager will return to serving the congregation shelter program. The total number of rented apartments will be decreased with our partners as soon as resident families find permanent housing, to allow funding to be freed to hire a part-time case manager to serve the apartment shelter program. The congregation shelter program will return to be the priority funded program, and the apartment shelter program will continue as long as it can be sustained financially without spending reserves. At worst, shelter capacity is increased throughout the pandemic, and every family is given the capability to isolate and socially distance. At best, shelter capacity is expanded. Either way, a new and actually economical model of shelter is tested as a national model.
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At Family Promise of Tulsa County, desperate times call for creative measures. The COVID-19 crisis has temporarily changed the way we assist families in need, however, with your support, FPTC can continue or mission of ending homelessness… one family at a time and help families regain their independence.
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has." ~ Margaret Mead
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For questions about the "apartment shelter program", please contact us at info@familypromisetulsa.org or by phone at 918-392-4959.
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Apartment Shelter Program Supporters
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