'Tis The Season To Be Thankful!

Giving Tuesday was created to encourage support of charitable organizations during the peak season of holiday spending. This day is an opportunity for everyone to come together and “unleash the power of people and organizations to transform [our] communities and the world.” This year, we were chosen as one of four local organizations to participate in the Church of Latter-day Saints annual Giving Machine project. The Giving Machine is a vending machine set up during the holiday season that allows people to purchase necessities for others in need. So instead of using the machine to purchase a candy bar for oneself, you could instead purchase a pair of shoes for a child, or a tank of gas for a working mother. The machine is at the Pearlridge Center (Mauka level 1, near Bobalicious) from now until January 2nd.

If you are looking for an impactful and simple way to give back this #GivingTuesday visit The Giving Machine and make a purchase that supports struggling families. If you are looking for a family friendly volunteer opportunity, look no further! Volunteers are needed to greet people as they make purchases at the machine. Click this link to sign up to volunteer.

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The OHN Program Gets National Recognition

The Oahu Housing Now (OHN) program is a local initiative that launched during the first quarter of the year with the goal of housing at least 300 households experiencing homelessness during the pandemic. Family Promise provides ongoing case management support for households who are enrolled in the program. Due to the collaborative nature of this initiative and the determination of the service providers, volunteers, various stakeholders, and the City and County of Honolulu, the OHN program has had incredibly positive results and is nearly 85% of the way to the goal! In fact, OHN was recently recognized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development due to the rapid progress the program has made. In this season of gratitude, joy, and togetherness, we are thankful for all who have made the OHN program a success and are proud to be a key contributor to ending homelessness on Oahu.

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Home for the Holidays

Last month we premiered our Support for Victims of Crime PSA that was created to raise awareness about the connection between experiences of crime and housing instability. The journey of creating the PSA was a collaborative one that started with conducting interviews with clients with first hand experience. The interviews explored their journey of seeking safety and stability and aimed to give insight into the stories beyond facts and figures. Centered in these interviews was the question “What does home mean to you?” One interviewee, a mother of two said:

“Home has always been my fiancé and my kids. It was never about being in four walls. It was never simply about being sheltered. It was where I felt safe. Where I felt comfortable. Their love, their comfort, their warmth, that was home.”

This family has been stably housed for almost a year now. She said that this time last year she came across a sign that said “Home for the Holidays.” She revisited that phrase whenever she felt discouraged and overwhelmed because she was determined to have her family home for the holidays. Luckily, this is the second year in a row that they will be.

If you or someone you know is a family who has experienced crime and housing instability, please visit our website at www.familypromisehawaii.org/support-for-victims-of-crime or call (808) 466-4241 for more information.

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Meet the Team

An Interview with Tom Barrett, Temple Emanu-El Volunteer Coordinator

The FPH team (staff, volunteers, and board members) is diverse. We value this diversity as one of the strongest factors in our collective success. Drawing upon our range of cultural backgrounds, skills, educational levels, beliefs, and experiences fosters empathy, creativity, and community. In our upcoming newsletters we will be featuring a variety of team members at FPH so you can get to know them a little better.

This month, we get to know Tom.

What brought you to Family Promise?

Our rabbi asked me to take on the task of Site Coordinator for the two other congregations and Temple Emanu-El. I saw it as an opportunity to better serve our congregation and the community.

Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?

I take photographs and I look for compositions.

What’s something you’re proud of?

I am most proud when at the end of a hosting session I can know that our guests have received the best that we could offer them. They were greeted with a smile each afternoon when they arrived, and they and their children had a safe place to bed down each night. During dinner each family had precious private time to reassure each other that their family is together.

What’s something you find challenging about your work at Family Promise?

The most challenging aspect is keeping my focus on serving our guests.

When you are not working, what's your favorite way to relax?

To relax I often go to Foster Garden to look for images to capture.