MISSION
Empowering families experiencing homelessness to achieve sustainable independence through a community-based response.
VISION
Eliminate homelessness for all children and families in Bell County.
1986 | Family Promise National
Karen Olson learned that homelessness was affecting families in her own New Jersey community. She knew she had to do something. Karen brought together people in need and people who wanted to help. Existing community resources could provide shelter, meals, and housing. Volunteers could use their skills, knowledge, and compassion to help their homeless neighbors find employment, reconnect with society, and restore their dignity. Local congregations offered hospitality space within their buildings. A YMCA provided showers and a family day center. A car dealer discounted a van, and the first interfaith hospitality network opened in October of 1986.
2004 | Bell County
Family Promise of East Bell County was founded in Temple, to provide help to homeless families across Bell County. Family Promise grew to include a network of 13 local congregations which provided guests with food and shelter every night of the year. The City of Temple provided a decommissioned fire station in East Temple to serve as the Family Promise Day Center for case management and life skills training, as well as a place where families could shower and do laundry.
2020 | A New Model & Director
With nearly two decades of serving families through the rotational church model, the board of directors began to explore how Family Promise could expand its work. After researching and learning of best practices from across the country, the board of directors decided to plan for a shift in the service model. The vision for the new approach centered around a new campus for Family Promise of Bell County. Phase I includes the Promise House which increases the service capacity for families experiencing homelessness, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Phase II includes eight transitional housing units for families who are homeless. With the need to lead the organization to the next level, the board of directors hired Rucker Preston to serve as the new Executive Director in 2020, the midst of the covid-19 pandemic.
In 2021, the Homeless Diversion Initiative was established, two acres of land were received from the City of Temple, and construction on the Promise House began.
In 2022, new leadership staff were commissioned to upgrade the operations and to lead the new Family Service programs; the number of children and families served quadrupled. The organization’s name was changed to Family Promise of Bell County (formerly East Bell County) because of services provided throughout the entire county, and Promise House construction was completed in December.
In 2023, on-site services for guest families and volunteers in the Promise House began, and another new initiative, Homeless Prevention was created, bolstering the Family Service Programs.
This year, plans are underway for the Promise Homes, Phase II of the Family Promise campus. With the eight new transitional homes, the Guest Shelter will more than double from 7 to 15 families on-site at one time.