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Valley program established for families in need
The housing and hospitality program will open in early June.
HOWLAND — The Rev. Dr. Brian Byrne admits he “can talk all day” about how Family Promise of Mahoning Valley Inc. will help families in crisis.
“I think it will fill a niche. We take only families with children,” he said of the program that will provide housing and hospitality to families who have no place to live. “We’re not trying to replace any other organization.”
The Rev. Dr. Byrne is no stranger to the national Family Promise network, getting involved in 1989 and writing his doctoral dissertation on Family Promise volunteers. He set up Family Promise programs as pastor of churches in Grand Rapids, Mich., and Indianapolis before becoming pastor at Howland Community Church in September 2007. He is president of Family Promise of Mahoning Valley.
Dr. Byrne said there are some 140 Family Promise programs in the United States; this one will open June 7. “Interfaith hospitality is the homeless program,” he said.
Dr. Byrne said he belongs to clergy groups in Trumbull County, and from those contacts, he had an idea which churches would be willing and able to handle the task.
Taking on the challenge of housing and feeding families is no small responsibility, Dr. Byrne said. “Eighty percent of the response was good. For the most part, they caught the vision,” he said. “Many church members want to see their church make a difference.” Dr. Byrne said that for practical purposes, a congregation should number about 250 because of the manpower and commitment of resources involved. “It takes between 40 and 50 volunteers during the week,” he said.
Here’s how Family Promise works and how congregants contribute:
Host congregations agree to provide a week of housing and meals at their churches; the time frame is from Sunday evening to the next Sunday morning. Dr. Byrne said Howland Community will be the first host site, where 16 beds will be set up — 14 for families and two for volunteers from the church — in the Sunday school rooms. The congregation also will provide dinner nightly. Breakfast will be cereal and bagels, and there will be sack lunches.
“Each congregation takes a week of hosting. It works out to about four times a year,” Dr. Byrne said.
Patti DiGiacobbe, Family Promise secretary and member at Howland Community, said the Howland church already provides a free meal open to all on the third or fourth Saturday of the month and a client-choice food pantry, where participants pick out what they need. “This program is a ministry and way to help out in the community,” she said.
Dr. Byrne said the organization plans to buy a 15-passenger van to transport families from the host church to the day center and hire a driver. Girard First United Methodist Church is the site of the day center and a host church. Dr. Bryne said its location in Trumbull County and near the Mahoning County line makes it a perfect place.
The Rev. Betsy Schenk, pastor of Girard UMC, said there was an interest at the church to get involved in social concerns. She said steps seemed to lead toward it. The men of the church cleaned up the third floor, which was basically unused except for minimal storage. “I had a sense of God saying ... use this for me.”
The Rev. Ms. Schenk said an outside door leads up to the third floor, where there have been electrical and plumbing renovations. The church also operates a preschool, she said, and the safety and security of all at the church were considered and adjustments made.
“The membership voted on both — being a host church and day center,” she said. “There is an excitement among the members. It’s doing God’s work.”
“There is a great need for this,” the pastor said, noting that some members of her congregation have lost jobs and are struggling. But knowing that, Ms. Schenk said she also believes “God will provide.” She said several smaller Methodist churches have already offered to help.
Karen Brown is volunteer coordinator at Girard UMC. Dr. Byrne said the day center will have a paid director and case manager. They will work with adults from the families to find jobs, housing and other social services. The day center will have phones and computers and also provide an address for adults to use on applications until they secure other housing. “Children of school age will be in school, and adults who have jobs will go to them,” Dr. Byrne said.
Volunteers at Howland Community and the Family Promise director will undergo training with a team from national Family Promise, then the director will train other volunteers. “We refrain from using the word ‘homeless.’ They are our guests,” Dr. Byrne said, and noted preserving people’s dignity is paramount.
Dr. Byrne said it takes about $261 a day to operate this program. The projected budget is $95,000, all from donations and grants.
Dr. Byrne said this program “doesn’t fit everyone.” It’s not for those involved in domestic- violence situations or those who have alcohol and drug problems. “We’re not equipped to handle that,” he said, and noted other shelters address those issues.
“We want families to be safe, warm and fed,” Dr. Byrne said. “But we don’t want them to be too comfortable. They can stay as long as they need to,” he said, but they also have to make real effort toward independence.
linonis@vindy.com