Family Promise of Knoxville

Who we are:

Hello supporters! Our names are Taylor Pirrello, Lucciana Ricelli, Olivia Burghard, and Brendan Coad. As students at the University of Tennessee, we want to support our local non-profit organizations. An organization that resonated with us was the Family Promise of Knoxville. Our group is very passionate about helping Family Promise and asks for your financial support. We hope your financial support can help fund programming that ensures a stable living environment for those in need.

Family Promise was founded in 2005 and is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that strives to help low-income families as well as homeless people in the area. They help families address root causes that are affecting homelessness, as well as help them rebuild their lives. Their mission is to provide a community-based response that empowers and equips families experiencing homelessness and housing-instability to achieve sustainable independence. They work in East Tennessee specifically to support parents in building a better future for their families.

What we need:

Our goal is to raise around $1,000 for Family Promise of Knoxville. This money would directly help homeless and low-income families in need. We are asking for any way to give back to the community in need and anything that will bring them light in such a difficult time. We receive donations that aren't just money, but supplies such as toiletries, feminine products, diapers, gift cards, laundry supplies, canned foods, and infinitely more.

How it helps:

The impact of your funding will have a rippling affect to the community and encourage others to jump on the bandwagon of spreading awareness. It is exciting to see how much just a simple donation can leave long-lasting benefits for these families in need. Since Family Promise of Knoxville is a non-profit organization, there is only so much they can do.

How else you can help:

If donating isn’t an option for you, there are other ways to support and help our community.

Like and follow the organization on social media

Facebook: @Vols for Family Promise

Instagram: @familypromiseknoxville

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Who We Are

Who we are

We are a group of five students at the University of Tennessee Knoxville looking to help make a positive change in our community. We want to help make an impact on the lives of homeless families in Knoxville. As a group, we are deeply committed to making a tangible difference for people experiencing homelessness by raising money for a non-profit organization called Family Promise of Knoxville. We hope by partnering with Family Promise of Knoxville, we can help give these families a fresh start and foster sustainable solutions to help these families combat homelessness.

Family Promise of Knoxville is a (501)(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1986. Their goal is to provide essential resources, support, and opportunities for families in need. Family Promise strives to provide a community-based response that empowers and equips families experiencing homelessness and housing-instability to achieve sustainable independence. They are able to house homeless families at the Family Promise shelter and provide them with their own rooms, bathrooms, closets and a shared living space and kitchen to help them maintain normalcy. They also help provide transitional housing and help work with families to gain financial independence and remain that way to be successful. In addition, Family Promise provides emergency housing which includes churches or hotel rooms for dire situations.

What we Need:

We are seeking financial contributions in order to help Family Promise supply secure housing to families in need. Our goal is to raise $1000 for this organization in the next month. If we reach our goal, it will enable us to fund 10 nights of hotel rooms for families in emergency situations. A mere $100 donation is equal to one night a family of four will be provided a safe space and a roof over their head. Not only will families be provided with safety because of your donation, but they will be provided with a sense of relief and much needed quality family time with each other.

One night might not seem like a lot, but this one night is crucial to these families. It is a vital stepping stone in beating homelessness as it allows a chance for people to think about the next step in their path, and it allows them access to necessary resources. Providing temporary shelter can prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless in the first place. By intervening early and offering support during times of crisis, Family Promise can help people avoid the downward spiral of homelessness and its associated challenges.

How it Helps:

With the help of Organizations such as Family Promise of Knoxville, there has been a 22% decrease in homelessness in the Knoxville community since last year. Your donations, no matter how big or small, WILL make a difference. Although the number is going down, there are still many families who still need your support. There are over 900 homeless people living in our community who you can help give a chance to a better life. The majority of the homeless population in Knoxville is due to housing instability, meaning they were either evicted or could not find affordable housing. Family Promise of Knoxville is providing these families with a roof over their heads, so they can have a chance of a happier and healthier future.

How Else You Can Help:

While monetary donations are appreciated, there are many ways you can help Family Promise of Knoxville. Their organization is always looking for volunteers to help with things from serving meals, to providing financial literacy training, to assisting with fundraising events. Volunteers play an essential role in helping families experiencing homelessness attain sustainable independence. In addition to volunteering, Family Promise takes donations in many forms such as groceries, gift cards, cleaning supplies, toiletries, baby-products, over-the-counter medicine, etc. Family Promise hosts fun events which raise money for their cause, but the easiest way for you to help is to share information about Family Promise. Whether that is through social media or word of mouth, there are so many ways you can help this crucial Knoxville organization.

Like and follow the organization on social media:

Who We Are:

We are Vols for Family, a group of students at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville; we believe that helping families in their time of need is extremely important and is a fundamental aspect of being part of a community. Therefore, we are trying to raise money for a local non-profit, Family Promise, to help them with housing and provide for families who have come under hard times.

The Organization:

Family Promise is a local non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that works to help families in need of shelter and other necessities due to unforeseen complications within their lives. With funds they are given, they prevent homelessness, provide transitional housing to those who need it, and help provide graduate support services to allow children to get an education. Founded in 2005 through the help of the local faith-based congregations, they have become a network of more than 1500 volunteers, clergy, board members, and staff seeking to better our community.

What We Need:

We are asking for a collective sum of $1000 in donations; this money would be solely used to help cover transitional housing for families attempting to get back on their feet and any additional donations will go towards the same objective.

Transitional housing owned by Family Promise

How It Helps:

Your donations go directly to Family Promise, directly helping those in need; in some way this money will be used to procure housing, giving back to the community. The current housing situation in Knoxville is harsh and brutal, so donations such as these will truly help keep families together and sheltered.

How Else You Can Help:

Although donations are most common, there are other ways to help. If you wish to volunteer, you can do anything from serving meals, providing financial literacy training, and assisting with fundraising events. If some of this peaks your interest, please visit the Family Promise website to apply to their email list; here, you will receive updates on the organization and opportunities to help out!

Who We Are

We are five second-year students at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. This semester, we have partnered with Family Promise of Knoxville, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that focuses on helping unhoused and low-income families achieve sustainability. We chose to work with this organization because of its efforts to assist struggling families with finding long-term housing.

Since 2005, Family Promise of Knoxville has served hundreds of families in Knox County and the surrounding area. Their mission is to be a place of safety, shelter, and certainty while a family rebuilds their life. This organization utilizes community-wide resources and congregational spaces to meet the needs of folks experiencing the trauma of homelessness.

What We Need

We will be explicitly raising money for a program within the organization called the Safe-Keeping program. This program is implemented to prevent families from becoming homeless by supporting them through rental assistance and other diversion maneuvers.

At this time in Knoxville, it costs roughly $275 per child to prevent a family from experiencing homelessness. The organization will put the money we raise into the Safe-Keeping Program, which will benefit many families struggling to keep their homes.

The Safe Keeping Program is critical because over 40% of Americans are only a $400 expense away from experiencing homelessness. Our goal is to raise 1,100 dollars which will go directly into the Safekeeping Program and could be helping several families.

How It Helps

When a family does not have a stable shelter, they can become subject to mental health issues, starvation, substance abuse, and victimization. Donating to the Family Promise Safe-Keeping program can help prevent a family from losing their home. If you decide to donate your money to help these families, you are not only sheltering them, but you are allowing them to pursue a new life that they were unable to before.

How Else You Can Help

If you cannot donate to this campaign today, there are still many ways to contribute to this cause. First, you can share our campaign page with friends and colleagues. If you would like to donate your time, volunteering is a great way to get involved.

Organizing a supply drive, serving meals, and assisting with fundraising events are great ways to help. Another way to contribute is by donating items such as toiletries, books, office supplies, and other small necessities. Lastly, you can always show support by following Family Promise of Knoxville on Facebook.