Homeless families who have been evicted from their homes or who are couch surfing (going from one friend or relative’s home to another, also called “doubling up”) are able to find temporary housing at Family Promise. Families or single women can stay 30 to 40 days while looking for employment and affordable housing. Family Promise has six rooms available for homeless families.

Elizabeth McVay (pictured left) and her two daughters were living at Family Promise in spring 2015.  McVay found out that she is pregnant with her third child (the hear her story, click on the “Stories” tab). She spends her days looking for jobs, affordable housing and meeting with the social worker at Family Promise, Tanya Johnson.

Because the baby’s father has been charged and convicted of a crime, he is not allowed to live in the home with them. The organization enforces strict guidelines for families in residence. Family Promise uses a demerit system, evicting any family that gets three demerits.

The Family Promise in Delaware was not always a shelter. It did not become a place to temporarily house people until a few years ago.

Tanya Johnson is the social worker who works with the families at Family Promise.  She explains the specifics of what she does here.

“We kind of learn from each other, you know, they’ll tell me about resources [as well].”

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This video was made by Family Promise and shows how they help families across the nation since 1988.  Family Promise was founded in 1986 by Karen Olson in New York and is the first interfaith hospitality network. Fourteen local churches help provide meals and funding for Family Promise.

The Family Promise of Delaware serves the entire county, not just the city.