Become a Host Site
VOLUNTEERS OF ALL FAITHS CHANGING LIVES
Family Promise of Collin County's shelter program relies on a partnership of interfaith congregations and other volunteer groups to help local families facing homelessness. Our host sites provide lodging, meals and hospitality to families in need.
For families in the program, each day begins with breakfast at a host site with volunteers. Our guests leave the host sites by 7 am each morning and either head to work and school or to our Day Center. In the evening, guests return to the host site, where volunteers provide dinner and spend some quality time. The evening hours are for homework, relaxing and family fun time, as they would be with any family. Each day ends with the family all together, under one roof.
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Read on to learn how your church can become a host congregation or how you as an individual or as part of a volunteer group, can support a host church!
HOST CONGREGATIONS
Local houses of worship provide temporary overnight lodging in otherwise unused spaces in their buildings. A host congregation team of volunteers may be involved with the following:
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Providing food items for do-it-yourself breakfasts and lunches
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Cooking and hosting dinner
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Spending the evening with families, talking, tutoring kids or playing games
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Sleeping overnight, in your own room, at the host church
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Coordinating children’s crafts & activities
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Donating necessary supplies for the hosting week
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Setting up and breaking down guest families’ rooms
​MANAGEABLE COMMITMENT
Each church commits to the following:
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Providing space for up to 3 to 4 families, or no more than 14 individuals, to stay for a week at a time, once every 3 months.
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The space used can be classrooms, offices or a large hall with dividers. Since a host congregation is providing hospitality to families for the week, the guests’ areas are not broken down during the day.
​Most congregations offer:
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Common area for meals, homework, relaxation and fellowship
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Two bathrooms: one for women; one for men. Showers if possible. (The Day Center also provides showers.)
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Space for volunteers to sleep over (any available space at the church can be used, e.g: offices, hallway, etc.)
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Kitchen for meal preparation (dinners may be cooked at the church or brought in and heated onsite)
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Refrigerator, food staples and necessary clean up items
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All meals (nutritious cooked dinners, simple breakfasts and supplies for sack lunches)
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Utilities (heat/cooling, water and electricity)
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Linens and various basic items such as toys, soap, etc. Family Promise of Collin County supplies the beds, which are twin air mattresses. Each guest is also given a new pillow that travels with them.
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Volunteers. A congregation should always have at least 2 volunteers present and generally not more than 4 at a time. Volunteers can come from other congregations and organizations. All volunteers undergo orientation and background check before they begin.
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We need your help! Can your faith group become a host or support congregation?
WE THANK OUR DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS!
Committed Host Congregations
Custer Road UMC - Plano
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Grace Presbyterian - Plano
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Christ The Servant - Allen
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Forest Grove Church - Lucas
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Stonebridge UMC - McKinney
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First United Methodist - Plano
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Wyle UMC - Wylie
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Grace Eve Free - Lucas
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Good Shepherd UMC - Lucas
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