Overnight Family Shelter
Our overnight shelter program and warm hospitality is the foundation of the Family Promise model.
Across the country, communities extend hospitality to families through Family Promise Affiliates. This innovative model leverages existing spaces—such as congregations—and the compassion of dedicated volunteers to support families in need. With a national network of over 200 Affiliates, Family Promise has helped hundreds of thousands of children and adults. By collaborating with local resources, Affiliates deliver comprehensive, targeted services—including extensive case management—at just one-third the cost of traditional shelters. Additionally, Family Promise Affiliates welcome families of all compositions, often serving as the only shelter option in their communities.
And it works.
On average, 88% of families in the shelter program secure housing within nine weeks. Thanks to the depth of services and strong community support, most of these families remain stably housed. Affiliates also provide prevention and stabilization services, expanding their impact and helping families achieve long-term stability.
HOW IT WORKS
We are fortunate to have many resources in Collin County to support families facing homelessness. Our program partners with local church congregations whose volunteers provide meals, support, and mentoring to the families we serve. These volunteers are the heart of our program—their dedication proves that compassionate communities can come together to help families in crisis and create a sense of "home" for those in need.
Families stay at our overnight shelter from 6:00 PM to 7:00 AM. The shelter offers communal living, where families have private rooms but share common spaces such as the living area, dining room, bathroom, and kitchen.
Family Promise of Collin County is not an emergency shelter. The intake process includes three interviews, a background check, and drug testing, which typically takes 3–5 days to complete.
Our Day Center, generously provided by one of our partner churches, offers families a safe space during the day—from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM—while they search for employment, meet with case managers, and work toward their financial goals. Families may also use the Day Center as a mailing address during their transition while securing stable housing.
Thanks to our incredible volunteers who give their time, prepare meals, and extend hospitality, we are able to address family homelessness without the need for costly shelters. Across the nation, this innovative approach has transformed the lives of countless families—powered by more than 200,000 dedicated volunteers nationwide.
A COMMUNITY RESPONSE
In every community, these core elements exist. By bringing the community together on the issue of family homelessness, Family Promise addresses a major social problem in a holistic, effective way. Once the community becomes engaged, people understand the root causes of family homelessness and take steps to address them. Family Promise Affiliates have created more than 1,700 community initiatives—housing programs, homelessness prevention, childcare and much more—that target the issues of poverty and homelessness on a local level.
A LONG-TERM SOLUTION
Not only does our 88% success rate mean many more families stably housed, it is also a tremendous cost saving to the community as diversion from far more expensive interventions. Our approach of keeping families together, identifying their strengths, and partnering with the community for solutions means that families are at much lower risk of returning to homelessness.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Family Promise changes lives. We served 126,000 parents and children last year, giving them the ability to realize their true potential. We also change the lives of our 200,000 volunteers, giving them a meaningful outreach right in their own communities.