Prevention & Diversion
Preventing families from becoming homeless in the first place with Shelter Diversion, Rental Assistance and Transportation programs.
With more than 40% of Americans a $400 expense away from financial distress, the threat of crisis looms closely for too many families. Preventing families from spiraling into homelessness is an essential part of the Family Promise mission.
PROACTIVE SOLUTIONS
Affiliates offer a variety of strategies to ensure the people we serve do not fall into the cycle of housing instability that can devastate families and alter the course of children’s lives. Our programs include diversion programs providing rental assistance and landlord mediation, and community-based approaches that keep families housed.
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We started our diversion programming with a matching grant from the Help Us Move In (HUMI) foundation and have matched their award with help from local donors like the Tracey Bernard Memorial Fund, Court Street United Methodist Church, and several funds through the Community Foundation of Greater Flint.
PREVENTION
When a family's homelessness is imminent, we work to avoid the trauma of a family losing their housing.
Preventing homelessness for children at imminent risk can help reduce the trauma they might experience. Youth who experience homelessness  are 20% less likely to graduate high school than their peers.
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Our Promise for Home and Bridge Apart programs provide:
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Case management and community support
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Rental assistance, security deposits
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Utility support
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Landlord mediation
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Housing location
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Transportation – gas cards, bus passes, and car donations
DIVERSION
When we can't prevent the home from being lost, we can divert the family and avoid a shelter stay which can be very traumatic for the family. Diversion programming helps families come up with creative solutions that allow families to stay in housing, with family members, or in a temporary living situation until permanent housing can be secured.
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Our Promise for Home program provides:
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Temporary hotel/motel stay
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Intensive Case management and community support
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Payments for rent in arrears, security deposits
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Landlord mediation
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Housing location
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Creative solutions leveraging a family's strengths