Family Promise of Southern Ocean County

DIRECTORS UPDATE from their weekly newsletter:

Thank you to Ocean Community Church and all their volunteers for hosting our guests this week.
Thank you to Wright Memorial Church for supplying the day center with all of the requested needs as well as to all the individual volunteers that stopped by the Day Center to drop off needed items. All the items will be used as we go through them quickly.

If anyone knows of any rentals between Manahawkin to Little Egg Harbor area with 3-4 BR that Gabe and Pam may be interested in, please let me know. Additionally, if anyone knows of any rentals in the Toms River/Beachwood area that Melissa can rent please let me know. Both families are on a time limit in order to get the support for the program.Please keep them in your prayers that they soon will find a 'place to call home'.

Mandy and Jenna are still looking for employment; We are still in need of assisting Gabe with cost of of the toolbox or if someone knows someone that has a good used one as it will be very helpful for his new job.

Please limit the snacks to healthy snacks for the children and kid friendly meals if possible. Although it may seem to be a treat, it is very difficult if there are lots of sweets in eye's view for the children to see when they are having their meal.

Additional Needs-
We need to get our weeks filled in for May. If anyone can see if their congregation is willing to take a week or an additional week that would be great.
Within the next few weeks as it get warmer, we will be in need of someone to cut the grass and keep the weeds from growing at the Day Center at least 1 x per month. Please let me know if you are able to assist.
We are in need of meals and overnights during the week at the Training Lodge at the Boy Scout camp the week of 4/29. We also have that Friday and Sat opened as the scout camp cannot accommodate.

Family Promise of Southern Ocean County

Excerpts from the Director's Report (3/15):

We understand that several of you have not been receiving the weekly update. After closer examination we realized that the updates were not being sent to anyone whose email was through Comcast. We have corrected the problem with them and hopefullyyou are receiving this update. If not, please let us know.

Thanks again to the Great Bay Gospel Fellowship for hosting our families again for the third successive week. We truly appreciate their hospitality and are so grateful that we did not have to house these families in motels.

We will be having a Coordinator’s Meeting on Wednesday, March 28, at 6:30 PM at Ocean Community Church, Manahawkin. For those of you who have not seen the new training video, I will be having a showing at 6PM. Please let me know if you will be attending by Tuesday 3/27. All coordinators and support team members are welcome and are encouraged to attend.

If you have seen the article in the ASBURY PARK PRESS, you may have noticed several errors. The article mentioned that Family Promise will host up to 14 families; it should have stated 14 individuals. Also the article was misleading in not all of our hostsites have showers and kitchen facilities.

I am available to visit your congregation to train volunteers on Family Promise. The training will include a brief video and discussion period. If your volunteers have not been trained, I hope you will consider hosting a training session. It is a good way to help volunteers understand their role in supporting the families in the program.

As you know, our families spend a good deal of their time at the Day Center and we are in need of many supplies. If you can help out with any of the items listed below, we would truly appreciate your generosity. You can drop them off anytime at the Center. List of items needed:
Toilet Paper
Paper Towels
Baby Wipes
Liquid Hand Soap
Dishwasher Detergent
KetchupRanch
Dressing
Bottled Water
Coffee
Juice for the children
Coffee Creamer
If you prefer, we could also accept gift cards for the local food stores, Walmart andTarget.
We could also use plastic storage bins for the families’ clothing and other items. When they come to the Center, we do not have a place for them to store their “stuff.”
We also have a particular need for a Roll-away Tool Box for automotive tools.

Also for the Day Center we need a desk and a copy machine.

We would also like to have the backyard fenced so that the children can enjoy the beautiful weather we are having and hope to have in the spring and summer without worrying about their running into the street.

Thank you again to all of you who made meals this past week and who continue to give us the support we count on for our program to be successful. We cannot do this without our volunteers and you have all been a source of strength and encouragement for me and for our families.

May God continue to bless all you angels.

Kind Regards,Cheryl Polo, DirectorFamily Promise of SOC
338 South Main Street
Barnegat, NJ 08005
609-994-3317
familypromisesoc@gmail.com

Family Promise of Southern Ocean County

DIRECTORS UPDATE
We have taken another guest family in yesterday. Jenna- allergic to pine nuts, Andreu 7 yo and Miguel 5yo- allergic to mushrooms

I have been writing a grant for OceanFirst Foundation this week and submitted it yesterday afternoon. Let's hope for the best!A Huge Thank you to Great Bay Gospel Fellowship for hosting this week and continue to host the guests next week too! They have had a great week and I am so delighted they want to help us!

Gabe has found a full time job and looking for assistance with reduced cost childcare. If anyone knows of anyplace please contact Cheryl.

Melissa is continuing to seek housing for her and her children in the Toms River area. She will also need furniture and beds and mattresses. If you know of anyone that is looking to donate it and it is in good condition please let me know.EMAIL UPDATE ARCHIVES ADDED TO OUR WEBSITE: We now have all of our past email updates available on our website. They are accessible from the main top menu or directly from this link.-
Kind Regards,Cheryl Polo
DirectorFamily Promise of SOC

Family Promise of Southern OC, part 2

We still are in need of securing hosts sites for the weeks of 3/4 and 3/11. We do not want to put our guests in a motel. If any host and or support congregation can assist us with this please let us know and if a host is able to support this we may need to have volunteers to provide meals and overnight accommodations. If you are interested in any way please contact us ASAP.

A big thanks to Lacey United Methodist Church for hosting our guests this week, all the volunteers including folks from Forked River Presbyterian Church and for Jackie the new coordinator for doing a great job!

Thank you to the Greenbriar Oceanaire Womens's Club for donating Walmart Gift Cards for our families that will be used for clothing and personal items.

Family Promise of SOC
338 South Main Street
Barnegat, NJ 08005
609-994-3317
familypromisesoc@gmail.com

Family Promise of Southern Ocean County

As some of you may recall, Family Promise SOC received an approval of a grant to help 2 families with housing vouchers from HUD through the county. It has been a long wait but we finally are going to be able to assist the first family with the housing voucher. The family will receive assistance from Lakewood Housing Authority with the voucher and Family Promise will provide case management services to the family. I had the great pleasure of sharing this news on the phone to Melissa (our past guest) and after I told her that she has been approved to receive the voucher all of a suddenly there was silence... and then in a quiet voice I could hear Melissa crying with tears of joy! Melissa and her 4 children will finally have "a place to call home". If anyone knows of any homes for rent in the Toms River area please let me know, as they must find a place within 60 days.

Family Promise of Southern Ocean County makes a difference

THANKS THANKS THANKS!!!
First Presbyterian Church Tuckerton for hosting this week
Maris Stella for hosting last week
First UMC and The Church of the Holy Spirit for their assistance two weeks ago

Welcome-

• To our new coordinator Jackie Dunbar from Lacey United Methodist Church- they will be hosting on 2/19
• To Great Bay Gospel Fellowship for joining our network and for brining a team of volunteers to be trained last week. they will be hosting for the first time 2/26.
• To Jersey Shore Council, BSA, Joseph A. Citta Scout Reservation at Brookville on becoming a host site for us. we are looking for a coordinator for that site. we also are looking for scouts to assist during that week and would like to set up trainings for the group. please contact Cheryl Polo for more information.

This brings us up to 12 Current Host Sites!!! Not all sites are on our calendar as of yet but will be getting many of the dates added to the calendar.

Needs:

• Gift cards for local stores for work  and personal supplies for guests
• financial counselor to offer assistance to guests
• job leads for Gabe in auto field and Mandy in local store or office
• If anyone has any connections to offer discount or reduced assistance for child care

Family Promise of Southern Ocean County intake rules

INTAKE FOR NEW FAMILIES
We are gathering potential families for our program. They can make application by contacting Cheryl at Family Promise of SOC
338 South Main Street, Barnegat, NJ 08005, 609-994-3317 or by replying to this email. Here are the criteria for families:
·      Adult parent must have at least 1 child under the age of 18
·      Does not have a permanent place to live
·      Has own car or the ability to secure transportation within short period of time while in program
·      Is currently employed or able to secure employment prior to entrance into the program
·      Has no current issues with drugs and alcohol
·      Has no untreated health issues
·      Must complete all intake requirements
·      Is willing and able to accept all Program Guidelines
·      Program is limited to 14 people

PLEASE CONSIDER FORWARDING THIS EMAIL TO OTHERS YOU KNOW ARE INTERESTED IN OUR PROJECT!

Family Promise of Southern Ocean County intake information

We are gathering potential families for our program. They can make application by contacting Cheryl at Family Promise of SOC
338 South Main Street, Barnegat, NJ 08005, 609-994-3317 or by replying to this email. Here are the criteria for families:
·      Adult parent must have at least 1 child under the age of 18
·      Does not have a permanent place to live
·      Has own car or the ability to secure transportation within short period of time while in program
·      Is currently employed or able to secure employment prior to entrance into the program
·      Has no current issues with drugs and alcohol
·      Has no untreated health issues
·      Must complete all intake requirements
·      Is willing and able to accept all Program Guidelines
·      Program is limited to 14 people

Family Promise of Southern Ocean County says, "thanks" to Lutheran youth

Family Promise of Southern Ocean County

THANKS TO YOUTH AND LEADERS FROM HOLY SPIRIT LUTHERAN for their work decorating the Day Center for our guest families. Your work brings a lift and encouragement to people in tough times!

Family Promise of Southern Ocean County news

Nov. 28, 2011

Presented are excerpts from their newsletter. 

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FRIENDS AT SHANTYTOWN! A number of congregations worked together to host a Shantytown event in Manahawkin Lake Park. It drew great attention to the problem of homelessness in our community, and transformed some lives! Job well done!
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR EMAIL NEWS EFFORT: 152 of you read our news last week. We were late this week because of Thankgiving, but this Thursday we'll send out a note about our intake and more congregational hosting information. Keep reading and forward the newsletter to your friends, or ask them to sign up on our website. If we grow our list, more people can celebrate with us as we make a difference in the lives of homeless families!

CAN YOU HELP US CHRISTMAS WEEK? WE ARE STARTING TO GET SUPPORT, DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE BLESSED DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON!
We have a location for hosting (December 24 - December 31 at St. Mary's Parish Center) but we need to assemble a team to provide meals, hosting, sleepover, etc... If you can help, please respond to this email. Marianne from Grace Calvary is coordinating the hosting for that week, and we'll see that you get put together!

VOLUNTEER AND COORDINATOR TRAINING AVAILABLE : Tuesday, December 6th
VOLUNTEERS 10:30-12:30
If you are interested in attending or know someone that is please contact me through phone or email for upcoming dates and times of monthly volunteer trainings.

 

Coordinator Training

Mandatory for All Coordinators
1:30-3:30

   *This can be rescheduled individually with Director

WHERE: Ocean Community Church
1492 Rt. 72 West, Manahawkin

PLEASE RSVP BY 12/5
994-3317 or
familypromisesoc@gmail.com

HERE'S HOW OUR WEEKS LOOK SO FAR:

THERE ARE MORE WEEKS ALREADY SCHEDULED FURTHER ON, but if your church hasn't set your dates for 2012 with us yet, let us know by replying to this email and we'll get in touch with a calendar on hand!

INTAKE FOR NEW FAMILIES
We are gathering potential families for our program. They can make application by contacting Cheryl at Family Promise of SOC, 338 South Main Street, Barnegat, NJ 08005, 609-994-3317 or by replying to this email. Here are the criteria for families:
·      Adult parent must have at least 1 child under the age of 18
·      Does not have a permanent place to live
·      Has own car or the ability to secure transportation within short period of time while in program
·      Is currently employed or able to secure employment prior to entrance into the program
·      Has no current issues with drugs and alcohol
·      Has no untreated health issues
·      Must complete all intake requirements
·      Is willing and able to accept all Program Guidelines
·      Program is limited to 14 people

Shantytown Fundraising Effort by local churches Sat & Sun, Nov 19, 20

From Family Promise of Southern Ocean County, an explanation of Shantytown:

Shantytown, a community outreach to the homeless and hungry of Southern Ocean county, will be held at Manahawkin Lake Park from 6:00 pm Saturday, November 19 to 8:00 am Sunday, November 20.  The event will be open to the public  Saturday evening for a clothing and canned food drive.  You may also sponsor participants who will “spend the night in a box, so someone else won’t have to.”  All proceeds will benefit local area homeless outreaches and food pantries.  Shantytown is a community action project of a coalition of 7 area churches.  For further information or to make donations, email Shantytown@cedarrunchurch.org or visit our web page at cedarrunchurch.org. Print a flyer for your bulletin board.

(Posted 7:29 p.m.)

Family Promise of Southern Ocean County new newsletter

Family Promise of Southern Ocean County has released its latest newsletter.  Sign up for it at their Web site http://www.familypromisesoc.com/ .

This issue includes:

• Can you help us for Christmas week?
• Intake for new families.
• Shantytown @ Manahawkin Lake Park
• Text of President Dan Lundy's message to the Ocean County Freeholders Oct. 19, supporting enactment of the Housing Trust Fund.
• Are housing programs endangered by the Federal Budget Control Act's Super Committee?
• The Appellate Division blocked the governor's interim procedures that would have undercut the Fair Housing Act's requirement to provide affordable housing.
• Help wanted: part-time administrative assistant.

The full text is in their newsletter. Sign up now.

(Posted 7:05 p.m.)