Our mission is intersecting faith and community to empower
Grayson County families to end child homelessness.
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Message from our Board Chair |
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As I begin my second year as Board Chair for Family Promise of Grayson County (FPGC), I am filled with gratitude and hope. In my New Year’s message last year, I indicated that in addition to our rotational shelter program for families experiencing homelessness, we would work toward expanding our programming to prevent family homelessness. At the beginning of 2021, the Family HOPE (Housing Opportunities to Prevent Eviction) Program was launched. Through this program in 2021, we prevented 53 families (including 129 children and 80 adults) from having to experience homelessness. This program has been primarily supported through grants, and we are so grateful to our grantors for their generous support. In December, we were blessed to receive a donated manufactured home from Clayton Homes that will be used as transitional housing for families leaving our rotational shelter program. Thank you to all that helped furnish the home.
I am grateful to our outgoing Board members (Carin Monk, Mike Young, and Bobby Hancock) for their leadership and service, and look forward to working with the current Board (Vice Chair Mike Flanagan, Treasurer Tyler Lewis, Secretary Neal Alexander, and members Danielle Farrington, Becky Frank, and Paulette Barrett). Over the next year, the Board will continue to explore partnerships and opportunities to prevent family homelessness in Grayson County.
I am also grateful to our dedicated staff, partner congregations, volunteers, and generous donors that have continued to support Family Promise. We couldn’t do what we do without you. It is truly a blessing to be part of an organization that spreads God’s love in such tangible ways! I look forward to working with you all during the coming year.
Many Blessings,
Kelly Reed
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WOW! HUGE thanks to Clayton Homes!
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Members of the Family Promise of Grayson County Board of Directors and representatives from Clayton Homes and National Family Promise attend the ribbon cutting at the new home! |
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One of the bedrooms in our new Clayton home! Furnishings were provided by Clayton Homes, Grace United Methodist church, First United Methodist church of Sherman, Covenant Presbyterian church, and Ashley Homestore. |
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Clayton Homes donated a BEAUTIFUL manufactured home to Family Promise of Grayson County for use as transitional housing for guests graduating out of our rotation program! We all felt God's hand helping us get the home ready for the ribbon cutting! The home is located in Knollwood, where the property manager, Janis Gaines, has given us a warm reception. While this is a first in Grayson County, nationally this is the 12th home Clayton has given Family Promise over the past four years! THANK YOU, Clayton Homes!!
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Santa's very generous helpers! |
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Many families served by Family Promise of Grayson County had very generous "elves" that helped provide Christmas gifts for their children! Some of the parents in our homelessness prevention program (Family HOPE) provided their children's ages and sizes, and Family Promise staff passed on the information to Santa's helpers. A total of 22 of our Family HOPE families were assisted with gifts from Trinity Lutheran Church, Presco, Sherman Noon Lions Club, the SSMC Lone Star, and the Friends Gathering group. Many thanks to these groups and other individuals who helped ensure area children received gifts over the holidays! |
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Speaking of Santa Claus and his elves... |
The Lone Star chapter of the Seventh Sin Motorcycle Club (SSMC) recently escorted Santa and Mrs. Claus to the home of one of our families! These very kindhearted and generous bikers brought a load of Christmas gifts! The children were almost as excited about sitting on the bikes as they were about receiving the gifts! |
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Mrs. Claus brought along one of her favorite elves to help carry the packages! You may remember from last month's newsletter that this group provided Thanksgiving assistance for some of our families. We cannot thank these good folks enough for their thoughtfulness and generosity! |
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Wilson N. Jones Community Foundation continues the spirit of generosity! |
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Tom Kyle of the Wilson N Jones Community Foundation Board recently presented Family Promise with a very generous grant to be used to help families avoid homelessness through the Family HOPE program. We are so grateful to the Wilson N Jones Community Foundation for this gift, as the number of local families needing assistance has increased dramatically since the pandemic began. Thank you, Tom, for making this special delivery! Pictured with Tom are Family Promise Board members Becky Frank and Kelly Reed, and Executive Director Leigh Walker. |
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Texoma Select Referrals selects Family Promise |
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At a recent meeting of the Texoma Select Referrals group, Family Promise was given a generous donation to assist families in need. Texoma Select Referrals members meet regularly to connect area businesses and strengthen the local economy. Special thanks to David Volberding of Function4 for inviting Family Promise Executive Director Leigh Walker to the meeting! |
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Grayson Christian School blesses with blankets! |
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Just before Christmas, members of the Grayson Christian School's Student Council, accompanied by Principal Greg Rostyne, brought a van load of blankets, coats, and cereal to our Day Center. These generous students had perfect timing, as that same day we received a request for blankets. Thanks to Grayson Christian School for being the hands and feet of Christ for our community! |
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Celebrating Family Promise Coordinators! |
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Family Promise Coordinators are the backbone of our Interfaith Hospitality Network. These are the folks at each congregation who coordinate meals and hosts for families in our rotation program. They have to be flexible, kind, flexible, compassionate, and flexible! Recently 11 of these wonderful people got together for cookies and cocoa. We had fun swapping stories, and several of these kind, compassionate (and flexible!) Coordinators brought cleaning supplies for the Day Center and for our new transitional home!
Although COVID has changed the way we do some things, our Coordinators' commitment to our guests has not wavered. Thank you to ALL of our Coordinators for all you do! (P.S. If you would like to be a Coordinator, please let Leigh know. We need your talent!)
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Thank you for your support in 2021. May you all have much for which to be thankful in the coming year, and may God bless you abundantly in 2022! |
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If you would like to learn more about Family Promise of Grayson County including:
- How to participate
- How to volunteer
- How to support through donations
Didn’t get this newsletter directly? Join our mailing list by sending an email to the newsletter editor. Be sure to forward this to a friend!
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