Homeless families find safe harbor, hope at Family Promise

Genny McDaniel says she was thrown into the world, sink or swim.

Now, she and her 3-year-old daughter, Freya Mayer, have a life preserver.

Wednesday evening, McDaniel rushed around the day house on South Chautauqua, washing a few dishes while Freya watched Peppa Pig. Dishes done, she recruited Freya to help put away cardboard bricks and toy dishes in the large playroom complete with a toy kitchen and plastic tea sets where Freya serves “coffee.”

By 5:30, mother and daughter clambered into a large van, ready to ride with other members of Family Promise to West Side Christian Church, where they would spend the night. Around 6:15 in the morning, McDaniel and Freya would get back into the van and return to the day house.

Then McDaniel began her busy day. The schedule is packed, but McDaniel says it’s worth it.

She started orientation at her new job at Wendy’s on Thursday. She hopes to have her own place to live by May.

For now, she knows that she and Freya have a safe place to sleep every night, staying in their own room at a different church each week through Family Promise.

“It’s been an amazing blessing, and doors have opened up that I never thought would be there,” McDaniel said. “They provide the shelter, they help provide the food, but they expect you to do the work. If you’re not working full time, your job is finding a job.”

A ‘hand up’

Family Promise is a national nonprofit that accepted its first families in Wichita in November. The goal is to keep homeless or low-income families together, helping them eventually achieve lasting independence.

The program works through a network of church partnerships, with about 13 “host congregations” providing shelter to families. Churches host families for a week, then trade off with a different church. Each family has its own room set up with cots, usually a Sunday school room not used during the week.

“It’s not a handout, it’s a hand up, and it’s really a privilege to have those families as our guests,” said Chris Rogers-Cheers, a coordinator with First Church of the Brethren, a host church. “It’s just a drop in a bucket, but it’s a start and we need to start somewhere.”

Other host churches are Crosswinds Community, Derby Friends, East Heights United Methodist, First Wesleyan, Hope Mennonite, Northridge Friends, Pathway, Refuge Free Methodist, St. Mary Orthodox Christian, University Friends, West Ridge Community and West Side Christian. About 13 others have signed up to be support churches, providing food and volunteers.

During the day, adults work if they have jobs, or spend time at the day house working on job applications, resumes, counseling, gathering paperwork and more.

Nationally, 84 percent of families in the program will improve or gain employment and 74 percent will find housing.

Only four families are in the residential component of the program at a time. They see a case manager one to two times a week, but interact with the program’s director and other staff daily.

In the residential phase they learn about budgeting and financial literacy. After they find their own housing, they receive continued mentoring.

“For folks to really be sustainable we can’t just bring them in and give them a few tools and throw them out in the same environment,” said Jacqueline Cook Green, executive director. “We really need to give them a support system that looks like a support system most people have, but for whatever reason our folks haven’t had.”

A ‘safe place’

Now, Family Promise of Greater Wichita is looking to add a second rotation of families to the residential part of the program — which means adding 13 more host churches. Green said she’s always looking for volunteers with any talents, and is now searching for a math tutor for participants who are working to gain their GEDs.

Thursday, McDaniel picked up Freya from day care after finishing orientation at Wendy’s. Eventually, she’ll be working 40 hours a week, saving money to get a home.

Before Family Promise, the two spent time living with friends and some time in a shelter.

This program, however, is different, McDaniel said. Here, Freya is used to the schedule. She has a large playroom where she enjoys blue Play-Doh — her favorite color — and hula hoops. Freya knows that every day at 5:30, she’ll head to the church for dinner surrounded by friends. There is a large playground outside the day house, and tulips and daffodils grow in flower beds.

“It gives you a safe place over your head and a support system and stability in the process of finding the job,” McDaniel said. “We’re slowly picking up the pieces.”

This story was originally published March 24, 2017 at 5:48 PM with the headline "Homeless families find safe harbor, hope at Family Promise."