Diana Reyes can talk about it now, but in 2019–when she realized she had nowhere to go–she could hardly get the words out between sobs.
Diana had an associate degree from Lone Star College in health sciences and had always been financially stable, but when she became a single mother, she found she didn’t make enough money to survive. “That is a place that I never thought I was going to be,” she says. She turned to her family for help, but after a contentious disagreement, they sent her on her way. Stung by her pride and feeling guilt about what her children were having to go through, Diana, along with her five-year-old daughter and four-year-old son, spent a terrible night in her car. The next morning, she spoke with employees at Texas Health and Human Services. She said, “I have nowhere to stay. I don’t know what to do. I need a shelter.” Equipped with a list of local shelters, Diana began calling and leaving voicemail messages. Within five minutes, Family Promise of Montgomery County called her back.
“They did what my family did not do: they took me in,” Diana says. “They sent me to a church. They were so very welcoming. They were the hands and feet of Jesus. I remember that we had dinner. It was, like, the best meal! The volunteers played with my kids.” One volunteer even took care of Diana’s puppy. Another, a 91-year-old woman, gave Diana hope by sharing her own story of perseverance. “That night, I prayed, ‘What’s going on?’ I don’t know how God talks to you, but I remember him saying, ‘You are inside my house.’ Even in my most difficult times, he was there. Sometimes we forget that God is faithful. Even though we can’t see him, he is right there.”
By taking care of her basic needs for 90 days, Family Promise was able to help Diana get back on her feet. The organization also improved Diana’s long-term stability by finding a grant that enabled her to complete her education. Today, Diana is a registered nurse. She hopes to one day work for Veterans Affairs so that she can help veterans (like the two in her family). “I am so grateful,” she says, “because God is faithful.”
An often-quoted proverb states, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” Family Promise embraces this concept, striving to empower—rather than to enable—families. “We teach a man to fish,” says Marilyn Kasmiersky, executive director of Family Promise of Montgomery County. “The goal of Family Promise is to transition families with children under the age of 18 into long-term stability, creating generational change.”
Family Promise meets the immediate needs of unsheltered families by providing food and housing for 90 days; meanwhile, the organization coaches families on such important topics as personal finance and budgeting, positive parenting, nutrition, and life skills. Counselors also advise program participants about how to maximize their earning potential. For example, in some cases, acquiring a certification can make a noticeable difference in hourly pay.
Imari, a mother and a current Family Promise resident, was recently thrilled to find out she’d been offered a job as a special education aide to preschool students in Conroe Independent School District. It’s ideal, she says, because she’ll have the same time off as her three children. Not long ago, Imari was new to the area and quickly running out of money. “When I came here, I was very much in need of help,” she says. “I was trying to find an apartment, but I ran into problems because of my credit.” Finally, Imari Googled shelters for women and children. “I prayed, asked God, and he sent me here,” she says. “He sent me to Family Promise.”
Family Promise has its roots in the Interfaith Hospitality Network, which was formed in 2001 to help unsheltered families in the area. While many people assume homelessness is a problem affecting adults, the reality is many families cannot afford housing, Marilyn says, noting that there are 415 homeless children who are currently registered in Conroe ISD alone.
Interfaith Hospitality Network created a network of churches throughout Montgomery County which, by pooling their efforts, were able to provide food and temporary shelter for families in need. In 2006, the organization became an independent affiliate of Family Promise, and churches still form the foundation for its services. “Our churches are the secret sauce,” Marilyn says. Although the pandemic took its toll, 17 churches have since renewed their support of Family Promise.
In the early years of the program, families, after being issued air mattresses, rotated from church to church every week. Churches provided meals, companionship and shelter, often converting educational space to dormitories. Churches also recruited volunteers to spend the night at the church so that there was always someone to respond in case a need arose. When the pandemic caused churches to close their doors, Family Promise was crippled.
So, Marilyn got busy and applied for two grants from Montgomery County Community Development. With one, Family Promise was able to purchase an office building with multiple rooms. With another, the building was gutted and remodeled. The result was the Family Promise Guest Center, located off F.M. 2854, just west of I-45. The guest center has six rooms with private bathrooms, including two handicapped-accessible rooms. It also has a computer lab, where guests can work on their resumes, a dining room, and a family lounge, complete with toys and books. It even has a laundry room, which often fascinates guests–because the washing machines and dryers do not require quarters.
Churches are still the “secret sauce,” providing the evening meal for residents one week at a time. When volunteers arrive with the food, they often stay to visit with the families. “Our Uno cards are nearly worn out,” Marilyn says.
Warren Evans, host coordinator for The Woodland Community Presbyterian Church, says he has no problem recruiting volunteers. “People who have done it before know the drill,” he says. “They’re eager to come back and do it again. We got into this program because it was for homeless people that had families. So, because there’s kids involved, we can have our volunteers bring their kids, too.” The kids play together while the adults are chatting, Warren says, and one family’s four-month-old baby recently got “passed around.” Warren is thrilled that Family Promise now has a guest center, which makes it easier on families and churches alike. Churches no longer have to rearrange rooms to make suitable places for the families, and families don’t have to bounce from church to church.
When families arrive at Family Promise after “couch surfing” or living in their cars, they usually express relief, says Tiffany Hankerson, case manager. “They have a bed, the kids have stability, their own bathroom and their own bed. They get meals. We have a pantry full of snacks.” New families are presented with brand-new sheets, comforters, pillows, laundry baskets and hygiene baskets filled with items like toothbrushes, soap and shampoo. Children, Marilyn says, are often delighted to learn they will get to take their comforters and pillows with them when they graduate from the program. “One little girl said, ‘Is this mine?’ She hugged it,” Marilyn says.
Family Promise also helps get children enrolled in school. “We work closely with the school districts,” Marilyn says. “Some kids aren’t in school because they are ‘couch surfing’ and don’t know where they’ll be sleeping,” she says.
“My kids like it here,” says Shannon, who recently dialed 2-1-1 when faced with an emergency. She hadn’t heard of Family Promise at the time, but she is grateful the organization has been able to assist her family. “Everything is provided for us. Our needs are met. We can get counseling if we need it, and help getting work,” she says. Shannon is looking for a job as a cashier, in a warehouse, or in customer service. “Family Promise is allowing me to get on my feet while I am in the process,” she says. “I say God lined me up with Family Promise.”
For more information, visit familypromiseofmc.org or facebook.com/FPMCT.
Postcards Magazine
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