Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman holds a huge set of ceremonial scissors in preparation for a ribbon-cutting at the new Family Promise facility. Photos by Jim Miller/VIEW.
Bonnie Polley of Christ Episcopal Church says a blessing for the new Family Promise facility at 320 S. 9th St. on March 29.
The Rev. William Kenny of Christ the King Catholic Community blesses the laundry room of the new Family Promise facility. Families are welcome to do laundry at the day center site.
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After a period of uncertainty, nonprofit homeless services agency Family Promise is on its feet in a home of its own.
The agency had operated out of a single family home in the high-density residentially zoned area in West Las Vegas for 10 years, unaware that they were improperly zoned.
Last year they found out that, to receive funding, they would need to get a business license under a new law requiring licenses even for nonprofits. This is when the second revelation about their zoning came. The only way the agency could avoid moving was to apply for a zone variance, or special exemption from the zoning. When they appealed to Las Vegas City Hall on May 17 of last year, some Ward 5 residents protested, saying they didn't want anymore social services in their neighborhood. The zone variance was denied and as Family Promise executive director Terry Lindemann said, "We basically became a homeless homeless shelter."
But Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman vowed to personally find a new location for Family Promise within the six months before their land entitlement expired at the rent they were paying at the time ($1 a year to another nonprofit). This turned out to be no empty promise.
"The mayor really stepped up to the plate. He worked with all departments in City Hall," Lindemann said.
This was especially necessary because finding the right space for Family Promise could have taken some time. Family Promise wanted a single-family house for their day site, where families come for counseling and referrals to other social services. They also can do laundry, shower and store their belongings at the site.
"Our program always wants to be in a home because that's the model we represent," Lindemann said. The idea is a that returning a family to a home-like place is a big part of the program's success in helping families become, and stay, stable.
Lindemann finds it makes case management easier because the children are happier in a home and so the parents are more comfortable and open to being helped as well.
The day site is not a shelter. Families in the program actually sleep at a faith house, a church, mosque or synagogue volunteering their space where families are provided with three meals a day.
Family Promise works with religious groups regardless of denomination.
Lindemann describes the faith house's role as being that of "a compassionate bed-and-breakfast." The experience is far less traumatic, especially for a child, than the typical stay at a homeless shelter. She believes this is a big part of preparing a family to return to normalcy. Every effort is made to avoid labelling a family as homeless.
"We don't refer to the homeless families that walk through our doors as homeless, we refer to them as guests," Lindemann said.
The agency's methods have proven to be effective. Family Promise averages an 80 percent success rate.
Another aspect of the program Lindemann believes is successful is the way the program stays in touch with families that have graduated. They offer a music and arts class for the kids and further life skills classes for their parents. They are planning to begin a mentoring program soon where volunteers will act as life coaches to help families stay stable after leaving Family Promise.
Finding a new home for Family Promise presented a challenge because, Lindemann said, there are no residential neighborhoods willing to accept a social service agency.
Enter Stephen Harsin, director of neighborhood services, who was working at the time on the remodeling of the Downtown Senior Services Center at 320 S. 9th St. The center occupies what was once a Baptist church, and the senior food co-op, Jude 22, was being moved from the detached parsonage into the main building. The old parsonage was to be demolished to make room for parking when Harsin suggested the space as a possible fit for Family Promise to Las Vegas City Councilman Lawrence Weekly's office and the office of the mayor.
Everyone concerned quickly agreed it was a perfect fit. It had the proper zoning and, best of all, it was a single-family home. Since the city owns the land they are able to lease it to Family Promise at $1 a year for the next five years.
The city was able to help Family Promise get $150,000 in federal funds to bring the kitchen and bathrooms into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, put in wood floors, and paint and refurbish the office spaces. Along with funds received from private donors, the agency was able to prepare the house within two months, much to the satisfaction of both the city and Family Promise.
"Instead of just giving them the keys, like, 'here, you can use it.' We were able to bring it up to their needs," Harsin said.
The new space even has a little more square footage. Lindemann calls it beautiful.
A ribbon cutting and house blessing was held on March 29. Bruce Ewing, a Family Promise volunteer and member of the cast of Phantom-The Las Vegas Spectacular, performed and leaders from churches around the valley came out to bless various rooms in the house.
According to Harsin, the city welcomes Family Promise to stay as long as the location continues to meet their needs. Lindemann said, for now, they're happy right where they are.
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