Families Moving Forward

Hope Lutheran Church, in partnership with St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, will host families experiencing homelessness at Hope Lutheran Church.

What is Families Moving Forward? This program offers families experiencing homelessness hospitality, emergency shelter and a path to home with support for stability. Volunteers from congregations create shelter space at their congregation sites. In addition to a safe place to sleep and a warm meal, congregational volunteers share kindness and compassion with families experiencing homelessness. Completing the circle of support, Families Moving Forward professional staff work closely with each family to address their unique barriers to stability so they may leave the shelter program for permanent housing.

Where do families go during the day? Where do families go at night? During the day, families use the Families Moving Forward program center at Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church as a hub. It includes staff office space, storage lockers, laundry facilities, showers, computers/internet access, play areas, kitchen, and a quiet room. School buses pick up children from school and bring them back at the end of the day. Parents go to work, meet regularly with staff, search for housing and jobs, meet for financial literacy class, do laundry, make meals, and care for their children. In the evenings, congregations take turns weekly to open their doors to welcome families, providing a safe place to sleep, hot meals, activities, and friendship. Families Moving Forward arranges for bus transportation to and from the hosting congregations. The night shelter program relies on the commitment and compassion of congregational volunteers. Hope Lutheran Church provides overnight housing for four families for one week, four times per year. There are many opportunities for individuals, couples, and families to volunteer during our hosting weeks. Volunteer opportunities include set up/take down crew, dinner hosts, evening hosts, overnight hosts, Saturday morning hot breakfast host, Saturday morning host, Saturday lunch host, Saturday afternoon host, and laundry crew.

Contact the church office for more information at 492-2099 or email office@hope-jordan.org.