Raleigh continues to strengthen its efforts to combat homelessness through enhanced partnerships and resources. A recent city initiative includes increased support for organizations like Families Together, which plays a pivotal role in connecting families experiencing homelessness with stable housing and essential services. The city’s commitment underscores the importance of collaboration in addressing housing insecurity and creating pathways to self-sufficiency.

For more details about this effort and its impact, read the full coverage on the City of Raleigh website or Hoodline.

Families Together, a leader in addressing family homelessness and affordable housing in Wake County, is proud to announce Kelly Nutty as its new Director of Development and Communications.

Kelly joins Families Together with nearly 15 years of experience in nonprofit leadership and a career rooted in service to those experiencing homelessness. Her work spans multiple sectors, including transitional shelter, job training, mental health care, and youth services. As a skilled advocate, strategic planner, and relationship builder, Kelly is passionate about creating meaningful change and helping families find stability and hope.

“Kelly’s dedication to tackling homelessness and her deep understanding of the nonprofit sector make her a valuable addition to our team,” said Jennifer Paul, Executive Director of Families Together. “Her strategic mindset and ability to connect with community partners will allow us to grow our resources, expand our reach, and keep more families together.”

Throughout her career, Kelly has focused on building strong coalitions and championing innovative solutions to complex challenges. Prior to her nonprofit work, Kelly practiced law in the areas of construction litigation and government contracts, which honed her skills in advocacy and critical thinking. Her unique combination of expertise and passion for service has consistently driven her to take on leadership roles that make a difference.

In her new role, Kelly will lead efforts to amplify the voices of the families served by Families Together, ensuring that their stories inspire action and build momentum for addressing housing insecurity. She will also work to cultivate relationships with donors, volunteers, and community allies to help sustain and grow the organization’s impact.

Families Together has been a cornerstone of the Raleigh/Wake community for 44 years, empowering families to break the cycle of homelessness and achieve lasting independence through personalized support and housing solutions. Through direct support and advocacy, Families Together assists families with children as they transition from homelessness to sustainable housing and stable homes. The vision of Families Together is a community free of homelessness, with families thriving together. For more information about Families Together and its work, visit www.familiestogethernc.org.

Families Together is honored to be announced as one of two Triangle 2024 Neighborhood Builder Honorees at Bank of America Charitable Foundation’s annual community breakfast. With some Families Together staff and board members present, Executive Director, Jennifer Paul, accepted this award and said a few words about what this honor means to families we serve and the leadership development of the mission! The Neighborhood Builders award provides "a unique combination of leadership development (for the E.D. and an emerging leader).” Families Together’s emerging leader is Erin Hill Carter, Stabilization and Family Services Manager. Erin accomplishes her work on the Housing and Family Services team through a trauma-informed lens competent lens.  She has an enormous positive impact on the families we serve.  

We are excited for our community partner, A Place at the Table, for their recognition and award as a Neighborhood Builder honoree, too. 

To find out a bit more about Bank of America’s Neighborhood Builders program and this year’s award to Families Together, read the press release from Bank of America below. 

November 19, 2024    

Bank of America Announces A Place at the Table and Families Together as its Triangle 2024 Neighborhood Builder Honorees 

Each Receives a Multiyear Grant & Comprehensive Leadership Training to Expand Critical Services Locally  

RALEIGH, NC – Celebrating its 20th year, Bank of America’s signature Neighborhood Builders® program continues to be one of the nation’s largest philanthropic investments into nonprofit leadership development, while providing unique multiyear flexible grant funding annually to two high-impact nonprofits in nearly 100 communities nationwide. In the Triangle Bank of America has named A Place at the Table and Families Together as its 2024 Neighborhood Builders for their work to address food and community insecurity and to support the region’s unhoused population.  

Specifically, both Triangle area nonprofits are each awarded a $200,000 grant over two years, comprehensive leadership training for each organization’s executive director and an emerging leader, and access to a national network of nonprofit peers. Since the program’s inception in the Triangle in 2016, 15 nonprofits have been selected as Neighborhood Builders, with the bank investing more than $2.8 million in philanthropic capital into these nonprofits.   

Nationwide since 2004, Bank of America has invested over $300 million into nearly 1,800 nonprofits and helped more than 3,000 nonprofit leaders strengthen their leadership skills through the Neighborhood Builders program. 

“Our primary objectives for providing flexible funding and leadership training for both A Place at the Table and Families Together are to recognize them for creating important change and help position them for sustainable, long-term success,” said Kari Stoltz, president, Bank of America Triangle. “We are grateful for the profound impact this year’s Neighborhood Builders make on so many individuals and families in our Triangle region!” 

A Place at the Table, Raleigh’s first pay-what-you-can cafe does not just fight food insecurity, they fight community insecurity. By eliminating any stigma associated with traditional food assistance programs and creating a sense of dignity, diners from all walks of life enjoy a full menu, choosing their meals and donating what they can afford. Diners are encouraged to dine together in a warm and welcoming cafe setting, and they actively involve patrons in the operations, providing valuable skills, as well as competitive wages, benefits, and a supportive work environment. This new grant funding will support their current operations, as well as their future mobile food truck, The Travelin' Table, that will bring fresh, healthy meals directly to the larger community. The leadership training will also assist A Place at the Table with succession planning and development for their Director of Partnerships and Community Engagement.  

“The impact of this recognition and funding for our organization is incredible, and we are honored and grateful,” said Maggie Kane, Executive Director, A Place at the Table. “We are also so thrilled for the leadership training! This will support our team and therefore all the incredible people we have the opportunity to know each day in the cafe. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" 

As one of the largest nonprofits in Wake County solely dedicated to ending family homelessness, Families Together supports families with children as they transition to stable, sustainable housing. The nonprofit’s strategic approach promotes family cohesion, choice, and agency through their housing first model of direct services whereby families receive housing services without pre-conditions. By first providing housing assistance, families are offered a primary steppingstone to secure greater economic mobility, increased financial and educational outcomes, and improved health and wellbeing. The new grant funding will help Families Together grow their organizational capacity and help more families move from homelessness to home, and the leadership development will help them anticipate and prepare for possible change scenarios and manage them effectively. 

“Receiving the Bank of America Neighborhood Builders Award is a profound honor for Families Together and presents a tremendous opportunity to grow our impact on a larger scale in response to increasing family homelessness in Wake County,” said Jennifer Paul, Executive Director of Families Together. “The investment in our mission will help us build innovative strategic partnerships and provide even more families with access to the resources they need to transition from homelessness to dignified, affordable housing. We are grateful to Bank of America for investing in the resilience of our community and the security of a stable home for families with children." 

Neighborhood Builders is part of the bank’s longstanding efforts to build thriving communities by addressing issues fundamental to economic opportunity. The invitation-only program is highly competitive, with awardees selected by a committee comprised of community leaders and past awardees. Since 2004, Bank of America has invested over $300 million in grants to nearly 1,800 nonprofits and helped more than 3,500 nonprofit leaders strengthen their leadership skills in nearly 100 communities across the U.S. through Neighborhood Builders and Champions. 

Bank of America   

Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 69 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,700 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 58 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BAC).  

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts.  

New Bern Crossing is a 192-unit affordable housing development that will be located right of New Bern Ave and I-440. Families Together is a supportive services partner for this development. 40 of the units are geared for rental assistance meant to support families at risk of homelessness. 

“My name is Jennifer Paul and I’m so pleased to represent the awesome staff and board of Families Together. It’s wonderful to be here with so many dedicated leaders, partners and friends coming together to celebrate this important milestone and work toward making our community better for all. 

Thank you Harmony Housing Affordable Development for the opportunity to partner on the New Bern Crossings project. 

We are honored that you chose Families Together to be the Support Services Coordinator for this urgently needed affordable housing community. 

At Families Together, we believe every family deserves a home and children should never have to wonder where they’re going to sleep at night. 

Yet all too often, the face of homelessness is the face of a child. The number of homeless students has nearly doubled since 2014 according to Wake County Public Schools. We estimate that 8,000 children will become homeless at some point this year. 

Families Together has responded to this growing need by working with our partners to help more families move from homelessness to home. 

We provide emergency shelter, access to affordable housing; rental assistance to get the family started; and then work with them for up to a year providing holistic, wraparound support to empower their self-sufficiency. 

For the last 30 years, this neighborhood has been home to Families Together. We are tucked just over the hill at the end of one of the last remaining dirt roads near downtown. 

About 5 years ago, the previous owner of this land – a Families Together supporter -- reached out to see if we’d be interested in purchasing it. While we weren’t in a position to take him up on his offer, we were able to make some connections and introductions and to advocate for the land to be developed for affordable housing. 

We were fortunate that Harmony Housing Affordable Development and their partners stepped up and took it from there. We so appreciate that they continued to consult us and keep us in the conversation as the plans materialized. 

That led to a new strategic partnership in which Families Together will staff a small team utilizing the unique skills that are at the heart of what our team does every day. 

Our goal will be to help make New Bern Crossings a vibrant, supportive and enriching community for families and individuals. We envision using the community space which will include meeting rooms, a kitchen, and office space to provide residents and families in our program living nearby with access to a range of life skills training, education opportunities, and enriching activities. Just a few examples include: 

• Budgeting and Financial Health Coaching 

• Social and Recreation Opportunities 

• Wellness checks from healthcare providers 

• Job Skills Training 

• Computer Classes 

• GED classes & tutoring for kids 

Ultimately, we will seek to help families and individuals achieve their goals for improved health, education, and financial stability. And the first step is what New Bern Crossings will offer – a stable, affordable place to call home from which to learn and grow. 

Thank you again for the opportunity to be here this morning. We are thrilled beyond measure about the hopeful promise of New Bern Crossings and the positive, life-changing impact it will offer so many deserving families and individuals in our community. 

Thank you!”

Last year, Jasmine, at 8 years old, was asked to write her Christmas wish list. She only had one thing on her mind. “I want a house,” she wrote.  Jasmine, her mom, and her siblings had been without a place to call their own since she was 5 years old.  

This year with a tremendous amount of hard work, determination and faith, Jasmine’s mom, and new stepfather persevered. Jasmine’s wish came true. The family moved into a beautiful 4-bedroom home with a trampoline in the backyard in October. Getting to that day involved some special help from Families Together, our partners, and a little “Christmas” magic. 

The family’s challenges with housing began in 2018 when Jasmine’s parents separated. Jasmine’s mother, Mrs. T., had been a stay-at-home mom for 13 years. When she and her kids left their home, she only took the necessities and moved in with her aunt temporarily. She got a job working in a hotel and focused on trying to support her family. 

Mrs. T. says the experience was very traumatic for her and her kids. It took a toll. She realized to truly take care of her kids, she needed to be well herself, so she sought assistance.   

Throughout this time, Mrs. T. was guided by the words of Winston Churchill, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” She says in hard times, you must find a way to “turn a negative into a positive.” She kept a smile on her face and stayed hopeful for her kids. But she felt the judgment of others. People had a lot of advice, especially regarding her teenage son who is severely autistic, non-verbal, and not potty trained. Some suggested she should give him up but that would never be under consideration for Mrs. T. At these times, she was grateful to be in the church. She says, “there’s a peace I receive.”  

With therapy and assistance from different organizations, she was able to focus in a new way on herself and her kids. She learned about self-care, practiced affirmations, and centered her faith in God.  

She moved her family into her mother’s apartment in a public housing complex while she refined herself and learned how to be more resourceful. As COVID-19 spread worldwide, she researched and studied to gain as much knowledge as she could. A long-time friendship with a man named Mr. J. turned into more. They began dating and eventually became engaged. They set their sights on buying a house. But they had a lot to line up to achieve that goal. Mrs. T. wanted to get out of the public housing because it wasn’t safe but their applications for rental housing were denied repeatedly.  

Mrs. T. and Mr. J. decided a temporary stay in an apartment hotel while they found a house to buy, was their best option. They had a realtor, a pre-qualification letter from a bank and were told it shouldn’t take long. It was the summer of 2021. At first, it seemed like a vacation with a pool for the kids.  But they had no housing rights, and the apartment hotels could tell them to move out at a moment’s notice and they did.  The family bounced from apartment hotel to apartment hotel for 8 months exhausting all their emergency savings.  

One day, Mrs. T. found a resource flyer posted about The Carying Place. She reached out, made contact, and eventually got accepted into their transitional housing program. Mrs. T. and Mr. J. got married and all the while, Mr. J and Mrs. T worked on their goal to buy a house.    

They were approved for a four-month stay in The Carying Place. They built up their savings, gained financial literacy training, and were referred to Families Together for rapid rehousing support. They were connected to a Families Together mentor advocate named Meredith. Mrs. T. says Meredith has done anything and everything to help them find resources while the FT team worked on a housing solution for the family. But finding rental housing was a challenge in this market, especially because their blended family had blossomed to have two parents with four children and one adult child living in another household. As a result, the family endured four more months of living out of apartment hotels, as well as carpooling three school-age children to three different schools with a toddler. Families Together made a pledge for several of these weeks to pay the apartment hotels on their behalf.   

Finally, that magical moment was about to occur. A Families Together Board Member named Marcella was having coffee with her friend Natalie. Natalie shared that she had a house that she was going to sell but she’d rather see it go to help someone in need. Marcella was in the right place at the right time. She quickly contacted Families Together to see if there was a family that might be a good fit for Natalie’s large house.  The immediate answer came back … Yes! Mrs. T. and Mr. J. signed the lease and received keys to their home in October.  

The family and Natalie have since bonded. Mr. J. has been fixing up the house putting his power washing business to work to make it sparkle. Meredith is providing the family with specialized case management along with clothing including, coats, socks, and shoes, and food, household supplies, car repair, bookbags, and school supplies. FT partner The Green Chair Project provided furnishings and bedding. The FT Financial Empowerment and Employment team is working with Mrs. T. and Mr. J. to help them improve their financial stability and achieve goals as they work toward long-term housing success, including their dream to buy a house. 

Mr. J and Mrs. T. say their kids are very happy and she is so appreciative that there are places like Families Together that want to ensure families can stay together and put a stable roof overhead, as well as establish a firm foundation for them to unite as a family with multiple children.     

Mrs. T. notes there are many other people in this global tripledemic (of COVID-19, flu, and RSV) just like her going through the same trials and tribulations. She says, [they] “can be encouraged by remembering to dream big and that you can do it, you can have it and you owe you to educate yourself and your family with the skills to survive any turbulence or trauma that may arise.” Mrs. T. is very, very grateful for the house and for all the people who made it possible. 

Thanks to these efforts, Jasmine and her family will celebrate this Christmas in their own home for the first time in four years. 

Giving Tuesday is a Global Day of Giving that takes place every year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. It’s a wonderful way to get immersed in the holiday spirit of giving.

This year Giving Tuesday is on November 29th and we’d love for you to join us!  

Here are 5 ways you can get in the spirit and help local families move from homelessness to home.    

#1- GIVE TIME 

Join or form a volunteer painting crew or a renovation site prep team. We need help at our Emergency Shelter apartments with painting decks and stairways. And we need help at the site of our soon-to-be transitional housing triplex with preparation for renovation inside and out.  Contact Sara Karbley, our Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator, at Sara@FamiliesTogetherNC.org for details. 

#2- GIVE SKILLS 

Lend your expertise and special skills. Families in our program will benefit from your help in areas such as tutoring, resume writing, and mock interviewing.  We also need help from people with a knack for landscaping, carpentry, or gardening to give our properties ongoing TLC. Please reach out to Sara Karbley, our Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator at Sara@FamiliesTogetherNC.org to explore opportunities. 

#3- GIVE MONEY 

TRIPLE YOUR IMPACT when you make a financial contribution on Giving Tuesday, November 29th! A special Match Fund is currently growing, and we’re excited to share the details with you soon.  If you’d like to help create the Match Fund, contact Danielle Pennington, our Development Manager, at Danielle@FamiliesTogetherNC.org.  

Please save the date – November 29th – and stay tuned. We’ll be sharing fun and exciting information as Giving Tuesday - our Triple Impact Match Day – approaches! 

#4- GIVE GOODS 

Donate a Thanksgiving meal for a family or holiday gifts to a child for Christmas. The Thanksgiving Meals Drive and Holiday Smiles program are two wonderful annual traditions at Families Together. For information on either one, please contact Sara Karbley at Sara@FamiliesTogetherNC.org.  Thanksgiving items will be collected on Monday, November 21st and Holiday Smiles sponsors will be asked to deliver gifts for their sponsored children between December 12-14.   

#5- SHARE OUR MISSION 

Spread the word about the rise in family homelessness in our community and the need for our mission. Did you know we are on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter? Did you know we have a YouTube Channel? Our handle for all is @families2gether. Did you know we have a blog on our website? We need and welcome your help by staying informed about housing and homelessness in Wake County; by sharing, liking and commenting on our posts; and by encouraging your friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family members to join our efforts to help more families move from homelessness to home.  

Make your plan for Giving Tuesday and join people from across the globe working together to make the world a better place for all. We hope you’ll include Families Together in your plans! 

Elections are right around the corner, and we are here to give you all the information you need to register to vote! We have also included important deadlines for voter registration in Wake County. 

How do I register to vote? 

• The deadline to register or update your existing voter info is Friday, October 14th. You can do this via the NC Department of Motor vehicles at https://tinyurl.com/ya9c5oej

• You can also register in person at early voting sites from October 20th- November 5th. (You cannot register to vote on Election Day (November 8th). At the site, you will need to provide proof of residency (driver’s license, utility bill, bank statement, etc.). This link has a list of early voting sites with dates, places, and times https://tinyurl.com/2nyyycbt 

• You can register and vote on the same day, if it is BEFORE November 8th 

Who is on my ballot? 

• To find out more information on who will be on your ballot this election season, go to this website https://tinyurl.com/yba8bovf and click on voter information to verify your registration, find your polling place, and view your sample ballot request and absentee ballot and more 

• For the November 8th election, the ballot is printed on both sides of the page. Be sure to turn it over and mark both sides 

When can I vote? 

• If you wish to vote via an absentee ballot, you must request one by November 1st (sooner is better). And the ballot must be received by the board of elections by Election Day (November 8th) 

• You can also vote at early voting sites (see link above) 

• You can also vote on election day (November 8th) at your polling place 

How can I get information about candidates for local elections? 

• Local elections are often overlooked but many important decisions concerning our lives are made at this level 

• Forums for Raleigh City Council candidates are occurring between September 12th and October 1st 

• Go here for a list of dates and how to register. They will also be live streamed https://tinyurl.com/2q3lajla 

• One Wake is also sponsoring a forum for the Raleigh City Council Candidate Assembly, on October 6th, 7:30-9:00 pm at St. Ambrose Episcopal Church, 813 Darby Street, Raleigh. In-person attendance is strongly recommended, but there will be a hybrid option, for more information see this link https://tinyurl.com/2hh89ywq 

Families Together is pleased to announce that our very own Lisa Rowe, Executive Director, will be moderating a candidate forum on Thursday, September 29th for District E, at Clouds Brewing on Front Street, from 6 pm - 8 pm. If you wish to register or view the event, you can visit this link here for more information https://tinyurl.com/2q3lajla. 

After over two and a half years, we finally had our first in-person workshop a few weeks ago! Our workshops are designed for the families in our program with a focus on the often-complex challenges they face as a result of experiencing homelessness. Our goal is to provide vital life skills training that helps families achieve long-term housing stability.  

Our Housing Matters curriculum offers a total of seven workshops that cover topics like budgeting, communicating with your landlord and neighbors, tenant rights, self-care, and credit repair. Previously, we had met in space at the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, but due to COVID, we haven’t been able to meet in person, until last week! 

For our first-time back meeting in person, it was only fitting that our workshop was titled, “Self-Care and Stress Management Techniques” with a focus to, “inform, empower, and provide individuals with necessary tools to minimize stress, compassion fatigue, and burnout.” Just like our past in-person workshops, childcare was provided for the families so that all parents could attend. We are excited to be holding workshops in person again and hope these sessions continue to provide families with new tools, resources, and skills that they can draw on as they take steps toward housing stability. 

A steady drumbeat of reporting on the alarming increase in housing and rental prices continues to grow in Wake County. Our organization has experienced the consequences as the community's need for housing and homelessness services grows. But even so, the latest data on homelessness in Wake County throws us back on our heels. The number of people experiencing homelessness in Wake County has nearly doubled since 2020 – in just two years! According to the most recent Point In Time count of homeless persons, Wake County has experienced a 68% one-year increase and a 99.5% increase since 2020 (https://tinyurl.com/25p47ls4). These statistics include families with children who are especially vulnerable to long-term trauma caused by homelessness. Based on data from the Wake County Public School System, we estimate that 7,000 children will experience homelessness this year when considering children too young to attend school.  

At Families Together, we are growing our team (now at an all-time high of 30 staff members), and our mission to help do our part to address this significant community challenge. We thank all who share our belief that every family deserves a home and children should never have to wonder where they’re going to sleep at night. And we welcome all interested in joining our vital cause. For ongoing updates, please consider following us on social media @families2gether.  

Families Together is bidding farewell to some of our Board members, which is always bittersweet. We say goodbye to members who have been with us through years of challenge, growth, and inspiring change. But we also get to welcome a new Board member who is sure to bring new ideas, passion, and talent to our organization.

Katie Kingsbery has been with Families Together since February 2014 as a representative of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and in more recent years as an at-large Board member. Throughout the years, Katie provided invaluable leadership, perspective, and guidance through her service on the Board and on several committees. A fact which we are grateful for is that while Katie leaves the Board, she has kindly agreed to continue serving on her committees. Having former Board members on committees helps ensure continuity and institutional knowledge so we’re fortunate not to have to say goodbye yet.

Doug Strom joined the Families Together Board in August of 2018 and became our Treasurer in October of that year – a position he held until December 2021. Doug served during a period of incredible growth at Families Together. His expertise, leadership and diligence have been enormously impactful and are much appreciated by all of us at FT. We look forward to staying in touch as Doug embarks on exciting new ventures.

Thank you so much, Katie and Doug, for your time, talent, and treasure. Your stalwart service and dedication have yielded amazing improvements in what Families Together does and how we operate.

We are now thrilled to welcome our newest Board Member, Michael Fagan. He joins us as the representative of St. Philip Lutheran Church, replacing Kathy Blum who has graciously agreed to remain on the Board for a period of transition. Mike is President and CEO of Attindas, an international company that produces adult and baby diapers. He brings a unique perspective as a church leader and a business executive to our organization. Mike is married to Catalina, who shares his passion for our mission, and has four children.

Welcome, Michael. We are excited to have you on board!