A single mother of 4 (ages 15, 12, 8, and 1), Ms. B began working with the Families Together FEE (Financial Empowerment and Employment) team with the hope of finding full-time employment to increase her household income.

The FEE team immediately got to work! They started with updating her resume, assisted with job coaching, and helped her search for a job that was the right fit. While on her search she was offered a job, but, with support and advice from the FEE Team, ultimately did not accept the position because it did not fit her needs for long-term stability.  It was great to see Ms. B thinking about long-term goals instead of short-term satisfaction!

While searching for jobs, it became clear that she would need to attend training and receive further certifications to increase her income. FEE team member Taniscia worked with Ms. B, and they decided it would be best to attend CNA (Certified Nurses Aid) II training. Families Together was able to offer her financial assistance so that she could complete this training. Once Ms. B successfully completed training, she secured a raise at her current place of employment. She then committed to continuing her education by getting her medical technician certification, which she was able to pay for out of pocket.  

While working with the FEE team, Ms. B also worked on her budgeting skills and created long-term financial goals. Ms. B and her 4 children are now in a STABLE home, she is earning more money, putting some in savings, and creating her own monthly budget. Ms. B recently graduated the Families Together program but we will remain in touch, and look forward to seeing all the bright things ahead in her future.

GivingTuesday is an international day of giving and generosity that started in 2012. The idea was simple: after Black Friday and Cyber Monday are over, create a day dedicated to encouraging people to do good however they define that. The organizers wanted to show that there are untold numbers of individuals who are willing, able and eager to act and help make the world a better place.

At Families Together, people have responded to GivingTuesday’s call to do good in ways we could not have imagined. We are surrounded by a community ready to give back. Every year we are blown away by the incredible generosity and support we receive on GivingTuesday. Perhaps no year proved this better than last year. In the midst of the third wave of Coronavirus pandemic, we entered the holiday season completely unsure of what to expect. The result was astounding, and the impact was even greater. This year, we hope to be as successful. Thankfully we already have much for which to be grateful: three long-time donors have pledged a total of $40,000 and created a Match Fund that will triple your impact on Tuesday, November 30th – GivingTuesday 2021. Your contributions on GivingTuesday this year will be tripled in value: that is three times the impact.

It is also important to note that GivingTuesday is also about giving Families Together the opportunity to honor and thank not only our donors, but our hard-working employees that labor each day to help the families we serve to survive and then to THRIVE. It is a day we pay tribute to the volunteers who lovingly put together Welcome Baskets for families transitioning into housing; or, sweat through two t-shirts in the summer sun as they landscape so that children and families have a place to play; or, come out of retirement to provide tutoring to students who were forced out of the classroom by COVID-19. It is also a day to extend our gratitude to supporters, volunteers and community members who show their support and generosity of spirit by spreading the word about the challenges homeless families face. Every GivingTuesday we are blessed with the opportunity to not only experience the generosity of so many in our community, but also extend it to all those who touch our lives and the lives of the families we serve.

Therefore, it is with gratitude and honor that we invite you to join Families Together and participate in GivingTuesday on Tuesday, November 30th in any way that moves you. If you are interested in maximizing your impact through a donation that will be tripled in value, stay tuned for details and be sure to check our website on November 30th. It is also our extreme pleasure to thank you for all that you do for families experiencing homelessness and our community.

THANK YOU!

#GivingTuesday2021 #FamiliesTogether

Families Together is proud to share that we expanded our Affordable Housing portfolio in July with the acquisition of a duplex and triplex in west Raleigh. The duplex features 2, three-bedroom units and the triplex features 3, two-bedroom units. All will be used for transitional housing This means the families housed there will pay no more than 25% of their household income on rent, which will give them the opportunity to work with a Mentor Advocate and focus on achieving goals for things like financial stability, savings, employment, education, and health. Both properties require a few small renovations and repair, and with the help of volunteers, we are excited to give five new families a place to call home in the coming months!

Wake County loses an average of 1,000 affordable units each year. Families Together is proud to continue to serve as a leading housing support provider in our communities coordinated response for homeless families in Wake County

When this family of five (mom, grandmother, two adult children, and one 10-year-old) was asked to vacate their rental property, they had nowhere to go and were forced to move into a motel. On nights when they were unable to cover the motel cost, they had no choice but to sleep in their car. Their goal was to have a home again, but most of their income was going to the motel room, so they were constantly playing catch up. They were stuck in a cycle of paying night after night. After several months of instability, they were referred to Families Together and enrolled in the Bridge Housing program. The Bridge program allowed the family a chance to have a stable place to stay while they continued to work towards their goals and save for permanent housing. 

After eight months, and in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, this family was finally able to find a place of their own to call home. They used the funds saved while in the program and signed a lease in their own name. Since then, the family has maintained stability while participating in case management services and financial education workshops. They recently re-signed their lease for another year and are looking forward to continuing making their house a home. 

Throughout their entire journey, the mom has consistently worked full-time in order to provide for her family. She also provides care to her elderly mother, who is on dialysis and requires frequent medical care. Her two adult children have also maintained focus while pursuing their goals. One of them is working part-time and pursuing a degree in cosmetology. The other is working in the car business as he pursues a degree in automotive services at Wake Tech. 

Throughout their time in the program, this family has been committed to giving back. On Thanksgiving day, they delivered a hot meal to a family sleeping on the street. The mom shares that her ultimate goal is to open her own non-profit so she can help others in need. She has begun meeting with an Employment Mentor Advocate to take steps towards her career goals!

A family of four was referred to Families Together by a social worker at Wake County Public Schools. The family was spending most of their income renting motel rooms. In March of 2020, they were enrolled into our Master Lease (ML) program. In the Master Lease program, Families Together holds the lease to the property and pays the full market rate for rent. The family pays a small percentage of rent plus all of the utilities. This gives clients time to establish themselves, save money, and pay-off debt.

When this family entered the ML program, they had no savings and a substantial amount of debt including a very large eviction debt – a major barrier to obtaining housing on their own. Shortly after settling into their new unit, the father was laid-off due to COVID-19. He received unemployment benefits, which allowed them make ends meet, but money was still tight. They worked with the Families Together team to get back on track and pay off the old debt.

A year later, the father has returned to work making more than he did before COVID-19, and, in April, the family was given the opportunity to rent a newly remodeled 3-bedroom unit. The family was approved and signed a lease in their own name on April 28th. During their time in the ML program, the family started a savings account and paid all their move-in costs out of pocket. They paid off their eviction and all other debts so that they are now able to focus on saving and increasing their monthly income. The family has a new housing goal -- to own a home.

Homelessness and Housing in Wake County

Here are a few facts highlighting the enormous challenges we face in our community:

86%         Increase in Wake student homelessness in the last 10 years.

225%       Increase in Wake students living in motels in last 4 years.

6,000+     Estimated number of Wake children and youth that will go homeless this year.

17,000     Number of rental units needed to fill the gap for those considered “extremely low income”(less than $24,000 for a family of four in Wake).

2%            Amount out of nearly 500,000 rental units in Wake that are considered affordable and are not subsidized.

6,000       Number of publicly-assisted properties scheduled to expire in the next decade.

1,000       Number of affordable housing units Wake County loses every year.

Last February right before the pandemic began, a family from Indiana relocated to NC to build a new life in a place where they had family ties. They bounced from living in motels to staying with extended family for several months while the dad looked for work.

The month prior to arriving, the mom had been in a car accident. Her back was jarred but because she was pregnant, the hospital could not do any imaging to check for internal damage. As it turned out, she had an infection between two vertebrae, and no one knew. During childbirth, an epidural was inserted into her back where the infection was, and it caused partial paralysis in the lower half of her body. She remained in the hospital for nearly 60 days. By the time she was discharged, the family had no choice but to live together in a motel room. They were connected to Families Together by the Wake County Hotels to Housing COVID-19 project on August 22nd.  

The dad’s attempts to work were hindered by unreliable home health aide for his wife and the newborn who could not be left alone. Families Together was able to locate housing with wheelchair accessibility! But devastating news came the day scheduled for the lease signing as the property management company decided not to move forward with the rental. Medical equipment and medical transport for the mom already had been scheduled. The Families Together team refused to give up! The following day, the dad was connected to another property. He fell in love with the area, the unit, and said it was a great fit for his family and he felt it was "home".

As it is said, when one door closes, another opens. The family of four moved into their new home on December 30th. The new place is even better than originally imagined. With therapy, the mom could walk again. The dad is now working full time. Families Together will continue to provide them with support services for up to a year to help ensure their long-term housing success.

Responding to the Urgent Community Need for Housing Support:

Last year, Families Together launched an emergency response for homeless families facing the coronavirus pandemic. Between July and December 2020, we moved 50 families from homelessness to home – a higher number in six months than we have ever achieved in our organization’s history.

At the same time, we refreshed our strategic plan with a COVID-19 lens. We affirmed that to be most effective we must continue and grow a hybrid strategic approach that employs multiple housing and service models, develops and owns housing stock, and advocates with allied organizations to change policy and practice. Our vision, mission, and value, however, remain unchanged.

The goals we set around the four pillars that will lead our focus in 2021 are:

•  Goal 1: Increase our role in advocacy for families experiencing homelessness

• Goal 2:  Grow the supply of available affordable housing for families experiencing homelessness

• Goal 3:  Strengthen our housing and family support programs

• Goal 4: Optimize our organizational Resources and infrastructure

Specific Major Objectives for 2021 include:

1. Launch our Financial Empowerment and Employment Team to improve the financial health and employment outcomes of our clients.

2. Expand our Emergency Shelter capacity – especially where the biggest community gap exists (households with a male above 15 years of age).

3. Begin planning for a Cottage Court housing development on currently owned land to serve as permanent rental units for families in our program.

4. Continue serving as a leading housing support provider in our community’s coordinated response for homeless families impacted by COVID-19.

5. Leverage strategic partnerships with other non-profit housing providers in the Wake Affordable Housing Coalition for broader impact on policy decisions effecting housing and homelessness.

*******

To achieve these critical goals, Families Together needs your help. Whether a first-time donor or an ongoing supporter, we welcome your partnership in 2021. Please check out our website for opportunities and join our efforts to help more families in our community move from homelessness to home.

PRESS CONTACT: Jennifer Paul

jennifer@familiestogethernc.org

703-201-2483

Families Together Receives $1.25 Million Bezos Day 1 Families Fund Grant to End Homelessness

Day 1 Families Fund grants $105.9 million to 42 nonprofits helping families gain housing support and stability

RALEIGH, N.C. – (December 9, 2020): Families Together, a community-based organization dedicated solely to ending family homelessness, today announced that it has been selected to receive a $1.25 million grant from the Day 1 Families Fund. Launched in 2018 by Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, the Day 1 Families Fund issues annual leadership awards to organizations and civic groups doing compassionate, needle-moving work to provide shelter and hunger support to address the immediate needs of young families.

“A grant of $1.25 million, and the opportunity for transformative impact on the lives of many more Wake County families experiencing homelessness, marks a new day in the 40-year history of Families Together. What an incredible honor for Families Together to be chosen after a national search by the Day 1 Families Fund,” said Lisa Rowe, Executive Director of Families Together.

This one-time grant, awarded to organizations doing meaningful work to connect families with shelter and support, will allow Families Together to address an urgent community need by expanding its family shelter and short-term housing programs and building six to eight permanent homes for homeless families. Combined with a significant increase in housing support services, Families Together anticipates helping 600 additional homeless families over the next five years because of this grant. 

Families Together is one of 42 nonprofits across the U.S. to receive the third annual Day 1 Families Fund grants, as part of a continuing commitment by the Day 1 Families Fund to help end homelessness for families. The Day 1 Families Fund issued a total of $105.9 million in grants this year. To select these organizations, the fund worked with an advisory board of homelessness advocates and leaders whose expertise spans housing justice, racial equity, direct services, homelessness policy, equity for Native American communities and anti-poverty work. This year, the grant recipients from around the country include: Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness; The Cathedral Center, Inc.; Catholic Charities of Acadiana; Coalition for Homelessness Intervention & Prevention; Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida; Community Action Council for Lexington-Fayette, Bourbon, Harrison and Nicholas Counties, Inc.; Congreso de Latinos Unidos; Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio; Denver Indian Family Resource Center; East Los Angeles Women’s Center; East Oakland Community Project; Facing Forward to End Homelessness; Families Together; Family Life Center; Friendship Place; HELP of Southern Nevada; The Homeless Families Foundation; Homeless Outreach Program Integrated Care System; HOPE Atlanta; House of Ruth; Housing Matters; Housing Up; Kahumana; MAHUBE-OTWA Community Action Partnership, Inc.; Metro Denver Homeless Initiative; MUST Ministries; The National Center for Children and Families; Native American Youth and Family Center; North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness; One80 Place; Poverello House; Rainbow Services; Refugee Women's Alliance; Safe Haven Family Shelter; Samaritan House; Solid Ground; St. Vincent de Paul CARES; Su Casa – Ending Domestic Violence; The Salvation Army Austin Area Command; Time for Change Foundation; United American Indian Involvement, Inc.; and WestCare California.

“The Day 1 Families Fund grant comes at a critical time during our community’s emergency response to the coronavirus pandemic and shines a spotlight on the urgent need for safe, dignified housing as an essential building block for a healthy, thriving child,” said Rowe.

The Bezos Day One Fund was launched in 2018 with a commitment of $2 billion and a focus on two areas: funding existing nonprofits that help homeless families, and creating a network of new, nonprofit tier-one preschools in low-income communities. The Day 1 Families Fund issues annual leadership awards to organizations and civic groups doing compassionate, needle-moving work to provide shelter and hunger support to address the immediate needs of young families. The vision statement comes from the inspiring Mary’s Place in Seattle: no child sleeps outside. For more information, visit www.BezosDayOneFund.org/Day1FamiliesFund.

About Families Together

Families Together is dedicated to moving families in Wake County, North Carolina, from homelessness to home. Founded in 1980, the local nonprofit provides a comprehensive range of housing support services focused on keeping families together and helping them achieve long-term housing success through professional mentoring, connection to community resources, credit counseling and skills workshops to promote self-sufficiency. In response to Wake County’s affordable housing crisis, Families Together launched an initiative in 2019 to create new housing solutions for families experiencing homelessness.

Angela and her two children – a 3-year-old boy and 15-year-old girl – were living with Angela’s father when the house caught fire. The smoke damage made the house unsafe for their return.  

For a time, they were sleeping on the floors of friends and family not knowing where they’d be the next day. While staying in a local family shelter, there was the stress of having to get the kids up and out each morning and not being able to return until the evening. 

Angela got depressed. She says being homeless also took a serious toll on her kids, especially on her teenaged daughter. She was worn out physically and emotionally. 

Finally, Angela was referred to Families Together (FT). As their time ran out in the shelter, FT’s Housing Navigator Karen Lassiter secured a two-week extension based on the assurance that Families Together would house the family before the period ended.  

Karen got to work but Angela got sick and had to go into the hospital. She was discharged the day Karen helped her secure a lease and the family moved directly into permanent housing that day!    

It was January 1st – the start of a new year and a new life for her family. 

She says the special surprises from Families Together continued after they moved into their home. FT made sure her children had clothes, received gifts for the holidays and had gently used furnishings for the apartment. 

But the biggest surprises were yet to come and have had the most enduring impact on their lives. 

Angela started attending the Families Together workshops. She got to know FT Financial Health Advocate Harriett Reynolds. Angela learned about credit scores, budgeting, and how to advocate for herself. 

She took it to heart when Harriett said, “Always remember, your money matters. Pay your rent first!”  Angela still hears her voice when it’s time to pay rent or pay bills. 

The next big surprise came when her daughter got sponsored by FT for an engineering summer camp at NC State University. Being on a college campus made a big impact.   

Angela says before that experience, her daughter didn’t know where she stood in life or what her future would be. The summer camps gave her new direction. Like her mom in the workshops, she connected with her peers. They supported and inspired one another. 

Angela’s daughter wanted to apply for college. She and her mom consulted Harriett who encouraged her to enroll in a Wake Tech engineering program to save money. And that’s where she is now. Next year, she’ll transfer her credits to NC State and continue working for her dream – a degree in chemical engineering. 

At the same time, Angela has been working on big goals of her own.  

She has kept a stable roof over her kids’ heads for four years with no problems. She pays her rent and her bills on time. 

She still has the workshop materials Harriett gave her. She says the book “Who Moved My Cheese?” is like the Holy Grail to her. Since working with Harriett, Angela has paid her student loans and her hospital bills. And in the process, she has increased her credit score from 450 to 750! 

Last week, Angela called Harriett to say she had turned in her old broken-down car and bought a 2015 Ford Flex. 

But that wasn’t the main reason she called. Angela and her daughter want to give back to the community that has done so much for them. They plan to volunteer for Families Together to make sure families experiencing homelessness get Thanksgiving meals and holiday gifts.    

Finally, Angela wants you to know she and her kids are doing so well. Her daughter has big plans for the future and is determined to succeed. 

Her son is now in first grade. He is superb in school and very good in math -- just like his big sister.  

Angela says the good things put in her family’s path came from Families Together and she extends her deep gratitude to all who made it possible for her and her kids to flourish.