Family Promise helped 52 families (67 adults and 112 children) find stable employment and sustainable housing since it opened in November 2015.

Family Promise of Southern Chester County utilizes the time and talents of hundreds of volunteers and a network of congregations to provide over 10,000 meals and 3,500 bed nights annually for families experiencing homelessness in our community.

We believe that families should stay together—not be separated—during a difficult time in their life. Families achieve stability and success together. Under our program, children can continue to go to the same school They keep the same friends, are educated by the same teachers, and their education is not interrupted. We arrange for transportation to school and provide a home address that students can use.

Our families take an average of 60 days to find stable housing because of our intensive case management and community support that continues even after families leave the program. Our goal is for families to achieve long-term sustainability and independence in their home.

Learn more: 
Our Impact

The Beginning:

The story of Family Promise began when our founder, Karen Olson, was rushing to a business meeting and she passed by a woman named Millie who was experiencing homelessness. Karen bought Millie a sandwich, but soon realized that she needed more than just an afternoon meal--she needed to be heard. Karen stayed with Millie and listened. Millie made her understand that homelessness wasn’t just a lack of housing and food, but a diminished sense of self-worth and disconnection from society itself. Soon after, Karen and her two sons began delivering lunches to people experiencing homelessness on the streets of New York.

1986: The First Network

When Karen learned that homelessness was affecting families right in her own community in New Jersey, she knew that the community needed to offer more than simply food, or even housing. She brought together people in need with people who wanted to help. Community resources already existed that could provide meals and shelter. Volunteers were readily available who could offer their existing skills, knowledge, and compassion to help their neighbors find employment, reconnect with society, and restore their dignity.

Karen also approached the religious community. Congregations offered hospitality space within their buildings. The YMCA was able to provide showers and a family day center. A car dealer discounted a van. The beginnings of our network was born.

1988: The Network Goes National

As word spread, more New Jersey congregations joined and were inspired to develop similar programs. In 1988, the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) was formed to bring the program nationwide, which would eventually become Family Promise. Our affiliates began developing programs for transitional housing, childcare, and homelessness prevention to supplement the shelter, meals, housing, and job-seeking support that they already provided. Nationally, we added programs like Just Neighbors, an educational program that examines the root causes of poverty, and Family Mentoring, which provides follow-up support for families that have graduated from the program.

In 1992, IHN was awarded a Points of Light award, out of a field of more than 4,500 nominees, by President and Barbara Bush.

2003: We Become Family Promise

We changed our name to reflect our broad range of programs and our vision of ending family homelessness. The name refers to the promise, in the sense of commitment, which communities make to families in need. But it also refers to the promise, the potential, inherent in every family.

Family Promise has come to represent not just the programs that provide real help to 93,000 people in need annually and engage the time and skills of more than 200,000 volunteers nationally. It represents a belief that we can address family homelessness—right here in our own communities.

2013: The FPSCC Program

The Southern Chester County program opened its doors in 2015 in West Grove and in 2017, relocated the Resource Center to Baltimore Pike in Kennett Square to provide services and support for families.

If you haven’t already, please be sure to register for our Day of Promise Golf outing on September 23, 2019.

All proceeds from "A Day of Promise" will help families struggling with homelessness in Southern Chester County regain their housing, their independence, and their dignity.

There are multiple ways to get involved with the event. Here's how you can help:

Come and play golf! For $150 per golfer, which includes lunch and dinner. For $700, you can reserve a foursome AND be a hole sponsor, with your sign displayed on the tee box! 

Enjoy dinner! After the end of play, we will enjoy a dinner, award prizes, and have a live auction. Dinner-only tickets will be available in advance and at the door for $70 each. 

Join our prestigious list of Sponsors! Select from a variety of sponsorship opportunities, including:

Platinum Sponsor - $2,500
Includes a foursome of golfers, eight additional dinner guests, as well as prominent recognition throughout the day and on all printed materials.

Gold Sponsor - $1,500
Includes a foursome of golfers, two hole sponsorships, as well as a prominent recognition throughout the day and on all printed materials.

Dinner Sponsor - $2,000
Includes a foursome of golfers, four additional dinner guests, two hole sponsorships, plus prominent recognition throughout the evening dinner.

Cart Sponsor - $1,500
Includes a foursome of golfers, two hole sponsorships, plus prominent recognition prior to the National Anthem at the beginning of the golf tournament.

Live Auction Sponsor - $750
Includes two golfers, one hole sponsorship, plus recognition before and during the live auction during dinner.

Prize Sponsor - $750
Includes two golfers, one hole sponsorship, plus recognition before and during the tournament results and prize awards during dinner.

Lunch Sponsor - $600
Includes two golfers, plus recognition during pre-tournament announcements.

Hole Sponsor - $100
Includes a sign displayed prominently at one of the holes on the course.

Call 610-444-3344 to register today!