Family Promise of Bristol

Our mission is to support the community by providing people opportunities for sustainable lives, both families and individuals who are unhoused or at risk of becoming unhoused, through a community- based response approach providing case management services and with hosting A Place to Be day
center.

Our primary goals are to help families and individuls who are unhoused into housing and to maintain housing for those who are at risk of becoming homeless. Family Promise of Bristol (FPB) does this through an intake process to qualify households for programs and through intensive case management. Wrap around services are needed to support people into housing. To qualify for housing and many services, an ID is required. To receive an ID you need a birth certificate. Once an ID is achieved there are many more systems to go through before a client achieves stable housing and meets their other basic needs. FPB case management helps to meet those needs or connects with partners who can help. Our number one goal is housing.

Family Promise of Bristol began in response to the need for transitional housing in Bristol.  

Family Promise of Bristol (FPB) was created in 2011 after affiliate programs in Kingsport and Johnson City, Tennessee illustrated success. Schools within the Bristol area were noticing the rising number of school children attending classes who did not have a permanent residence. The United Way of Bristol realized that at the time over 100 families had nowhere to turn. The Bristol affiliate of Family Promise was created with over 10 host congregations. These congregations opened their doors to rotate housing and feeding needs to clients on a weekly basis. At the time, three to five families were enrolled in the program. Fast forward to today and that model, as many Family Promise organizations nationally, has changed.  With receiving grant dollars, FPB serves as the Coordinated Entry organization for Bristol TN in partnership with ARCH, Appalachian Regional Coalition for Homelessness, the NETN regional Continuum of Care. The current grant serving area is Sullivan County, particularly the Bristol TN Area.  Our overall organization service area includes Bristol, Virginia and Washington County, Virginia when funding is available.  FPB partners with many community organizations providing services to those in need.

The purpose of Family Promise of Bristol is to provide people opportunities for sustainable lives, both families and individuals who are unhoused or at risk of becoming unhoused, through a community- based response approach providing case management services and with hosting A Place to Be day center.

Family Promise of Bristol obtained 501(c)3 status in June 2011 and accepted the first family in August 2012.

Family Promise of Bristol began providing day services at A Place to Be – Day Services at the Salvation Army in June of 2022. 

Take a moment to reflect, if you are homeless in Bristol;

• Where will you sleep?
• Do you feel safe?
• Where will you take a shower?
• Where can you use the toilet?
• Where will you wash your clothes?
• How can you get any mail?
• Who can help you get on your feet again?
• Where can you get an ID?
• Who can you trust?

Family Promise of Bristol provides day services on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9am to 1pm.

Day services include: a place to be out of the weather, restrooms, showers, laundry, mail services, snacks and lunch, access to computers, mobile phone charging stations, and case management to help clients access resources and work toward being housed.  In addition, partner agencies hold hours on site to provide services, health, mental health, employment counseling, and more.

Offering these services, as well as housing resources for those who are unhoused provides new opportunities to serve and to help transform lives.

To offer these services, Family Promise of Bristol is reaching out for support.  Yes, we need funding.  FPB is seeking a variety of grant funding and has been successful in getting funding from several directions, including being reinstated as a United Way agency, receiving two grants from Family Promise National, the Cities of Bristol TN and VA, the Bristol Lion’s Club, etc.  Some of these are matching grants that require additional funds.  Some grants are reimbursement grants which require us to have enough funding to cover expenses until a reimbursement is filed and returned, sometimes two months behind. Financial support is needed and appreciated.  Individual donations, church budget allocations, special offerings, application to special funds, any of these methods of giving would be greatly welcomed.  

We need volunteers. We have great staff members but not enough to fully staff the hours we plan to be open. Enrich your life with serving; volunteer duties include working with the showers, the laundry, the computers, the general room, driving a minivan to take people to appointments, and much more. 

We need donations. We need items to both operate our day services and to provide to visitors who are in need. Visitors often need socks, underwear, hats, gloves, coats, backpacks, glasses, deodorant, snacks, and more. To donate items please visit our Amazon Wishlist - https://a.co/3CiMTkX

For more information about the day services or to learn more about donating or volunteering, email info@FamilyPromiseofBristol.org or call 423-528-3036.