Our Mission
Our mission is to help families seeking stable housing in the South Bay achieve sustainable independence through a community-based approach.
Our Vision
We believe that no child should have to sleep in a car, in a park, or under a bridge, and that every family deserves a chance to be whole and have a roof over their head again.
We envision a community where every family has a home, a livelihood, and the chance to build a better future.
Origin Story
A chance meeting in 1982 between Karen Olson, a marketing executive in New York City, and Millie, a woman experiencing homelessness and living on the street, sparked a nationwide movement. On impulse, Karen bought her a sandwich. Millie accepted the sandwich but asked for something more — a chance to be heard.
Karen listened to what Millie had to say. What she heard convinced her that a simple, personal connection can make a profound difference. When Karen learned that homelessness was affecting families right in her own community in New Jersey, she left her marketing career to focus on the issue. The first interfaith hospitality network opened on October 27, 1986. In 1988, the National Interfaith Hospitality Network (NIHN) was formed.
Today, Family Promise comprises more than 200 Affiliates across 43 states, engaging 200,000 compassionate volunteers who want to make a difference in the lives of families in need. Through our innovative, holistic approach, we keep families together while empowering them towards a secure future. We have served over 1 million children and adults since our founding. We offer many great ways for volunteers to get involved including in- person volunteering, leadership roles, and virtual volunteering.
