And You May Ask Yourself, What is this Family Promise?*

By Elizabeth Corbett, Programs & Membership Coordinator

Maybe you’ve heard in the past few weeks that Westside’s Board of Trustees approved our involvement with Family Promise as a support church to First Farragut United Methodist Church. Yippee! I am excited about working with Family Promise again. As the title says, And You May Ask Yourself, What is this Family Promise?*

A little history first: Family Promise, a Knoxville organization that supports unhoused families, uses local churches as places where families spend a week at a time. Family Promise keeps families together (many shelters do not allow men or children) and it also provides transportation so children in the program can continue at their home schools. Family Promise also provides education in such things as responsible budgeting and healthy parenting skills, and it has a limited supply of extra clothing, toiletries, and things to outfit a house. Before COVID, Westside was a host church: 4 times a year we hosted three or four families for a week, providing them with dinner and a place to spend the night. It was a lot of work but definitely a way for us to support families who struggle with being homeless. After COVID, we were not able to muster the people power to continue with this effort, but just recently, First Farragut United Methodist Church asked Westside to be a support church for them, so we will again have a relationship with Family Promise!

We'll be able to take a tour of First Farragut closer to our host night (Monday, April 21) to see their facilities, and volunteers who serve dinner or spend the night will have to complete a background check. An easy place to get that done is https://www.criminalwatchdog.com/. Choose “Run a Criminal Background Check” toward the lower left and then choose the green “National” option to the left. It’s a little less than $20 and you can send the results to me at membership@westsideuuc.org. We’re working on seeing if Westside can cover some of those costs.

We will help First Farragut just one night during their host weeks, and the first night we need to be ready is Monday, April 21. Here are some different ways we need volunteers:

First, we need volunteers to prepare a dinner off-site:

These people will have to coordinate among themselves to figure out the best way to get this done; volunteers will have to talk to make sure that all parts of the dinner are prepared: main dishes, a veggie/salad or two, maybe some rolls/bread, drinks, and dessert. Food has to be at First Farragut about 5pm. We will know how many adults and children are involved closer to the date, as well as any dietary restrictions.

Second, we need volunteers to serve dinner:

These people need to be at First Farragut at 5pm to serve dinner. That means receiving the food from those who prepare and bring it, and laying it out for Family Promise guests to serve themselves. Family Promise asks that hosts/volunteers eat with guests, and then the guests help clear the tables and clean up. You can remind families to make a sandwich for the next day’s lunch if it’s needed. Leftovers can go home with Westside volunteers. Depending on the age of children in the program, volunteers can lead a craft activity or play with the kids with toys/games that First Farragut has. Volunteers can leave about 8pm when the sleepover people arrive.

Third, we need two volunteers to spend the night:

These people need to arrive at First Farragut by 8pm. Overnight hosts spend time with guests, can play with children, and are available in case of emergency. Lights out is at 10pm and most everyone is quiet and asleep by 11pm. Overnight volunteers ensure guests are up at 6:00 a.m. and set out the breakfast foods to be available in the kitchen. There are separate rooms with cots, and one volunteer needs to be female. Volunteers should bring toiletries for the night and morning, and anything else they might need during the night. In the morning, overnight hosts remove their linens from the beds and remake them with fresh linens for the next overnight hosts. They can pretty much leave First Farragut by 7:30am.

Please use the signup.com link to sign up for a spot! (Editor's note: There are other Westside volunteer opportunities on that page, as well!) You can always send me an email or text with a question too.

And I’m looking for someone to work with me for this April day to learn the ropes and to then assume responsibilities for the August volunteer date. Interested? Contact me!

*Title is a sweet reference to a Talking Heads song