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Notes from the Director • April 2006Image

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The temple bell
stops ringing
but the sound keeps
coming
out of the flowers”
— Basho
     
 

The second month with Family Promise running has been a delight. We are hosting three families — eleven people. Each morning when I am greeted with an enthusiastic “Glor-i-a!” from giggling little girls, I realize just how blessed I am to be part of this ministry.

The frantic pace has slowed down somewhat and everyone seems to have settled in supporting the guests and accomplishing so much:

  • We have hired coordinators for the Family Day Center serving from afternoons Monday through Friday from 3:30 to 5:30 and Sundays from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm.
  • I submitted a VISTA application and received notice that funding was approved for a fulltime VISTA volunteer beginning the end of July.
  • There will be a MSU intern starting mid-May, who will work 20 hours per week for the summer semester.
  • We now have 249 trained volunteers and there are 2 more training sessions scheduled in May.

It is rewarding to see the level of involvement with all the congregations and with the community at large.

Gene Brodeur, producer with PBS, did an excellent segment on Family Promise of Gallatin Valley that was aired on April 13th and again on Easter morning. Terry Cunningham is currently writing an article for the May issue of the Tributary. The word is clearly getting out that services are now available for homeless families in the Gallatin Valley.

Three of our six adult guests are working full time. Two guests received their driving licenses. Our first guest family found a trailer and they are preparing to move next week. The trailer needs some work and many have offered assistance: Seilor’s Hardware in Three Forks donated paint and Pierce Flooring of Bozeman donated carpet. Our family has promised they will come back to visit and keep us apprised of their progress toward their long-term goal of securing a Habitat for Humanity home.

We have received a number of new referrals, but no one has decided to join us yet. Each day is a new adventure — I can hardly wait to see what next month brings!

— Gloria Edwards