Program Director (center).
Employees at Family Promise Rochester work hard to provide a variety of services, from housing to skills classes to case management, to the families that come to their door. As the only family shelter in Rochester, MN, a city of over 120,000 people, they serve a wide variety of families, who stay with them for four months at a time.
Over the past year, Katlynn Combs, Program Director, has worked with these families to examine their budget, determine what their options are, and provide as much support as possible as they pursue those options. What this involves, specifically, “really depends on the family,” she said. “I have one client who just moved into apartment, but she feels like she's ready to buy a house fairly soon.”
Regardless of individual circumstances, the goal is always to find the families, who are often young mothers raising their kids alone and/or BIPOC families, stable housing by the end of the four-month period.
“Using the funds that we get from United Way, we're able to get families permanent housing, so they won't need to come into the shelter.”
Family Promise Rochester also works to prevent homelessness and keep families from entering the shelter to begin with. “With our funding from United Way of Olmsted County, we have a Shelter Diversion and Prevention Fund. That pays for things like paying back rent so people can stay where they're at, or paying a deposit on an apartment, or paying past due utility bills,” Katlynn shared.
“For instance, right now, I have two families that have been on our waitlist and actually are too big for our shelter. Using the funds that we get from United Way, we're able to get them permanent housing, so they won't need to come into the shelter at all.”
The application process for these funds involves a Google Form and documentation such as approval or denial for emergency assistance with the County, photo IDs, proof of income, and a current lease.
“In conjunction with our grant from United Way, we also recently got a grant from Family Promise National. They gave a smaller chunk of money, but now I have a bigger pot to work with, which is really exciting,” Katlynn added. These funds are especially useful since Family Promise Rochester is in the process of expanding, going from a capacity of three families to a capacity of more than 10, thanks to a partnership with Olmsted County.
“I'm all for rules, but with something as complex as family homelessness, you have to be flexible. It's really good to have a grant partner that understands that.”
“I came in at a really hectic time,” Katlynn reflected. “But I have met with the Grants Coordinator at United Way, and I really appreciated that she was like, ‘We're giving you this money, and you can do what you think would be best.’ I just really liked the open communication and trusting us as the expert. I'm all for rules, but with something as complex as family homelessness, you have to be flexible. It's really good to have a grant partner that understands that.”
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About United Way of Olmsted County
United Way of Olmsted County (UWOC) is a community change organization with the mission to unite people and resources to improve lives in our community.
We fight for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in our community in a variety of ways: we collaborate with local organizations, businesses, and community leaders to mobilize their expertise and resources; we accelerate impact by strengthening systems and cultivating leaders to build a community where all people can thrive, regardless of race or place; and we participate in a collective effort that empowers local residents to create lasting transformations in their own communities through our focus on community-driven change.
Adele McLees
Communications Coordinator
United Way of Olmsted County