Program Description:  Family Renew Community is a transitional housing program (6-24 months) for families with children.  We are not an emergency shelter.   

It is an application process that requests eight pages of current and background information that is verified.  Applicants are interviewed and all family members 13 years and up are sent for pre-entry drug tests.  If a positive test is received they are referred to agencies that provide drug counseling.  Random drug testing is done during residency.  If they test positive, they are exited from the program.

This program is a choice.  The family can choose to do the program or they can choose not to do the program.  If they choose not to do the program, they choose to exit the program.

While living at FRC, (1) parents must be employed (2) must maintain a savings "housing" fund with a minimum of 30% of income deposited every payday (3) must meet weekly with a case manager and submit weekly budget sheets with receipts attached, listing all income, expenses and amount deposited into housing fund (4) help with yard cleanup (5) attend workshops on parenting, money management, and nutrition (6) keep children enrolled in school.   In addition, apartments are inspected weekly to ensure a clean living environment for the children; parents are encouraged to obtain GED's, enroll in college or vocational classes to increase their income potential, and all children are enroled in summer camp.  New employment opportunities are posted weekly.

Our case management is a holistic approach - healing the whole person / family.  We have found that many of our adults have been in foster care, and/or were sexually abused as children, or abused as adults, or grew up in alcoholic and/or drug environments.  They are trying to cope with emotional, psychological and physical problems.  Their financial problems are just a visible indication of their other needs.  We collaborate with other social service agencies to provide our families with counseling.

Upon entry, the families are connected to all available mainstream benefits, i.e. food stamps, WIC, medicaid, SSID if needed.  They must file for child support.  They are referred to Mid-Florida Housing Partnership to access credit reports - a major goal while a resident is to pay down debt.  If they are unemployed, they must register with One Stop Career Center and Goodwill Self Sufficiency for employment assistance.  When they have small children, they are referred to Child Care Resource Network to register for a subsidized child care slot.

Financial donations and grants help provide needed client assistance for the families - child care, summer camps, emergency medical/dental, prescriptions, transportation, education.

We love our families and will do everything possible to provide them with the resources they need.