Family Promise of the Carolinas Day Center at ELC

When Family Promise of the Midlands (FPM) began its ministry in December of 2014, Ebenezer was among the group of 15 original host congregations whose volunteers are the lifeblood of the organization.  For the past four years, under the capable leadership of Lizzie Padget and Grace Metzgar, a huge team of faithful volunteers gathers four times a year to convert our Sunday school classrooms into bedrooms, prepare meals, and spend the night at church as we offer radical hospitality for a week at a time to families who are experiencing homelessness.

Now we have been blessed with the opportunity to support this ministry in yet another way:  On October 5, the Family Promise of the Midlands Day Center officially moved to the third floor of our classroom building.

The Day Center houses offices for the FPM executive director, Rev. Karen Newsome; the case manager, Olivia Williams-Turner; the office manager, Sue Phelps; and a group of interns and volunteers.

More importantly, though, the Day Center provides a “home base” for our guest families. It is there that the parents of these families craft—and then implement—a plan for a better life so that they can once again achieve sustainable independence.

While they are at the Day Center, our staff works with the adults to help them get back on their feet. They may polish their resumes, study for the GED, increase their financial literacy, or learn about interviewing strategies.  They may search for affordable housing and jobs. And if the current host congregation doesn’t offer showers or washers and dryers, they can count on the Day Center to offer those amenities.

Once the staff has settled in, they plan to invite the congregation upstairs for an open house event one Sunday after worship so we can see first-hand how our facility is providing a stone of help in the Midlands. In the meantime, if you see Karen, Olivia, Sue, or any of the volunteers, interns, or board members, give them a warm Ebenezer welcome!