Welcome, Wisdom, and Wishing

Welcome to the team!

Last month we welcomed a new member to the FPHCR team, our case manager, Christine Rockey! (Thunderous applause.) We are so excited! She’s hit the ground running, and we know she’s going to encourage and assist our families in the true spirit of care and professionalism that we value at Family Promise. Check out this video to learn more about her! Welcome, Christine!

FPHCR featured on Fox43!

Fox43 recently did a feature called “How the affordable housing crisis is hitting families in central Pennsylvania,” and they interviewed one of our families. Affordable housing truly is an overwhelming crisis. Click here to learn more about it.

Best. Staff. Ever. by Matthew Wagner

I often say that we have the best staff ever. We work tirelessly for the families we serve, supporting each other, and promoting Family Promise HCR. Therefore, it’s been great to recently see the community recognize our amazing staff as well.

From the moment Susan Ryder came in for her interview and jumped in to help with a plumbing issue (true story – and in her interview clothes!), we knew we had our new Community Engagement Associate. Susan has an extensive network in the community and is everywhere, doing everything, ALL the time. No further evidence of this is needed than her recent award for her freelance work with The Burg Magazine. She was awarded second place in the Excellence in Reporting on Diversity – Equity and Inclusion during the Keystone Media Awards. Perhaps if you ask nicely (and make a small donation to Family Promise), she’d sign a copy of the article for you! If you’d like to email her your congratulations, you can do so at susan@familypromisehcr.org.
Chou Hallegra, our resident mental health contractor, has made a WORLD of difference in helping our families navigate the trauma of experiencing homelessness, providing tools for them in dealing with the complexities of communal living, and serving as a resource for our staff. For this reason and for all she does for the community at large through Grace Hope & Consulting LLC, Chou was recently recognized by the Central PA Business Journal as one of their 40 Under 40 Nominees. If you want to send Chou your congratulations, email her at chou@familypromisehcr.org.

Obviously, none of us do what we do for public recognition. The look on the faces of our families as they achieve their goals is more than enough award. However, the fact that the public is recognizing our amazing staff is proof of my assertion that we have the best staff ever!!!

Turkey Time Tips

This time of year always reminds us how lucky we are to have what we have. We often feel inspired to give back in some way, but it can be overwhelming. Here are some suggestions for simple things to do this season. n1. Write someone a thank you note.n2. Donate socks to a local shelter. n3. Check in on a neighbor. n4. Share FPHCR updates on your personal social media pages. n5. Say a prayer for families in our program. nnIt doesn’t have to be a big thing to make a big difference. nn

Wishbone Wishlist

By donating everyday items to Family Promise, you can make a difference in the lives of families experiencing homelessness who are working hard to regain sustainable independence. Please see the list below for items our families need on a regular basis.

Trash bags (not Good Sense)
Printer paper
Dish soap
Computers
Laundry detergent
Swiffer mop pads
Swiffer wet jet solution
Febreeze
Women’s razors
Baby wipes
Shampoo
Shaving cream
AA and AAA batteries
Ziploc bags, foil, and plastic wrap
Paper plates
Queen inflatable mattresses
Gift cards to Sheetz, Giant, and Walmart – These help families with gas to go to work, food beyond what we provide, and medicine. Many items families need can be bought with these cards, allowing them to save their money to go towards housing while they are here. Another great thing about gift cards… they take up very little space!

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