Family Promise is an Alabama Bright Light offering shelter for Birmingham families
Edie Steiniger is the board president for Family Promise of Birmingham. She attends Trinity United Methodist Church, one of the congregations that host the families the ministry helps. (Karim Shamsi-Basha/Alabama NewsCenter)
For Edie Steiniger, providing a home for homeless families at local places of worship hits on a personal note.
“What we do reminds me of what’s going on in this world, that there are things beyond our control sometimes. It’s up close and personal getting to know these people we help,” said Steiniger, board president of Family Promise of Birmingham. “Realizing we are making a difference feels incredible. They also make a difference in our lives; it has connected me with something way larger than myself.”
Family Promise of Birmingham was founded in 1998 as a diverse network of faith and civic organizations working together to provide a safe home for homeless families trying to regain their independence. In addition to shelter and meals, Family Promise helps with opportunities and support services, as well as the social work and assessment of community resources to prevent homelessness.
“Family Promise of Birmingham is one of the two organizations that take care of the whole family, especially those who are losing their homes and about to be on the streets. Most organizations have to split the family up between male and female shelters, but we host the entire family,” Steiniger said.
Family Promise: Alabama Bright Light helps homeless Birmingham families find shelter, independence from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
Family Promise of Birmingham receives applications from people in all walks of life. Once families are admitted into the program, the staff helps them find jobs and a permanent home. The rate of success hovers around 95 percent.
Debbie Perkins, Family Promise coordinator at South Highland Presbyterian Church, busily prepared the rooms for the church’s guest family this week.
“We have home-cooked meals for the families seven nights a week. We are called to serve, and after being blessed with so much we are called to give back. I love to be a blessing to other people. I love keeping the families intact, too,” Perkins said. “Our youth take part in setting everything up for our families – setting up the beds, gathering linens and also rearranging the space to accommodate the guests.”
On the website of Family Promise of Birmingham, testimonies like this one show the value of what the organization accomplishes:
“When my family and I came to Family Promise, we were looking for shelter but found so much more. We felt hopeless and afraid. What we thought was the end, was really our new beginning. They supported us mentally, physically, emotionally, as well as financially. Words cannot describe our stay with Family Promise. We have made lifetime friends that feel so much like family.” – The Owens family.
There it is again, “Feels so much like family.”
Family Promise of Birmingham continues to keep families together, through thick and thin.
For more information or to donate, visit http://familypromisebham.org/.
Alabama Bright Lights captures the stories, through words, pictures and video, of some of our state’s brightest lights who are working to make Alabama an even better place to live, work and play. Award-winning journalist Karim Shamsi-Basha tells their inspiring stories. Email him comments, as well as suggestions on people to profile, at karimshamsibasha@gmail.com.
