Dear Friends,

“Thank you, God, for this food. And thank you for letting us come back to the Day Center.”

That was the prayer from four-year-old Ivryan this summer as he attended Camp Adventure at Family Promise. He was so excited to be back at a place he viewed as “home.” In addition to closing our Day Center and church shelter rotation, the pandemic shut down many of the summer camps the children in our program typically attend. After months of sheltering in place, Ivryan and his siblings were tired of being cooped up and just needed time to be kids. They needed a safe place to have fun and learn some new things along the way.

Thanks to YOU, that’s where Family Promise stepped in. With YOUR support, the staff created Camp Adventure, a two-day-a-week camp that brought the children from our Transitional Housing program to the Day Center for full days of adventure. Ivryan, along with four other children, got to pick strawberries at a local farm. They played in the creek at the Maryville College Woods. They got a visit from the Maryville Fire Department and a dog rescue group. They made crafts, read books, grew plants, and played in the sprinkler. Because of YOU, the children at Camp Adventure got to make memories while their parents had the opportunity to pick up a few more hours at work.

Camp Adventure was only one way Family Promise of Blount County adapted to the constantly-changing landscape of 2020. Together, with our volunteers and donors like YOU, we continued our mission and ensured families had a safe place to live and access to necessities such as food and cleaning supplies. YOU provided meals, internet access for children to participate in school virtually, and face coverings to protect from coronavirus. Because of YOU, many of our families were able to stick to their budgets and accomplish their goals of moving into permanent housing.

As we come to the close of this incredibly challenging year, I ask you to help us continue to serve children like Ivryan. Join with us to strengthen families here in Blount County and create a community where every child has a home. YOUR investment in our families is changing lives. Thank you for being the power behind this important work.

click to open: 2020 Letter to our Friends

If you would like to donate please click here:  https://blountfamilypromise.org/home/donate/