On Tuesday, December 3, Family Promise of White and Habersham County cut the ribbon to newly renovated homes for the homeless. Tami Terrall, Family Services Director for Family Promise of White and Habersham County said, “I am very excited about opening today because we have been working in White and Habersham County since we started but now we have a presence here in Habersham – two buildings.”
One home will serve as a transition home for those who have completed the program in White County, and the other will be a residence for a family with single women having a residence on the second floor.
For a family to graduate from the program in White County, they must stay in the program for at least 90 days and put away a certain amount of savings each month. The children have to be in school, and they have to keep the curtain location clean. In the program, people learn how to be a good tenant.
“Most people comply. Certain people struggle to follow the rules but for the most part, the families are eager to learn and be in compliance,” Terrall added.
Martie Brooks, Executive Director of Family Promise of White and Habersham County explained the importance of the rules in place. Background checks must be passed. There can be no felonies or felonies against children revealed.
“We cannot place child predators with children, and both locations have children. Also, there cannot be any domestic violence. There are places to help in that situation, but not here,” Brooks said.
Children must be under the age of eighteen in White and Habersham County. “There is a single women’s shelter here in Habersham and they do not have to have children to live here. We do not have a single men’s shelter yet,” Brooks added.
Susan and Rex Huffman have done a great deal of the remodeling on the shelter homes. Susan said she is involved in Family Promise of White and Habersham because she wants to give back to the community. “The economy is so difficult. If you miss out on one paycheck, the next thing you know, you are homeless.”
Susan remembers a success story that stands out in her mind. “There was a homeless lady about 2 1/2 years ago. She came into the program after having lost her children to DFACs. Habersham Homeless was able to get her stable. She got into Government Housing; got a job at Ethicon; applied for a Habitat for Humanity Home and was accepted. Now, she has her own home, and a good job, and her children are back with her.”
If you are interested in learning more about Family Promise of White and Habersham and would like to donate or volunteer, you can call 706-865-7725.
