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info374930
Sep 4
2 min read

The Need Is Growing. And So Is Our Response.

In the first half of the year alone, 389 families applied for help, and 281 were eligible for our services. Our Family Coaches personally connected with each eligible family, collectively impacting 676 children experiencing housing insecurity. Of those families, 73% were led by a single mother, and 82% had no health insurance or safety-net coverage.


Now, let's put that in context.


In all of 2025, Family Promise of Aiken County served 189 families.


And, as of this writing, we have already surpassed 640 applications for help this year.


Throughout this growth, we have never stopped taking applications, personally connecting with eligible families, and providing the right resources at the right time - meeting each family where they are and helping them move toward stability.

Welcome, Arkia!

We are excited to welcome Arkia, our newest Family Coach.


Arkia brings experience in crisis support, advocacy, resource navigation, and community engagement - and a strong commitment to compassionate, client-centered care.


She is leading our Eviction Prevention work, helping prevent homelessness for families before it starts.

We’re Hiring!

Family Promise is seeking a Part-Time Development Director to help grow the resources that make our work possible.


This role will lead fundraising, donor and corporate relationships. If you - or someone in your network - has fundraising or nonprofit experience and believes in the power to change lives, we’d love to hear from you.


Know someone who should be part of the Family Promise team? Please share this opportunity with them or encourage them to reach out. Your referral could help us find the right person to help local families find stability.


Our Rummage Sale is less than 2 weeks away!

Our 4th Annual Family Promise Rummage Sale is almost here!


You can expect all kinds of items with extremely low prices, including furniture, housewares, sporting equipment, tools, children's toys, holiday decor, artwork, jewelry, purses, games, books, pet supplies, and more!


This is our largest fundraiser of the year, helping provide the coaching and support families need to move toward stability.


Last year's sale raised approximately $15,000!

Helping Families Find a Way Forward


When Tina lost her housing, two Family Coaches worked together to help her create a short-term plan while she pursued permanent housing for herself and her three children.


A credit issue was preventing her from qualifying for rentals. With encouragement, resources, and coaching, Tina was able to resolve the issue. Today, she is positioned to pursue housing in her own name while continuing to work with Family Promise toward long-term stability.


Tina’s story is just one example of why our work matters.


Family Promise doesn’t simply provide assistance in a moment of crisis. We walk alongside families, helping them identify solutions, overcome barriers, and build a more stable future.


And as the number of families reaching out for help continues to grow, so does the need for our community to stand behind them.


Your support helps ensure that when a family reaches out, someone is there to answer the call.


Whether you give, volunteer, shop the Rummage Sale, or share our mission with someone else, you can help a local family find a way forward.


 
 
 

On this Giving Tuesday, we're grateful for you, and for the impact your generosity has made possible for families right here in Aiken County.


You made real change happen:

  • 63% of families at imminent risk of homelessness remained safely housed

  • 71% of homeless families secured stable housing

  • 97% of families in our Stabilization Program exited to long-term stability


Your support powers a hands-on model where parents work one-on-one with a Family Coach who meets them where they are, even after hours, to set goals, manage budgets, and strengthen employment..


But the need is rising fast. Aiken County Public Schools identified 372 students experiencing homelessness last year, up more than 40% in just 3 years. And families now need around $22/hour to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment, around 3x minimum wage.


Still, thanks to you, our impact continues to grow as well. In just 3 full years, your support helped 131 families, including 289 children, move from crisis to stability.


And behind every number is a story:


John, a single dad who suddenly gained full custody of his teenage son, was rapidly running out of options before a late-night search led him to Family Promise. With a Family Coach by his side, he secured safe housing and a support network. 


Alexis, determined to rebuild after leaving a harmful relationship, arrived in Aiken with her 2 young children. Through her Coach’s support, she secured employment, safe housing, childcare, and essentials. “My son is so proud to say, ‘This is my house,’” she shared.


Your generosity also strengthened our capacity, allowing us to hire additional Family Coaches, onboard a Director of Programs, streamline operations, and renew critical grants to serve more families.


Today on Giving Tuesday, you can help even more parents and children find safety and stability.


A year-end gift can prevent an eviction, secure housing, or cover essential bills.


From our staff and Board of Directors, thank you. We wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a season filled with hope.


Warmly,

Family Promise of Aiken County

Welcome to Our New Coaches

Elizabeth "Liz" Snellings, LMSW

A North Augusta native with deep experience in advocacy and school-based therapy, Liz brings trauma-informed, family-centered care to her role. She leads our Eviction Prevention and Shelter Diversion programs.

📧 esnellings@familypromiseofaiken.org   📞 803-443-5625

Kimberly "Kim" Jackson

With over a decade of experience in case management, program coordination, and community outreach, Kim supports families in our long-term Stabilization Program as they work toward lasting independence.

📧 kjackson@familypromiseofaiken.org 📞 803-843-9725

Honoring Our First Family Coach


We’re celebrating Laura Johnson, our very first Family Coach, as she enters retirement. Laura joined us in 2021 and became a steady, compassionate presence for every family she served.


John, the single dad whose story we shared above, summed it up best: “Guidance was the key." Laura showed him that other single dads had walked this path and found stability. Her coaching turned that possibility into hope—and hope into action.



We are deeply grateful for Laura’s service and the hope she brought into so many homes.

Direct Assistance Still Available


Many partner agencies have exhausted their emergency assistance funds, but Family Promise continues to offer help with:

• Past-due rent and utility bills

• Security deposits to secure housing

• Support for key milestones that promote long-term stability


Grant Update: We are nearing the end of a 2-year Help Us Move In grant and have $14,367 left to raise to meet our match requirement. Your Giving Tuesday gift helps close the gap and keeps local families safely housed.


Donate online using the link below. Checks may be made payable to Family Promise of Aiken County, PO Box 622, Aiken, SC 29802.

Thank you for being part of this mission. Together, we’re changing futures, one family at a time.


With gratitude,

The Family Promise of Aiken County Team

We are a registered 501(c)3 charitable organization. Our Federal Tax ID is 83-4412353.



 
 
 
kendallbuchanan
Nov 21, 2024
4 min read

We hope this finds you well as we enter this holiday season. Before you get too busy, we want to share some updates about the work that Family Promise of Aiken County is doing to help families regain stable housing.


In this newsletter:

  1. Client spotlight

  2. We're still accepting new families for year-end case management and direct financial assistance

  3. We're offering an alternative gift option this holiday season

  4. Recap of The Charitable Foundation of Aiken kick-off event

  5. Planning is underway for Keys to Good Tenancy courses in 2025

  6. Rummage Sale results


Client Spotlight

We recently helped a single father, J.R., with a teenage son. The father was employed, but had some issues in his past that made it impossible for him to be accepted for a rental, even with the help of a real estate agent. After being referred to Family Promise, our Family Coach identified housing, helped the family secure approval, and helped connect them to a local organization for furniture. The father and son remain stably housed today.

Help is Still Available

This time of year is particularly challenging for families in need of direct financial assistance for housing. Please know that Family Promise remains open to new families for case management and, where necessary and appropriate, direct financial assistance.


We help families with minor children in Aiken County that are: 

1. At imminent risk of homelessness to prevent loss of home.

-or-

2. Experiencing homelessness to divert families from shelter when possible.


Families include adult(s) caring for a child or who are pregnant. We accept all sorts of families. Single parents, couples, grandchildren, LGBTQIA+ couples, and extended family caregivers are all welcome.


We work with families that are willing to work with our Family Coach and complete the steps she identifies are necessary to move toward lasing independence.


Families interested in help should complete the Get Help Form on our website.


If you or a family you know is facing housing insecurity, please direct them to the Get Help page on our website to learn how we can help.

A customizable Christmas donation card

As we near the holiday season, we hope you will keep Family Promise in mind for your year-end giving. This year, we are offering personalized, high res digital or printed donation cards on thick card stock as alternative gifts for those on your list.


We can customize this card for different needs, including different holiday messages.


Email buchanan@familypromiseofaiken.org or text 803-716-8643 to learn more.


To receive your card(s) before Christmas, contact us by Dec. 15. Please note that, due to printing costs, we ask for a minimum donation of $10 per printed card.


There are two easy ways to donate:


1. Donate online using the button below:


2. You can mail a check, payable to Family Promise, to PO Box 622 Aiken, SC 29802.


We are a registered 501(c)3 charitable organization. Our Federal Tax ID is 83-4412353.

A picture from the Charitable Foundation of Aiken Nov. 7 event

We joined The Charitable Foundation of Aiken on November 7 for a kick-off celebration at The Aiken Center for the Arts where the Foundation introduced Family Promise as 1 of 2 beneficiaries for their '24-'25 campaign.


Our Board Chairman, Kendall Buchanan, shared with those present that CDC data shows that children who experience unstable housing are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors, substance use, suicidal ideation and attempts, and to experience violence. They’re also more likely to be placed in special ed programs, or to have to repeat a grade, or to drop out of school altogether.

                                                           

Kendall noted that many of the families we help are unable to secure approval on their own for new housing due to poor credit, past evictions, or other issues in their past. She also shared how Family Promise works to help these children and their families regain stable, lasting housing.

An image showing Keys to Good Tenancy 2025 scheduling is in progress

Planning is underway for our 2025 Keys to Good Tenancy classes. We will be testing some different formats, including mini classes on specific topics in partnership with local organizations.


Keys to Good Tenancy is a key component of our prevention efforts. It was created in partnership with the National Association of REALTORS and provides participants with the tools to budget for, find, maintain, and keep an apartment or home. Anyone in the community is able to attend, with those that complete the course receiving a certificate to demonstrate to prospective landlords that they are putting in the work to be a stable tenant.


Since this program’s launch in Fall 2021, we’ve provided 45+ hours of free training.


Special thanks to the City of Aiken, the Aiken Association of REALTORS, and Aiken County Public Schools for their support of this training.


Rummage Sale Results


We want to take a moment to say THANK YOU to the many donors, volunteers, and shoppers that helped make our 2nd annual Rummage Sale such a success last month! We are also grateful to St. Paul Lutheran Church, Boy Scout Troop 146, First Presbyterian Church, Aiken NAACP Youth Council, Second Baptist Church, South Aiken Presbyterian Church, and Aiken Unitarian Universalist Church for your support. These organizations provided donated items to sell and volunteers that moved donations in then sorted, organized and priced a gym overflowing with items to provide our shoppers with the best possible experience. We cannot thank you enough!


This fundraiser provides essential funding for our operations, including our case management work.


We are especially thankful to St. Paul Lutheran Church for again so generously sharing their space and members. Special thanks also to our sale co-chairs, John Lohman and Marilyn Ericson, who are St. Paul members.


You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.




 
 
 
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