The Missoula Interfaith Collaborative (MIC) and Family Promise Boards have been in deep discussion and discernment over the past eight months. Emerging from this discernment, both boards are excited to propose the following:
Family Promise will merge into the MIC organization. Family Promise will continue to operate as a program serving homeless families, but will be operating as a program under the umbrella of MIC.
The foundations of both organizations are the congregational members and the hundreds of volunteers who invest their time in pursuing the respective missions. Between February 11th and March 1st, 2016, a team comprised of both MIC and Family Promise leadership will reach out to you all, our members. In reaching out we hope to:
- Present the proposal and hear feedback.
- Allow for individuals and congregations to voice ideas and concerns.
- Provide a clear path forward of which all of our members can be a part.
Proposal:
The organization of Family Promise, including the board and staff, will dissolve and become a program within the organization of MIC.
The missions of both MIC and Family Promise will stay the same. Family Promise will continue to serve homeless families in the same fashion as it has in the past.
A portion of the Family Promise board will join the MIC board.
Congregations who are members of Family Promise, but not MIC will have the opportunity to become members of MIC, but will not be obligated to do so.
Benefits:
Both the MIC and Family Promise missions involve congregations working together to serve the community. With consolidated leadership, staffing and financial resources, congregations will have a larger impact on family homelessness and other pressing challenges.
Under one roof, behind-the-scenes work (administration) expenses will be reduced while effectiveness will increase. This means more dollars will go directly to serving homeless families.
Congregations will have one organization with which to communicate as well as maintain service and financial partnership.
Staffing support for Family Promise guests and congregations will be enhanced with an experienced and larger staff team.
Research through MIC has revealed that on any given night, 30 to 40 Missoula families who need safe shelter, don't have it. Leaders in service agencies and congregations understand that what we are doing as a community is not yet adequate. Through an MIC project, "Community Solution for Family Shelter," these leaders have committed to develop a solution. With the merged organizations, congregations will be working alongside other leaders in family homelessness as part of this solution.
Through MIC, congregations not only will continue to meet immediate needs (i.e., shelter), they will also have opportunity to address root causes of community challenges (i.e., reducing the amount of families who need shelter).
Moving Forward:
The Family Promise and MIC Boards are wholeheartedly behind this merger. We would like to move forward in a discerning fashion that includes the individuals and congregations that make our programs work. If the path is clear, we will move forward in this exciting partnership! As we do, the mission of serving homeless families and helping congregations be leaders in addressing pressing community challenges will need affirmed commitment from all of us!
Sincerely,
Family Promise, Missoula-President, Bill Nelson
Missoula Interfaith Collaborative-President, Barbara Wickel
