Friends General Conference

Together we nurture the spiritual vitality of Friends
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

Supporting Family Promise

Public ContentAnyone can view this post

One Year (and Counting) of Volunteers Coming Together to Make a Difference!

Contributed by Nedda Moqtaderi and Gaby McKelligan

Since December 2018, our meeting, together with Wilmington Monthly Meeting, has been actively involved as a host congregation at the Family Promise Hospitality Center, supporting Family Promise’s quest to prevent and end homelessness for families in Delaware. Our five host weeks in 2018/2019 brought together a team of committed volunteers from both of the meetings, averaging about 40 each host week. Each week, these volunteers engaged in the hosting efforts as they assisted in food donation and preparation, talked with the families, played with children, offered hospitality, and took on laundry and grocery shopping tasks to support the residents of the Hospitality Center. In our first year of hosting, we have directly assisted 30 families (approximately 100 people) during their period of transition from homelessness to permanent housing. Our efforts not only ensured that they had nourishing meals and a comfortable week of evenings but ultimately help in their transition to a lasting independence.

In addition to the combined efforts of the two meetings, Hockessin Meeting utilized its Family Promise budget to support additional needs identified by Family Promise. In December, we purchased the following wish list items to help stock the supplies Family Promise maintains for family and Hospitality Center use: 11 sets of bedding (comforters and sheets); 10 sets of towels; 2 vacuum cleaners; 16 toothbrushes; and 4 tubes of toothpaste

We are very grateful for those who have collaborated on our important work at Family Promise, and we look forward to continuing our support of Family Promise in the coming year. We look forward to expanding our group of volunteers, and in particular are happy to welcome several volunteers from Centre Meeting, who will be joining our efforts. To learn more about Family Promise and the ways that you might get involved, please talk with Gaby McKelligan or Nedda Moqtaderi on Sunday at Meeting, or you may email Friends@HockessinQuakerMeeting.org or call 302-239-2223.

Share