Family Promise of Linn County works to help families

Family Promise of Linn County is a small organization that hasn’t been part of the Cedar Rapids community for very long. But under new leadership, the organization is aiming to find its niche in helping families in the Cedar Rapids area who are struggling with housing needs.

The organization was started locally in 2012 by a group of community members to advocate for a safe shelter space for families facing housing a crisis, who could be together without being separated.

Family Promise of Linn County is one of around 200 Family Promise affiliates nationwide, and one of two in Iowa — the other is in Des Moines.

“Being part of a national effort to help families in a housing crisis is a deeply rewarding and meaningful experience,” Executive Director Nic Hartmann said.

“The regional and nationwide Family Promise networks are collaborative, and willing to help others around the nation. There’s a lot of inspiration and support, and a wide desire to build a better world for families in need.”

Hartmann came to Family Promise of Linn County in fall 2020, not long after the derecho wreaked havoc on the community and the need was especially high.

“I’ve worked in nonprofits for several years, and have always had a desire to work on the ground with people in need, but when the derecho hit in August 2020 that desire became a reality,” Hartmann said.

He trained as a folklorist, a profession that focuses on the study of creativity in everyday life, and he spent many years working in museum education and outreach.

That led to his joining Family Promise part time as development director. Within a few months he was working for the organization full time and transitioned into the role of executive director in July of this year.

“As the executive director, I take the lead on development, fundraising, marketing and community relations for Family Promise,” he said. “There isn’t a day that goes by where I’m not working on a grant, creating content for social media and talking with community members and organizations about how to help families in need.”

Hartmann said he’s also supervising a construction project for the organization’s shelter.

The organization itself has three program focuses. Family Promise offers shelter programming for families facing housing crisis, in collaboration with volunteer faith-based groups that provide meals, family support and other services. Hartmann noted such communities have hosted families on-site, but currently are exploring options for a more permanent shelter location.

Second, Family Promise also offers transitional housing and continued care programming for families who are shifting from housing crisis toward self-sufficiency.

Hartmann highlighted a partnership with St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, which allows Family Promise to use its parish house as a place for families to stay while in the program.

“This program has enabled us to work closely with many refugee and immigrant families as they shift toward having a space of their own, as well as finding support for work, education and other needs,” said Hartmann.

And third, the organization offers prevention, diversion and stability programming — the newest and strongest program, according to Hartmann.

“Starting last September, we have assisted over 40 families in the area with meeting basic needs, including rental, utility and car repair assistance. This program has grown exponentially, earning us two national grants and expanding our reach.”

The organization is small, but mighty, Hartmann said, with just one other staff member, plus a board of directors, and a wide volunteer base who provide significant support to the organization’s mission.

“Our goal is to ensure that every child and family has a safe place to call home. But we can’t do it alone,” Hartmann added.

The organization is growing, having recently expanded its prevention program to include working directly with landlords who have tenants having trouble with rent but do not want to evict them.

“One landlord had 10 families who continued to struggle,” said Hartmann. “In spite of working full-time, their arrears and debts continued to build while waiting for rental and other social assistance.

“We were able to work directly with a landlord to ensure that families had a leg up, and that landlords could support their tenants.”

Family Promise of Linn County has secured new grant funding this year as well, through the A Future Begins at Home grant program, through the national Family Promise office. Hartmann said this funding allowed Family Promise of Linn County within six months to nearly double its reach in preventing evictions and support collaborations with landlords.

“We were also recently chosen as one of 13 Family Promise affiliates to receive a seed grant from the nonprofit Help Us Move In,” Hartmann added. “It is a challenge grant that will allow FPLC to more than double the capacity of its Prevention, Diversion and Stability program, and requires us to expand our community of supporters in order to help families in need.”

Hartmann said the two-year grant, if successful, will result in $40,000 in funding for prevention services.

“It is easy to get through the day knowing that your work has a direct impact on someone’s lives,” he said. “I sometimes interview families who need help, and you can see how a little bit of support makes a world of difference for someone.”

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