Family Promise SLC Update

 

To The Congregations and Contacts Involved in Family Promise-SLC,

 

My name is Rev. Russell Butler and I’m the pastor at Christ United Methodist Church and one of the Board members at Family Promise. For the past seven months the Family Promise-SLC Organization has run into a significant number of difficulties which have now resulted in some immediate actions.  

 

The difficulties included firing the Executive Director, ending the monthly contract with a Development (fundraising) contractor, receiving very little income but incurring appx. $30,000 in monthly expenses, and having 12 of the 15 members of the Board of Directors resign. 

 

Currently, the amount of money left in the organization is not enough to keep the current staff employed for another month. As a result the Board of Directors felt it necessary to end the employment of the staff this Friday, October 23. 

 

The remaining Board members were advised of the precarious financial condition in only the last few weeks. We have reached out to the national Family Promise organization for assistance, as well as contacting Tony Milner, one of the previous directors of Family Promise-SLC for guidance.

 

At this point, we wanted to make sure all of you are aware of the situation and let you know what our plans for the future are. We are taking steps to reduce the remaining monthly expenses, sell 1-2 properties owned by Family Promise (but not the Day Center), work with the tenants who currently occupy two of the houses and the three apartments above the day center, and reach out to many of the organizations who have given Family Promise grants and gifts in the past.

 

This is a difficult time, but it is not the end of Family Promise. We’ll be back. It may take a few months to get the organization on its feet but the Board believes in the purpose and the promise of this organization to help families find permanent housing. 

 

With your gifts, your congregation is an investor in Family Promise SLC.  We need to rebuild our board, and if your church would care to nominate a person with experience you deem relevant, and a passion for issues in homelessness, we would welcome nominations.  At this point we need accounting, legal, real estate, fundraising and project management skills most acutely.”

All of us want to restore FP SLC to its prior stability and productivity.  I consider your congregation as a partner in this important work and thank you in advance for your ongoing commitment.  

I hope you and your church will consider giving a financial gift to Family Promise this year so that we can begin to rebuild and provide services for people who deserve a break.

 

Thank you for your consideration.

 

Sincerely,

Rev. Russell Butler   (385-215-4675)

Brady Fife   (801-945-4861)

Patricia Stringer    (801-839-5521), (385-499-9850)

Kirchy Burke   (801-879-3882)