People’s Emergency Fund Update and Outcomes

Third Church developed a Memorandum of Agreement with Family Promise of Greater Rochester (formerly RAIHN) to administer our People’s Emergency Fund (PEF) in early 2021. PEF now funds a significant portion of Family Promise’s Prevention, Diversion, & Rehousing Program, which has allowed them to serve a greater number of families. The Prevention, Diversion & Rehousing Program provides rental assistance for:

• Prevention –  households receive rental arrears payment to prevent eviction and subsequent homelessness
• Diversion – households receive security deposit payment to regain independent housing from a doubled-up or otherwise unsafe situation (i.e. living with family or friends, or living in an apartment with code violations). The household is ‘diverted’ from a shelter placement.
• Rehousing – households receive security deposit payment to regain independent housing from a shelter placement

This one-time assistance is paid directly to a landlord or property management company, and is then supplemented by aftercare case management for up to one year from Family Promise staff and/or their partner agencies. Access to case management is a huge benefit to moving PEF’s administration to Family Promise—this is a service Third Church was not able to provide that is now given to everyone receiving PEF assistance.   

Family Promise’s administration of PEF officially began in March 2021, and Family Promise has reported on the use of the funds every month thereafter. For March and April 2021, your generosity has produced the following outcomes:

Third Church receives a special offering for the People’s Emergency Fund on the first Sunday of every month (July 4 and August 1 this summer). You can support this important work any time by sending a check to the church office with “People’s Emergency Fund” in the memo line, or by contributing online at our website.

Your generosity makes a real difference for families in our community—thank you!