“We just turned 7 this past week in Butler County, so it’s a big year for us. It’s our vision to create a community where children and their families have a home and a future of promise. We just want to love the kids we have, the families we have, and make their lives better. That’s our heart’s cry, is to build a great Butler County. All of our resources stay in Butler County, all our love goes to Butler County, and we just want to build a better area for our families,” said Bruns.
“This is one of our biggest fundraisers for the year. We are a group that relies heavily on donations from the community, from our host congregations, and this fundraiser’s goal is Rockin’ the 80s to raise $80K, so it’s a big goal, a big ask, but I think we can accomplish it. We’re going to have a fun time with it. There’s going to be people dressed up in 1980s attire, so there’s going to be a costume contest. We’ve got food stations, a cash bar, and raffles. There will be fun games and a DJ playing tunes,” Bruns said.
At the Keeping the Promise event, there will be multiple ways to contribute to the mission from being a sponsor, getting a ticket to the event, or donating. The goal is to raise $80,000. To date, $20,575 has been raised to support the cause.
“I’m pumped about this year’s fundraiser because it’s going to fuel our mission. Our mission is to empower families who are experiencing homeless instability and homelessness, to build a sustainable foundation of independence through a continuum of support and services. So, our hope, our goal is that every child gets a home, and this year’s money is going to renovation project here at the center, located at 55 North E St. here in Hamilton,” Bruns said.
During the evening, there will also be a personal testimony from one of the program’s recent graduates, who will share about the impact Family Promise made in their lives.
Attendees will enjoy food stations, a cash bar, DJ spinning all 80s tunes, dancing, a raffle and more. There will also be several special recognitions throughout the evening.
Family Promise (formerly IHN) was founded in 1986 by Karen Olson, to help local families experiencing homelessness “find employment, reconnect with society, and restore their dignity.”
“We are the only shelter in Butler County that will keep the entire family intact. We take families that have custody or care of minor children, and we help them connect with social agencies,” Bruns said.
He said, sometimes, it’s to get a birth certificate, or social security card, look for housing, help them find gainful employment, or connect them with other nonprofits like Sleep in Heavenly Peace, or Ohio Means Jobs, trying to get them back on their feet, and stabilized so they can get out of the season of homelessness.
Bruns said, in Butler County, there are more than 1,600 kids that are going through homelessness right now. At this point in the year, Family Promise Butler County has helped 22 families to date.
As Family Promise of Butler County celebrates its seventh year, the organization is taking on a new venture, and is preparing to convert the Day Center to also serve as a “Night Center” on the weeks when local congregations are not able to house Family Promise families.
“We are going to refurbish our old apartments and be able to house families whenever we do not have a host congregation to house them. So, it’s going to go to remodeling this area to make it more of a viable resource for people to be stabilized and have somewhere to call home for a little bit until they find their forever home,” Bruns said.
How to go
What: “Keeping the Promise Because Every Child Deserves a Home - Rockin’ the 80′s to Raise 80K”
When: 6:30-10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30
Where: Fitton Center for Creative Arts, 101 S. Monument Avenue, Hamilton
Tickets: To become a sponsor, or to purchase a ticket, go to https://promise23.givesmart.com/. Individual tickets are $75, and couples are $125. Various sponsorship opportunities are available.
Online: familypromisebutlercountyoh.org
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