Christel Chvilicek is the Executive Director of Family Promise Gallatin Valley, one chapter of a national nonprofit dedicated to preventing family homelessness.
“Prior to the end of year, we're always looking at our numbers. We were about $400,000 down from where we need to be to continue the operations that we’re at,” Chvilicek said.
Chvilicek says the nearly $500,000 shortfall is from a variety of reasons, including increasing operational costs and increasing community need. Five years ago, they served 24 families in a year.
“We just finalized our numbers for the prior year, and we serve close to 400. So, that's a huge jump when you think that 24 to 400,” Chvilicek said.
That’s between a variety of assistance programs. Chvilicek says the numbers for emergency shelter are somewhat stable, but there has been a large growth in their prevention and diversion program.
“How do we keep families in their home or how do we divert them from shelter?” Chvilicek said.
That could look like funds to be able to travel to stay with family or friends or helping them remain in the housing they have.
“We don’t want to be just a one stop, like where they can put their head down for the night. We are really looking for a long-term sustainable change for their family structure “ Chvilicek said.
Currently, the organization employs about 40 people.
“There are two areas we can make big cuts in and it would be our staffing, which would be terrible, or the families that we serve,” Chvilicek said.
Family Promise has been able to raise money and grant funding for a construction project building 8 additional family units at their campus, but the day-to-day remains a struggle.
