Family Promise

If you visit St. Luke’s Church on the final Wednesday of the month, you’ll find a lively room of volunteers packing bags of fresh produce, groceries and diapers for up to 40 families across greater Portland and surrounding towns who are participating in a transitional housing program, or have recently secured housing, through the help of Family Promise. Once each family’s groceries have been packed, volunteers load them into their cars and personally deliver them to each family, building personal connections and ensuring that transportation is never a barrier.

Family Promise’s Greater Portland chapter works to help low income families and families experiencing homelessness achieve sustainable independence through a community based response made possible by the nearly 100 active volunteers who support their work.

A few of the people behind this effort are Michelle Lamm (Executive Director), Luis Chimina (Case Worker), João Vemba (Program Manager), and Amy Holland (Director of Administration and Finance). Each came to Family Promise through a unique journey: Michelle found her passion for working with families after completing her MSW; Luis was drawn to the opportunity to work with and learn alongside other people; Amy grew up in a family that valued service as part of their careers; and Joao, once a client himself, returned to help fill the gaps he experienced firsthand after transitioning from the shelter to stable housing with his own family. What unites them is a shared passion for helping others and the joy they find in seeing families grow, thrive, and become active members of the community.

When asked what gives them hope, here’s what each had to say:

Michelle: We just had our annual multicultural celebration on Saturday. Most of the families came to our shelter a little bit more than a year ago and they were at their lowest point when they came to us. And just to see people show up and be joyful and feel good about themselves, and watch the kids reconnecting and playing. To see them stably housed and see that their spirits haven’t been broken by all the negativity out there. That’s what gives me hope.
Luis: Many of the people we work with come from a lot of different situations and it helps us to see and learn from people in different ways. Sometimes it’s easy to want things to happen my way, but learning about different people’s situations changes the way I feel about the world and people.
João: The greatest moments for me are the move-ins. The families we work with move into fully furnished apartments and you should see the photos we take- the smiles they give, the words they have to say, just make this job really fulfilling.
Amy: For me, it’s seeing people, like João, come through our program at low points in their life and as soon as they get the foothold they need, they just want to give back. It shows that what we can provide early on just grows exponentially from people like Joao just wanting to then spread it around. It’s amazing.

Volunteer Tips:

One of the biggest challenges many local organizations face is finding volunteers who can commit consistently. Christine Dyke, Minister at First Parish Church in Gorham and a partner in Family Promise’s transitional housing program, sees this as the key to making a real impact, not only for the organization, but for the volunteer as well. Showing up regularly allows you to build relationships, understand needs more deeply, and witness the difference your efforts make over time. If you’re looking for volunteering to be truly life-changing, start by finding an opportunity that fits your skills and schedule, and make a habit of showing up. Even a few hours each month can create lasting change!

If you’re interested in contributing to the work of Family Promise, there are multiple ways to volunteer, including:

Food packing and grocery delivery
Help move a family into their new home on move in day
Get paired with a newly housed family to help them adjust to their new community
Lead an educational or arts initiative and volunteer in the shelter

We hope these stories help you remember that no matter who you are or what you care about, there’s a role for everyone in building this community. Reach out to us with your story of #PeopleHelpingPeople or let us know how you’d like to help, and we can help connect you with an opportunity that is right for you!

Interested in volunteering?

Send an email to contact@gpfamilypromise.org!

We hope these stories help you remember that no matter who you are or what you care about, there’s a role for everyone in building this community. Reach out to us with your story of #PeopleHelpingPeople or let us know how you’d like to help, and we can help connect you with an opportunity that is right for you!

People Helping People- August Spotlight