Family Promise Ministries
About Family Promise
Family Promise of Greater Wichita unites hearts and hands to provide compassionate hospitality and empower homeless families with children to achieve sustainable independence.
For our part, University Friends will host homeless families in our building over 4 weeks throughout the year, supported by Crossroads Friends Meeting.
We need many volunteers to make this program a success, and there are numerous opportunities for folks of all ability levels and skill sets. Read more about them below and sign up today—it’s easy, fun and meaningful on so many levels.
Ways to Volunteer
Hospitality Teams
If our church was your family’s home for a week, how would you like it set up?
Learn more
6-10 people for both Sundays
11:20 AM – First host Sunday
This team sets up cots, makes beds, cleans up nurseries, arranges flowers and readies the spaces where our guests will eat, sleep and play for a week. There are some heavy-lifting jobs, but we have many simple, light tasks for people of all abilities.
Sunday 2: 7:30 AM, last host Sunday
We care about our church and we need to make sure it’s spic and span for the nursery classes that will be held in the guest rooms later in the morning. Unmaking beds, moving supplies into the trailer, sweeping, wiping down surfaces and gathering up laundry to be washed are a few tasks that are required. This team often has the fewest helpers, so we encourage everyone to join in and make lighter work.
Morning & Evening Van Drivers
Chat with guests and be a friendly, familiar face at the beginning or end of their day.
Learn more
1-5 volunteers needed per week
5:30 PM (TBD):
Sun 1, Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat
6:00 AM (TBD):
Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun 2
Drivers play a crucial role safely delivering families to and from the Day House downtown in the mornings and evenings. Guests frequently have their own cars, so you might not have the full group every day, but they enjoy meeting you, a friendly face at the end of the day. Our van is nice and new and easy to drive, including back-up cameras. All instructions for accessing keys and codes to the Day House will be provided when you sign up. Please be flexible—family schedules change quickly.
A background check is required but it is free for you. Please contact Erin & Dan DeGroot for more info.
Meal Maker Team
Cook a healthy “big family meal” by yourself or with friends, at home or at church.
Learn more
Minimum 1 volunteer per day
6 PM (TBD):
Sun 1, Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat
Meal makers can choose to make their meals and stay with families as Dinner Hosts or drop their meals off, hot and ready, for hungry guests when they arrive. You can cook at home or at church (be sure to clean up after yourselves) and bring your kids and friends along to help! If you’re leaving the meals, please let the Dinner Hosts know ahead of time. The time of meal drop-off might change depending on the families’ ever-changing schedules, so please be flexible.
Dinner Host
Eat dinner with guests, provide support as needed and get to know each other!
Learn more
2+ volunteers per day
6 PM (TBD) – 7 PM:
Sun 1, Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat
This team does NOT prepare meals, but instead, helps the Meal Makers set up the meals. Please join the guests at their tables (don’t sit separately!) and enjoy a family dinner in Fellowship Hall. Some guests are shy, some are chatty, but just being with them in this challenging time and providing any help they might need at mealtime is important. Guests will clean up after themselves.
The start time may change depending on the families’ schedules. Please be flexible.
Evening Team
Help the guests with homework, entertain kids or relax while guests rest in their rooms.
Learn more
2+ volunteers per day
7 PM – 9 PM:
Sun 1, Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat
After dinner clean up, the kids often need to burn off extra energy, so they’ll play in the gym or go outside with their parents and/or older siblings. You’ll join them to help as needed. You’re also welcome to instigate games and other activities for kids. Alternatively, the families will make their lunches, take showers and go straight to their rooms after dinner, at which point you just need to be available and visible to help as needed.
Overnight Team
Do you like to sleep and need to wake up early? We need you on the Overnight Team!
Learn more
2 volunteers/day:
1 man/1 woman or 2 women
You arrive: 9:00 PM
Wake guests up: ~5:30 AM (TBA)
In Van: ~6:00 AM (TBA)
Sun 1, Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat
You will arrive with guests already in their rooms for the evening and you might not even seen them! You’ll set up your room in the office; we have a nice double air mattress, you’re welcome to use the Family Promise cots or bring your own bed. For single people, we will have separate spaces for you to set up your beds as you wish. Mornings come early and families typically grab breakfast, coffee and leave. You’ll usually be out of the church by 6:15, depending on the families’ schedules. Please be flexible and help them with wake up calls as needed.
– Overnight teams on Friday nights often have the option to let guests sleep in if they don’t work. Hot breakfast can be served if you’d like to provide it.
Quick and Easy Volunteering
These critical volunteer tasks happen after guests have left and require either a couple minutes of your time or can be done at your leisure.
Laundry
If you have a washing machine, you can help!
Learn more
Whole congregation needed!
After host week
We’ll have 3+ families worth of blankets, quilts and sheets that need washed. Whether you take 1 basket or a few, or simply haul the whole lot to the laundromat, we’ll be so grateful for your help getting all of the dirty laundry out of the conference room!
Trailer Hitcher
Hitch the trailer to the van around 9AM on Sunday 2.
Learn more
1 volunteer
Sunday 2 only: ~8:45-9 AM
This is simply you hitching the trailer to the van. The van even has back-up cameras to help! If you are great at driving in reverse, we really need your help.
Important Volunteer Information
- The UFM Family Promise coordinators are Erin and Daniel DeGroot.
- Training is required for all new volunteers. If you haven’t been trained, please let Erin and Dan know and they’ll find you a training to attend.
- We do all of our host week communication through our private Facebook page. Contact us and we’ll send you an invite!
- See our Do’s & Don’ts List
- Guest privacy is of utmost importance. Please do not take photos of or share private information about guests.
Coordinator Contact Information
Erin & Dan DeGroot
UFM Family Promise Volunteer Coordinators
Erin – (316) 200-4045 (Day/Evening)
Dan – (316) 847-5075 (Evening only)
degrootwolfe@gmail.com