5 minute read
Behind the Scenes
Local volunteer quietly moves mountains to help homeless families
By Hannah Stiff
Kandi Davis is one of those people who sees a need and quietly meets it. No fanfare or pirouette in the limelight for her. She would rather stay behind the scenes, where the work gets done. Lucky for a local nonprofit, a decade ago, Davis decided to lend her time and resources to their cause that spoke to her. That local charity was Family Promise, a group devoted to helping families experiencing homelessness. In Davis’ time with Family Promise, she’s seen different executive directors and watched the nonprofit pivot from housing homeless families in churches overnight to static sites around the Gallatin Valley.
She’s also seen the need grow along with the valley’s growth. And though Davis has been helping for years, she is just the champion Family Promise needs now. The nonprofit is throttling toward the finish line of a $6 million building that will co-locate an early learning center for 96 children and a day center to serve Family Promise families and others. The 18,400 feet facility is located in the new development behind Lowe’s at the corner of Tschache Lane and Sacco Drive. Family Promise Executive Director Christel Chvilicek is hoping for a January grand opening, with an open house sometime this fall. With a breakneck year of raising $5 million behind them, Davis and Chvilicek are hopeful for a final round of generosity to raise the last $900,000 needed for the building. “A lot of our big donations came from Kandi’s connections and her passion for talking to people about Family Promise,” Chvilicek says. “I don’t know how you measure that. I would say that almost every day Kandi does something for Family Promise.” In a recent meeting at Chvilicek’s temporary office, Davis deflects the praise. “Oh, I talk about Family Promise every day,” Davis says. “The community needs to know about it.” What the community needs to know, Davis explains, is that homelessness is often much closer than most people care to imagine. “There’s a statistic I often share,” Chvilicek says. “Forty percent of Americans, prior to COVID, were $400 away from experiencing homelessness.” That statistic, coupled with the stories of families overcoming homelessness to find housing and work, drives Davis to keep working to get the day center finished. “We need a little from a lot of people,” Davis said. “It’s not insurmountable. But it needs to happen right now.” Davis said she is especially interested in the project because she is passionate about helping mothers and children. She and Chvilicek agree that to address and prevent homelessness, you must tackle childcare. “Family Promise is about families that are homeless, but childcare is essential, too,” Davis explains. “If you’re going to help a family, you have to look at childcare, too.” Chvilicek said in the Gallatin Valley childcare is only available for one out of every three preschool-aged children. That is a huge barrier to parents being able to work. “Seventy percent of (Family
Promise) families are led by a single mother,” Chvilicek says. “How do we get income coming in? We find them a job. But then they need childcare.” While Family Promise families receive priority for the Rising Stars Early Learning Center, there will still be several spots open to the public. Those will fill quickly, Chvilicek said. The early learning center will be housed on the first floor of the new building with the day center on the second. Though families experiencing homelessness sleep at one of three Family Promise sites, they often need a place to go during the day to apply for jobs, look for housing, and work with a case manager. That’s where the day center comes in. The center will also include showers and storage lockers in addition to a technology nook, kitchen and dining space, private counseling room, kids’ playroom, and open communal space. “Sometimes families are living in their cars,” Chvilicek explains. “They need a place to store their things.” At the early learning center downstairs, there is a full commercial kitchen. Once open, a staff cook will provide healthy meals for both the preschool children and people using the day center. “I wanted kids and our families to be able to have a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner,” Chvilicek said. Davis says healthy eating and meal prep is part of a larger organizational goal. “We’re working to get rid of generational poverty,” Davis said. “Many people are here from no fault of their own.” The Family Promise Day Center and Rising Stars Early Learning Center will be part of a campus that includes affordable housing for income-eligible Gallatin Valley residents and a Community Health Partners clinic offering medical, dental, mental, and behavioral health services. Both Davis and Chvilicek want to bring the public into their new space. One day, they hope they can rent out their commercial kitchen and host a myriad of life skills and community classes in the day center. But before all of that can happen, Family Promise must finish paying construction crews and it needs help doing that. “There are people here who have the resources to make it happen,” Davis says. “I hope they step forward.” When this project is finally wrapped up, Davis won’t sit idle long. She will go back to Chvilicek for her next marching orders. “What’s your next project,” Davis asks Chvilicek. “I’m game.” “This is who Kandi is,” Chvilicek says with a smile. “You give her a glimmer and she runs with it.”
A Note from the Editor:
Do you know a senior who should be featured in a future edition of prime? Email your suggestions to Hannah Stiff at hstiff@dailychronicle.com.
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