MANATEE — The hard work is complete.
Now it’s time for Family Promise of Manatee County and its band of volunteers to savor the results of labor they hope will help four local families move from homelessness to self-reliance.
More than 50 community leaders and church members plan to be on hand today to dedicate four renovated homes in west Bradenton for previously homeless families.
It has been an arduous process since Trinity United Methodist Church offered the three houses — one is a duplex — for use in Family Promise’s transitional housing program.
“I can close my eyes right now and see every bucket of paint, every grouting, every rebuilt bathroom,” said Bill Pretyka, a volunteer in charge of the transitional housing program. “I’m just glad we can help these families out.”
The homes were gutted and completely renovated by volunteers from Harvest United Methodist Church, Trinity and other churches.
One house was completed in May, another in June and the duplex earlier this month. Four formerly homeless families have moved in and are beginning their road back to a normal life.
The dedication will be at 5:30 p.m. today behind Trinity United Methodist Church in the 3300 block of Fourth Avenue West. The homes are at 3308, 3311 and 3316 Fourth Ave. W. and 319 34th St. W.
“It’s a time to celebrate the partnership between Family Promise and Trinity United Methodist Church and the ability to make these homes available to people who are homeless,” Family Promise Executive Director Bruce Webster said.
Family Promise is an interfaith network of congregations in Manatee County that have opened their sanctuaries to provide shelter, food and assistance for homeless families. Twelve congregations rotate as hosts of a shelter program, while 10 others contribute volunteers and financial support to the cause.
Families who qualify can “graduate” from the shelter program into the transitional housing program.
Pretyka, a New Yorker whose hobby is renovating homes, led the volunteers in everything from cleaning and sterilizing the homes to painting, electrical work, plumbing, plastering, flooring, landscaping, furnishing and decorating.
The work was done over the past year by more than 100 volunteers with less than $4,000 in donations.
Participants in the transitional housing program pay a small monthly rent, between $250 and $400. They are permitted to stay between a year and 18 months, depending on their circumstances.
The first family to move into a transitional home, Sabrina Foley and her son, Brycen, are thriving, according to Trinity pastor, the Rev. James Rosenburg. Foley is working as a certified nursing assistant with plans to become a registered nurse.
“It’s a different thing for us to get across to people,” Rosenburg said. “We’re not dealing with alcoholics and drug addicts. These people are like many of us, who are maybe one or two missed paychecks away from being homeless. Our target is to put people who really want to be productive members of society back to work.”
The efforts of Family Promise and the local churches can go a long way to combat the negative notice Bradenton received in its effort to help homeless people.
In July, the Washington, D.C.-based National Coalition for the Homeless and National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty named Bradenton one of the country’s 10 “meanest cities” in dealing with the homeless population.
Two major reasons for the designation, according to the group, was that the city lacked adequate temporary shelter housing and local laws allow the jailing of homeless people if no shelter space exists.
“We’re trying to do some things that will clean up that perception and put a friendlier face on the local efforts against homelessness,” Webster said.
Family Promise is seeking additional homes to renovate as part of the transitional housing program. Call Pretyka at (941) 870-2211 for more information.
For more information on Family Promise or to volunteer, call Webster at (941) 748-4740 or visit www. familypromiseofmanatee county.org.
