The Richmond Hill/Bryan County Chamber of Commerce will host its July “Business After Hours” on Thursday, July 20. Family Promise of Bryan County and Lesley Francis Public Relations have partnered to co-host the event from 5:30 -7 p.m. at Family Promise, 10695 Ford Avenue in Richmond Hill.

Light appetizers and drinks will be served, Roger Widener will entertain guests with music, and attendees will have the opportunity to meet Family Promise and members of the Lesley Francis PR team and learn a little more about what each organization does.

Door prizes will be raffled off, and a 50/50 raffle will be held with proceeds raised by the Chamber donated to support the work of Family Promise. Guests will also enjoy tours of the Family Promise center, which was made possible thanks to a generous grant from the United Way of the Coastal Empire.

Family Promise helps homeless and low-income families become financially stable, secure long-term housing and live independently. The organization’s new day center on Ford Avenue is open weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. On site, an Interfaith Hospitality Network director and a social worker provide case-management services. Members of families who are living in temporary housing – often provided by area host churches – may utilize the center, and Family Promise helps by providing transportation to and from the facility. Family Promise of Bryan County began in October 2013 when concerned community members assembled to discuss the possibility of establishing an affiliate of the national non-profit organization.

Candice Stewart-Fife, Network Director of Family Promise, said “We value this community deeply and Lesley Francis and her team have supported us with our marketing efforts for a number of years and we appreciate their ongoing in kind donation of their marketing expertise.  It seemed natural to invite them to partner with us when we were given the opportunity to host business after hours.”

Lesley Francis Public Relations is a Richmond Hill-based boutique PR and marketing agency serving the greater Coastal Empire and Lowcountry regions. Owner/CEO Lesley Francis, a British-born graduate of the University of Bristol in England, in 1998 founded hsdcommunications, an award-winning, London-based agency that she grew from a one-person operation to a UK top 25 PR firm. Francis sold her business in 2007 to Gyro International, a global group with offices in 11 countries, before relocating to the United States, where she became a naturalized American citizen and founded LFPR in 2010. The agency specializes in local businesses and nonprofit organizations.

Family Promise of Bryan County and Lesley Francis PR encourage chamber members to join the celebration on July 20 to relax, mingle, enjoy good food and learn more about these community-focused entities.