Family Promise of the Coastal Empire is treating its 2021 program graduates in Bryan and Effingham counties to a special event to celebrate their recent accomplishments and mark the holiday season.

Families will gather on Sunday, Dec. 19 for an evening pajama party, complete with an outdoor showing of “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas,” snacks and drinks, a few special surprise appearances, and a gift distribution.

Family Promise is planning a separate Christmas Caravan event for its Chatham County families, and wanted to do something equally as rewarding and special for clients in neighboring areas.

“The families who’ve graduated from our program this year have worked so hard to pull themselves up, and we couldn’t be prouder. We are excited to reward them! The different communities we serve lend themselves to different kinds of celebrations. Because of logistics, transportation and how spread-out certain areas are, it can’t be a one-size-fits-all approach. So, the Christmas Caravan works well for Chatham, and our pajama party and movie night will provide a lot of fun for families in Effingham and Bryan,” said Family Promise Executive Director Katrina Bostick.

At the gathering, families will be presented with the gifts that were purchased for them through Family Promise’s holiday “Adopt-A-Family” initiative, which encourages the nonprofit’s supporters to sign up to receive the Christmas wish list of a family in need. The supporters then purchase the items on their assigned family’s wish list. The “Adopt-A-Family” tradition is a cherished one at Family Promise and has been helping the charitable entity provide gifts to their clients for years.

“We’re grateful to everyone who has donated and contributed to the success of both of our holiday-themed outreach events in Chatham and Bryan/Effingham counties,” Bostick said. “Thanks to the caring and generous souls in the communities we serve, many families will have a very special Christmas.”

Family Promise works with host congregations to reduce the number of families who are separated when they fall on difficult times and find themselves homeless. However, the organization expands its mission beyond just providing meals and shelter for families. They also offer mentoring, homelessness-prevention programs and services, and initiatives to address the underlying causes of homelessness. Family Promise has a strong track record in keeping families together, while offering support and resources towards long-term independence.

For more information about Family Promise, please visit www.familypromisece.org, email [email protected] or call 912-790-9446.