Fundraising Goal: $50,000

$58,485 raised from 144 unique donors
Verified 501(c)(3) Nonprofit

Family Promise NNCC Do More 24

Organization Mission:

Our mission is to prevent and end homelessness for families by engaging volunteers, donors, and the faith community. We envision a community in which every family has a home, a livelihood, and the resources for lasting independence.

Lanikka is someone who has always sought to try and help others. She’s always wanted the best for everyone around her. Unfortunately, Lanikka found herself in an abusive situation. She was the victim of domestic violence. Lanikka wanted to provide a better life for herself and her new son Phoenix, and to do that, she knew she had to escape. 
 
Life was hard. For months Lanikka couldn’t find anyone to help her and Phoenix. At the time, Lanikka didn’t have much income, thus the only way she could put a roof over her and Phoenix was to rent a room in a three bedroom apartment. Lanikka thought things would be better.
 
Lanikka’s roommates were a couple who initially seemed fine. It didn’t take long to discover, however, the man in the relationship, often got violent. This violence was a trigger for Lanikka’s PTSD, which she experiences due to her own history as a victim of domestic violence. Lanikka quickly realized, this was not a safe place for herself or Phoenix – she knew she needed to leave. As Lanikka began looking for alternative housing, her roommates tried to rob and physically assault her. Luckily, Lanikka escaped with Phoenix, and only the clothes on their backs. 
 
Lanikka had nowhere to go. For a few months they bounced around, from house to house, but nothing was permanent. When friends and family were exhausted, Lanikka lived out of her car with Phoenix. A temporary solution that came crashing down as Lanikka was reported, as a vehicle was not deemed a safe place to raise a child. 
 
“Life felt like a fiery hell. Phoenix is my world, he was the only reason I kept on pushing forward.  The fear of losing him almost crippled me. I knew I couldn’t be paralyzed by the fear of losing my son. I knew I had to keep pushing forward to create a better life for him. He’s my world and because of that, I wanted to give him the world.”
 
While living out of her car, and with the threat of losing her son looming ever closer, Lanikka found Family Promise of Northern New Castle County. Lanikka found hope. Our Case Managers worked with Lanikka to help get her life back on track. Within one month, we assisted Lanikka secure safe and affordable housing!
 
“No one in my life ever told me anything was possible. I was always helping everyone else, but I never realized what I could do for myself. Family Promise helped me discover what was possible for me and Phoenix. They helped me realize that a better life was possible for both of us. ”
 
Since securing safe, stable housing, Lanikka has been doing wonderful! Lanikka has paid off her debts, and improved her credit. She has gone to school to get certified in EPA, OSHA, Lead Abatement, COVID Cleanings, etc.  She has received 15 total certifications in only 6 weeks. Family Promise covered Lanikka’s rent for a few months so she could focus on school. In the past few weeks, Lanikka even secured a job paying over $50,000! Lanikka has done what she set out to do, she is providing a better life for her son Phoenix. 
 
Sometimes, all someone needs is a helping hand. Family Promise is that helping hand for Delaware’s families like Lanikka’s.
About Family Promise of Northern New Castle County

In Delaware, 1 in 30 kids experience homelessness each year. Yet when families become homeless, they can’t always access shelter — in many cases because of their size or composition, or simply because there aren’t enough shelter beds available. Family Promise NNCC has always been dedicated to serving families of all kinds. We are able to keep families together, then help them move back into housing faster, more successfully, and more cost-effectively than anywhere else in Delaware. This past year we served 124 families experiencing homelessness compromised of over 436 parents and their children, empowering 82% of them to obtain permanent housing in an average of just under 90 days!

Organization Details

Organization Logo

Name:
Family Promise of Northern New Castle County

EIN: 26-2373936

Website:
https://www.familypromisede.org/

Counties Served: New Castle

Office Locations: Wilmington

Sectors: Homelessness & Housing, Human Services, Kids, Poverty & Hunger, Family Services

Recent Donations

  • Winner of Discover Bank Community Impact Prize - 4th place (Large Nonprofit) challenge! $500
  • Winner of Barclays Home Stretch Prize (Large Nonprofits) challenge! $1,000
  • Anonymous $50
  • $5,000
  • Anonymous ---
  • $4,600
  • $2,000
  • Jean Gallagher $50
  • Charles and Gwen Harris ---
  • Winner of Discover Bank (302) Power Hour (Large Nonprofits) challenge! $250

Challenges Won

Greater Giving Opening Prize Sponsored by Barclays

Capital One Primetime Power Hour (Large Nonprofits)

King Creative Midnight Mask-ness Power Hour (Large Nonprofits)

United Way of Delaware Magic Hour

Capital One Sleepwalker Power Hour (Large Nonprofits)

IncNow Early Bird Power Hour (Large Nonprofits)

NuPOINT Marketing Wake Up Delaware Power Hour (Large Nonprofits)

Capital One Sunny Side Up Power Hour (Large Nonprofits)

Barclays Coffee Break Power Hour (Large Nonprofits)

Discover Bank (302) Power Hour (Large Nonprofits)

Barclays Home Stretch Prize (Large Nonprofits)

Discover Bank Community Impact Prize - 4th place (Large Nonprofit)