Nobody sat in the director’s chair at Family Promise.

But now Susan Rivera does. She’s taken administrative lead of the non-profit group.

“There are no throw-away people in our society,” Ms. Rivera said. “I’ve come to learn that people are able to do a whole lot with just a little bit of help.”

This attitude makes Ms. Rivera an asset to Family Promise.

“We’re about easing life for homeless people,” said Pat Dietrich, chair of the board of directors for Family Promise and pastor of First Lutheran Church. “(Ms. Rivera) comes to us with a lot of experience. She’s truly an answer to our prayers.”

Ms. Rivera has worked for non-profit groups for more than a decade in Washington sate. She directed programs at facilities for low-income families and transitional housing facilities for victims of domestic violence.

With degrees from Ohio State University and Antioch, Ms. Rivera said her specialty is helping nonprofit groups comply with their mission statements and bylaws.

“I help go through the jargon and make sure all the rules are being followed,” Ms. Rivera said. “I do program design, grant writing and fundraising. With that comes a need for higher accountability.”

Though she’s not been in the state for many years, Ms. Rivera’s no stranger to Temple. The 1976 Temple High School graduate was born here.

“My seven sisters and I promised that as we got older we’d move to back to this area, so that’s what we’re all doing,” Ms. Rivera said. “We’re gravitating back home.”

She has an 11-year-old daughter.

Her first day on the job was Feb. 1. Her first task is to create a grant schedule for the coming year.

“This agency has a strong foundation,” Ms. Rivera said. “It has a committed board of directors and very committed volunteers and partner churches. The next logical step is to develop strong financial footing.”

She plans to meet with the board of directors this March to devise a 2- and 5-year plan for Family Promise.

“We want to name the different directions we want to grow, but we need to solidify the services we offer now.”

Like other non-profit groups in the area, fund-raising is a big and constant battle for Family Promise, and it’s one that doesn’t frighten Mrs. Rivera.

“It’s about grant writing,” she said. “And it’s about showing how you help.”

The agency relies on grants and donations to help homeless families find steady employment and places of their own.

The month of February got off to a good financial start, said Kay Coulter, board secretary. The organization received two grants, $2500 grant from the Carpenter Foundation and $500 from Junior League of Bell County.

“But there’s so much more we need to do,” Mrs. Coulter said. “We’ve got lots of projects, and that’s going to cost money.”

The center just concluded one renovation project, thanks to funds from First Baptist Church of Belton and manpower from Habitat for Humanity. A new wall was installed in the main room, creating a hallway and private office.

“There’s also a combination lock on the office door,” Mrs. Coulter said. “That will help with security.”

The next project will be to install a locked door at the entryway of the center’s shower room. Participating families do day-to-day activities like bathing, laundry and studying at the Family Promise Day Center on 22nd Street in Temple. They sleep at the program’s partner churches.

“The shower door will give families more privacy,” Mrs. Coulter said. “Right now it’s too communal.”

The laundry room needs flooring and a fresh coat of paint, and families need places to store their personal items.

“We’d like to turn the garage into a second family room,” Mrs. Coulter said. “But that’s way down the line. Before we can even think about doing that, we have to get rid of all the stuff.”

The garage stores the city’s Christmas decorations and furniture.

“We have all the furniture we need,” Mrs. Coulter said. “All of our families have taken what they need. We’re thinking of having a garage sale to raise money for the center.”

All future furniture donations should go to St. Vincent de Paul.

--Email Tomie Lunsford at tlunsford@temple-telegram.com