Summertime in New Braunfels!

It’s summertime! What do you have planned? How are you going to keep your kids occupied? If you are in New Braunfels, you are lucky. There is no shortage of fun things to do. Below is a shortlist of fun, free activities for the whole family to enjoy.

New Braunfels Railroad Museum

302 W. San Antonio St.

For the train lovers in your life, this free museum is a must. There guides available who can explain the history behind the model train collections. A toy train table and coloring pages are available for younger kiddos while older kids can take a look at vintage train memorabilia in glass cases. You can explore real rail cars with interiors that have been preserved to capture what it was like to ride these trains in their prime. Fun for all!

Fischer Park

1935 Hilltop Summit Road

Home to the Fischer Park Nature Education Center, two fully stocked fish ponds and a Monarch butterfly station are located on the property, as well as a sandbox where budding archeologists can dig for dinosaur bones. The outdoor amphitheater has live music and performances throughout the year. A splash pad and spray park on the park grounds is the perfect place for kids to play while cooling off in the Texas heat. The park also features more than two miles of hiking and biking trails, a playground area, and multiple picnic spots making it the perfect place for the entire family to explore.

Landa Park

164 Landa Park Drive

Landa Park has it all. Three exciting playscapes for kids of all ages, picnic tables, and a walking trail complete with historical markers. Don’t forget to visit the massive, old oak tree. After you and your crew get hot and sweaty, take a dip in the spring-fed wading pool to cool off. Panther Canyon hiking trail is a great way to sneak in a quick escape into nature without a long drive. Feed the ducks and look for fish and other wildlife in the Lake. There are other activities available for a small fee such as mini-golf, a train ride around the park, paddle boats, and even access to the aquatic center that boasts both chlorine and spring-fed pools. This park could keep your kiddos entertained for many days!

For more happenings around town, check out the many amazing activities sponsored by the New Braunfels Public Library. The library offers classes, camps, and activities for people of all ages. The New Braunfels Parks and Recreation Department hosts many wonderful recreational activities - from sports to STEM.

We are so blessed to have so many options when it comes to summer fun.

What Prompts the Fall into Homelessness?

Have you given much thought to what causes homelessness? You may have some thoughts about how someone may end up homeless. Some people may assume that people who are homeless caused their problems through their own poor choices, perhaps including drug abuse, or an unwillingness to work. Many of us are unaware of our biases until we learn more, allowing us to shed old beliefs.

When people think of homelessness, they don't always think of families. But in reality, 35% of the total homeless population in the United States is comprised of families. Let’s take a look into how a family might find themselves experiencing homelessness. What happens to get them there?

There are three primary reasons families fall into homelessness: lack of affordable housing, unemployment, and poverty. Let’s look at each one.

Lack of affordable housing

Take a look at these grim numbers:

Many people coming into our program earn $10 per hour. A renter needs to earn $20.21 per hour to afford a two-bedroom rental in Comal County, if they work 40 hours per week. That’s an annual income of $42,040. Some can make it work on less than that, and a two-income minimum wage household may manage to just get by.

But what happens when there is only one income in the family? You can imagine how difficult it would be to earn enough money to afford or even find affordable housing.

Unemployment

Let’s consider childcare’s role as a barrier to employment. Many families do not have family members willing or able to fill the child care role while the parent works. Child care programs are expensive, averaging $800 to $1,000 per child per month. Child care assistance programs are not always available. Additionally, the child care assistance program requires the parent to be working in order to qualify; but in order to work, a parent must have reliable childcare; and so, the cycle goes. And last, but not least, child care is generally only available M-F from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm, limiting what jobs a parent can accept.

Poverty

Nearly 41 million people (1 in 8) in the U.S. live below the poverty line. The poverty line for a family of four is $25,750. A worker needs to earn $12.38/hour just to reach the poverty level for a family of four.

Let’s say a family was able to reach the poverty level. They are still living on very little and most likely living paycheck to paycheck with no cushion in the case of an emergency. And, as most of us know, emergencies always happen.

Family Promise: our role in the community

FPGNB helps families identify barriers to housing stability, provides avenues to gain new life skills and works with families to build upon their existing strengths. In short, we seek to create solutions with our families.

We strongly believe that the key to serving people experiencing homelessness, and income insecure families, is through coordinated action. FPGNB is an integral part of community solutions that includes shelter prevention programs, shelter, and after shelter follow-up care. Family Promise of Greater New Braunfels is proud to see our community come together to make this a place we can all call home.

Meet The Day Center

The Day Center is really the cornerstone of the Family Promise Family. This is the welcoming space that calms the crisis. The day center becomes homebase for the families who come through our program. Just like any warm, inviting home, this is where our families start to feel safe again. Creating a space for people to feel safe is no small thing! Once families feel safe and secure, once they know where they will be sleeping and where the next meal is coming from, they can then start to think about the next steps toward establishing an independent and stable life. The way that plays out looks a little different for everyone. Regardless of the details, the day center is a constant.

It is rather unusual for an affiliate to have it’s own space so early after organizing. Most use borrowed or rented space from churches or other community partners. So we are very lucky at Family Promise of Greater New Braunfels to have a building of our own and one that was designed for our purposes. It has 3 showers, a washer and dryer, a kitchen, and work space for parents and kids to meet their goals. And there’s a play area for the little ones.

Although many different people rotate through, there is always a family feel here. Like family, not everyone always gets along all the time, that is true. For the most part, though, the families that are here at the same time form friendships and connections that last well beyond their time with us The day center is more welcoming than ever with a recent update thanks to a generous donation from IKEA. We are so grateful to have the spot to welcome our families. Thank you, Day Center!