RINCON — Katrina Bostick is a local leader with national influence.   

Bostick, executive director of Family Promise of the Coastal Empire, has been named to the National Family Promise Affiliate Council.

“Being connected to the national council really gives me an opportunity to brainstorm and bring ideas about how affiliates are working on different programs and different services nationwide, and being able to take those programs that have proven to work in other communities to our community,” Bostick said. “It gives me kind of a seat at the table to help with the creation of more innovative programs and ways that we can connect with our communities, our volunteers and the families that we serve.”

Affiliate directors chosen for the council were nominated for participation because of their demonstrated success as Family Promise leaders and because of their passion for the nonprofit’s mission — to help homeless and low-income families achieve sustainable independence.

Those on the council will review and advise on proposals — such as program expansion or policy changes — and share feedback via survey, email and video conference calls. The council meets formally once per month.

Bostick, named executive director after last summer’s merger of affiliates in Savannah, Bryan County and Effingham County, has been involved with Family Promise since 2013. Her initial involvement was as a social intern.

“I was literally a person who said they did not want to work with homeless people,” she said. “... It took me connecting to this organization to really see the true face of homelessness because what I thought it was is so much different from what it actually is. It is so different from what I had seen in the media or written, or online.”

Bostick thought homelessness was limited primarily to individuals with mental health issues. She was surprised to learn how impacts families and children.

“I had no idea how deep the generational homelessness is in our community,” she said. “It was really an eye opener to something that I was connected to but didn’t know it. It gave me an opportunity to bridge my passion, which is families and children, with my purpose, which is serving my community.

“I fell in love with Family Promise Interfaith (Hospitality Network) in 2013 and I just never left. This is really where God wants me to be and, prayerfully, I will be here until He tells me to do something different.”

Since the organization’s founding in 1986, Family Promise has served more than 1 million people, engage 200,000 volunteers a year, and have Affiliates in 43 states and over 200 communities.

For more information on Family Promise, visit www.familypromisece.org, email info@familypromisece.org or call 912-790-9446.