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Need for homeless services rises in Bell County; local non-profit continues to expand

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BELL COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — Family Promise of Bell County Executive Director Rucker Preston says the need for their variety of services has grown over recent years, stretching into the hundreds.

They are making efforts to help more families by building Promise Homes which will will be built behind their Promise House on East Avenue N in Temple.

The plan is to build four duplexes, allowing them to go from sheltering seven families at one time on-site to 15.

Rucker says the challenge for families as they prepare to leave the Promise House, is finding affordable house.

"They reach all of their goals, but at the end of 90 days, there’s not a place to move into," he said.

"They would move from the Promise House into the Promise Homes, and that would buy them a little bit more time, and then the Promise House will be able to serve families who are homeless as well.”

Rucker says Phase Two with Promise Homes has always been part of their extension plan.

Facilities and site plans have been designed, and 41 percent of the total costs for the project have been raised.

Rucker says they have submitted for a grant to hopefully help cover 20 percent of the needed project costs, and if approved, leaving 39 percent of funding left to go.

Rucker says they hope to open the new promise homes in 2026.

To learn more about their efforts and the Promise Homes, click here.

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