For the past 11 years, the Rev. Pebbles Lindsay-Lucas has joined hundreds of children and their single parents with local congregational faith teams for the Families First program. The faith teams offer the kind of support that you can only get from families - a ride, encouragement, someone to talk to in times of need. But now Families First has become a casualty of county budget cuts.

The Herald-Sun of Durham reported that Lindsay-Lucas said that well over 100 parents, mostly women, and between 400 and 500 children have been helped since the Families First program of
Durham Congregations In Action started in 1998. It has been funded through a grant from Durham County Social Services, but that funding source ended recently, and with it, Families First.

Rhonda Stevens, assistant director for family economic independence at DSS, said that Families First was one of many reductions at DSS. Durham County Manager Mike Ruffin told department heads in December that a budget shortfall would mean belt tightening across the board for the upcoming fiscal year, which began recently.

Each year, Families First joined 15 families with faith teams for a one-year relationship, though many lasted longer. Like Tennisha Blount, who was joined with a faith team of Holy Cross Catholic Church seven years ago.

When Blount became part of the Families First program, she only knew one person in Durham - her cousin - and didn't know her way around. She was also pregnant with her daughter Yakima, now 7. She also has a son, Nahshon, 9. Blount said that Families First and Holy Cross gave her a second hand when she needed one.

"They're there when you need someone to call and check up on you, or if you need to go anywhere. It's someone to talk to as family, not just a friend. They give you the family attention that you need," Blount said on a recent Monday from her hospital room at Duke University Medical Center, where she was receiving treatment for a stomach problem. She has been in the hospital several times previously for heart problems, but keeps a positive attitude. She has maintained a relationship with one of her faith team members from Holy Cross, who has been there for her like family.

Blount said she is sorry to hear that Families First is ending.

"Everybody needs somebody to fall back on," she said. "It's hard being out there by yourself, having no one."

Dozens of congregations from DCIA and the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance that have partnered with Families First over the past 11 years cross the faith spectrum. Lindsay-Lucas said there is a long list, including St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Judea Reform Congregation, Fisher Memorial United Holy Church, Seed Time Harvest Church, Union Baptist Church, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, St. Philip's Episcopal, Trinity United Methodist, Mount Zoar Missionary Baptist, Orange Grove Missionary Baptist, Pilgrim United Church of Christ, Crown of Righteousness Community Church, Peace Missionary Baptist, Resurrection United Methodist, St. Titus Episcopal and the Congregation at Duke Chapel. And there are many more churches who have reached out through Families First.

Mount Calvary United Church of Christ plans to continue its relationship with a young woman and her two children. They were joined with a 22-year-old woman and her 4-year-old daughter in December. The woman had a baby girl in January. Cloria Lewis is one of three people on Mount Calvary's faith team for Families First. She said she'll continue to call and check on their new friend.

"If I can assist in any way, I will," Lewis said. When they met the young family in last winter, Lewis said she was excited to be able to give back to the community by helping a single mother who was already independent, but could still use a support system.

"As a young person, it's always good to know you can call on someone. If you need the help, help is there," Lewis said. "I will continue to call her to see what I could do. Just a phone call can make a difference, give you a boost."

Covenant Presbyterian Church in Durham partnered with Families First six years ago. That one-year, individual connection impacted the church, spurring it to start its own project, said the Rev.
Jimmie Hawkins. The church's Men's Council now mentors boys who live in Cornwallis Road public housing. Individual relationships like those fostered through Families First are unique, he said.

"More churches need that. It's more than just sending money," Hawkins said.

The Rev. Joe Harvard, who serves on the DCIA board, said that it is unfortunate that Families First is ending, but that Lindsay-Lucas has done a great deal for families in Durham. The Families First office is in his church, First Presbyterian.

Lindsay-Lucas is an ordained Baptist minister who received her master of divinity degree from Duke Divinity School just prior to starting work at Families First. But even though her job as Families First coordinator ends, that doesn't mean she'll just stop helping people. She'll still take calls related to Families First, she said. She is co-pastor of First Chronicles Community Church, where her husband, the Rev. William Lucas, is pastor. First Chronicles has five Families First partnerships.

"I just believe that from the faith community perspective, when we make a commitment to help those less fortunate than ourselves, we need to honor that," she said.

Lindsay-Lucas won't give up. She is going to take grant writing courses to try to start a similar program in Durham. But in the meantime, she is looking for a job.