Karen Olson
Founder and President of Family
Promise
(formerly known as Interfaith Hospitality Network)
Summit, NJ
Tel.
(908) 273-1100
Fax (908) 273-0030
E-mail: kolson@familypromise.org
"I don't see how the issues of homelessness and poverty can be solved unless there is a spiritual renewal right now. People are motivated by their religion to address social justice issues. Yet, you really need to work outside the churches to accomplish this."
Karen Olson
Areas of expertise
- Building grassroots social activism through Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities of faith
- Religion and the reduction of poverty
Topics in the News
- The President's tax cuts and the short-and-long term effects on the poor
- Low wage workers
- U.S. homelessness
- New, community approaches to affordable housing
| Biography | Resources by this Expert | Recent
Interviews and Articles |
Organizational Links | Print the PDF version of this page |
Karen Olson is increasing civic participation among people of faith as founder and president of Family Promise, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping homeless and low-income families achieve sustainable independence and addressing the underlying causes of poverty and homelessness. Family Promise helps mobilize congregations of all faiths and existing community resources to provide safe shelter, meals, and comprehensive support services for homeless families. Through Olson’s leadership, Family Promise now includes more than 110,000 volunteers with 124 affiliates in 39 states, and over 4,500 congregations throughout the country. Family Promise has expanded its mission under Olson’s continuing direction to include a Family Mentoring program, the multi-media Just Neighbors® social justice curriculum, and public policy initiatives to raise awareness about homelessness and poverty-related issues.
- Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, February 18, 2007, "Homeless advocate to speak in city; Local leaders to hear talk on interfaith group"
- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, February 8, 2007, "Ray of hope; Interfaith networks are forming in Manatee and Sarasota counties with a focus on helping homeless families"
- First Coast News, November 2, 2006, by Angela Spears, Local Churches Providing Shelter to Homeless Families
- Houston Chronicle, October 19, 2005 "RECOVERING FROM RITA: Trailers offer shelter close to home as repairs made; Up to 2,000 East Texas families are eligible, but some anti-poverty groups are critical"
- The Bozeman Daily Chronicle, July 22, 2004 "New
idea sparks hope for homeless help"
- Billings Gazette, July 20, 2004 "Billings
social-welfare program helps homeless with work, housing"
- Philadelphia Inquirer, Sunday, November
23, 2003 "Teaching
Empathy About Poverty"
- Ms. Olson has been interviewed about Family Promise's national network in The New York Times, the Charlotte Observer, the Buffalo News and Family Circle magazine, on CBS-TV’s "Saturday Early Show," and by various local media outlets.
- Read
a Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, FL) interview with Karen
Olson from August 20, 2001.
Organizational links for this expert
Family Promise, formerly known as Interfaith Hospitality Network (NIHN)
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