A Path Home: Restoring Dignity in Las Vegas
For travelers and residents alike, the increasing challenge of homelessness in major tourist centers like the Las Vegas Valley is a visible concern. Addressing this complex issue, particularly for families, requires more than just temporary shelter. Family Promise of Nevada has launched its new Family Navigation Center, a comprehensive approach designed to restore stability and dignity to families experiencing a housing crisis. This center serves as a powerful, community-based solution that ensures families are never left to navigate complex systems alone.
The Family Navigation Center Model
The new center marks a major turning point in Family Promise’s three decades of service, centralizing scattered resources into a single, comprehensive campus.
Uniting Services Under One Roof
“The Family Navigation Center is the culmination of nearly 30 years of work serving families with children who are facing or at risk of homelessness in Southern Nevada,” states Martin Malmberg, Development and Foundation Manager. He emphasizes the critical expansion: “The new $14 million Navigation Center unites these services under one roof, offering ten fully furnished micro-apartments and a state-of-the-art resource hub. It transforms our model from a temporary shelter to a comprehensive, community-based campus where families can live, learn, and thrive.”
This new facility is a distinct departure from traditional emergency shelter concepts. “Traditional shelters often separate families, limit privacy, and provide only short-term relief,” Malmberg explains. “Our Navigation Center is designed as a dignified, apartment-style setting where families stay together while receiving wraparound services, including case management, workforce development, and financial literacy training, that help them build long-term stability. Families can remain for up to a year, as long as they continue working toward the individualized goals they set with their case manager.”
Resources for Long-Term Stability
The center provides all essential services under a single roof, acting as a “one-stop” hub where supportive services are integrated into the daily life of the residents.
Malmberg details the extensive range of programs offered: “In addition to our other programs, families can access a wide range of supports, including: Bridge housing: 10 fully furnished micro-apartments for short-term stays. Workforce development: A training center with computers, resume assistance, interview coaching, and direct links to employers. Children’s learning center: A space filled with books, games, and tutoring to support educational success. Life skills and financial literacy workshops: Budgeting, tenant education, and parenting support. Supportive services: Laundry facilities, food pantries, play areas, and communal kitchens, all designed to restore dignity while meeting practical needs.”
This co-located approach removes barriers for parents. “The Family Navigation Center is designed as a true ‘one-stop’ hub where case managers, employment coaches, and community partners are embedded in the daily life of families. Instead of forcing families to travel to multiple agencies, services are co-located and coordinated under one roof,” Malmberg says.
Community Commitment and Measuring Success
The model’s effectiveness is demonstrated by its impressive results and reliance on dedicated community partnerships.
Addressing Root Causes of Crisis
The center directly tackles the systemic issues that make stability difficult in Nevada, such as the lack of affordable housing, employment instability, and childcare challenges.
Malmberg explains the focused strategy: “The new Family Navigation Center is designed to tackle these challenges head-on. By providing safe interim housing, case management, landlord partnerships, employment readiness, financial literacy, and childcare navigation all under one roof, families can overcome the roadblocks that too often keep them trapped in crisis.” The model emphasizes working with local partners: “For parents like Tonya who struggled to find housing due to a past eviction, we partnered with ‘second-chance’ landlords willing to give her a fresh start.”
Long-Term Goals and Partnership
Success is measured by lasting outcomes, not just temporary placements. “We measure success through housing stability, income growth, and long-term independence,” Malmberg notes, sharing their proven track record: “Over the last year, we served 788 families and 91% of them achieved their goal of sustainable housing.”
The entire effort is sustained by the local community: “Community support is at the heart of Family Promise of Las Vegas. From the beginning, local congregations, businesses, and volunteers have been the backbone of our programs, and they remain essential partners today. The new Family Navigation Center is designed to be a community-driven space—built for the community and sustained by the community.”
Individuals and organizations are invited to help: “This is an open invitation: if you are part of our community, we want to partner with you to support families in need.”
