Family Promise’s mission to house and feed residents in Bergen County is more than just a job for Executive Director Kate Duggan and Board President Paul Shackford — it’s a calling.
Shackford began volunteering shortly after it was established more than 38 years ago as the Interreligious Fellowship for the Homeless of Bergen County, committed to ending homelessness through a community-based approach. Duggan first became involved as a volunteer, helping with the organization’s Thanksgiving efforts. Inspired by the work, she eventually left her career as an audiologist to become Director of Volunteers. Today, she leads the organization alongside Shackford, helping expand its reach and programs.
As the fall season unfolds, Family Promise’s busiest initiative — the Walk-In Dinner Program — remains front and center. The program provides hot, nutritious meals every single night to those in need, served from the Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center in Hackensack.
Most of the meals are supplied by local congregations and businesses, which prepare and deliver the meals directly to the shelter; about 30% of the meals are purchased through donations to Family Promise. Volunteers serve about 50 meals to residents of the shelter in the dining room, and 100 or more to people from the community who come to receive the free meals to-go at the center’s loading dock. Duggan and Shackford are proud to say the program has never missed a day — not even during hurricanes, blizzards, or the pandemic.
“People have told us we’ve saved their lives,” Shackford said. “That this is the only meal they’ll get all day. That we’re the only people who treat them with dignity — sometimes the only people they’ll talk to that day. We’re building a community that looks out for one another, and that’s a beautiful thing.”
Community is at the heart of everything Family Promise does. That sense of community is why these programs at Family Promise have continued. Not only is it consistent with their housing initiative, but it also provides a way to truly connect with Bergen County residents as they continue to fulfill their mission to address homelessness.
“Because the dinners are free, people can use the money they save to pay their rent. In that way, this dinner program is, in essence, a homeless prevention program,” Duggan said.
In September 2025, the program served its 1.5 millionth meal — a milestone that symbolizes how impactful these consistent efforts have become. But for Duggan and Shackford, it's never been about the numbers.
“The most rewarding part of it all is seeing someone come to the dock and tell us it’s their last time — because they’ve found a new apartment or a new job,” Duggan said. “It means they’re moving forward, and that’s always amazing to see.”
Family Promise’s Walk-In Dinner Program is located at the Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center at 120 South River St in Hackensack from 4:45 until 5:50 each day.
To learn more about the program and volunteering opportunities, visit bergenfamilypromise.org or follow them on Instagram @familypromise_bc.