The longtime director of Family Promise is retiring this August, and the nonprofit is starting the search for a new leader, it announced in a news release on Friday evening.

Dana Ortiz, who has led Family Promise for the past 12 years, plans to step down in August, then mentor the organization’s new director through a transition period of up to six months, the release said.

“I have loved my time in this role at Family Promise of Lawrence, and it has brought me in touch with the most delightful people — those who work with FPL, volunteers, staff, partnering agencies, donors and those who are served by FPL,” Ortiz said in the release. “I believe the mission of this organization encompasses all that is good and right in our world — empowerment, stabilization, community connections and relationships.”

Family Promise is currently accepting applications for the role and plans to hire a new executive director by April. Interested applicants can send a cover letter and resume to EDsearch@lawrencefamilypromise.org, and can also request a job description by reaching out.

The Lawrence chapter is part of a national organization with more than 200 locations throughout the country, which aim to empower families who are going through a housing crisis to achieve stabilization through community connections. In Lawrence, the chapter has been around since 2008, and in the time since has provided more than 36,000 nights of shelter, served more than 1,700 local families and prevented 650 families from entering homelessness, according to the release.

The nonprofit accomplishes that work by partnering with local congregations to provide shelter for families in need. Most recently, Family Promise earned a unanimous recommendation from the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission to convert a longtime day care building at 200 Mount Hope Court into a more permanent shelter facility for homeless families; the facility could open later this year, pending approval from the Lawrence City Commission.

Pastor Matthew Sturtevant, the president of Family Promise of Lawrence’s board, praised Ortiz in the release for her leadership and service.

“Dana is leaving our organization in an incredibly strong and stable position,” Sturtevant said in the release. “She has generously shared her wisdom and insights with us all, and we will now carry the torch that she is handing us after her 12 years of inspiring leadership.”