At the time of her sabbatical, Laurie Kari had worked for Family Promise Mat-Su since 2005 and had been its director since 2008. In 2001 she helped establish its predecessor organization, Mat-Su Valley Interfaith Hospitality Network. Kari planned to use her sabbatical to visit family in the Lower 48 and hoped to return to the pottery wheel, write journals, hike and exercise. Her goal was to come back to Family Promise refreshed, complete and balanced.

In July 2019, Kari retired. The Family Promise day center was renamed The Kari House in her honor.