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Tag: APP Homelessness

  • Lakeland nonprofit says it needs support to continue helping homeless

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — Imagine not knowing where your next meal will come from or where you’ll stay the night.

    That’s the reality many people that are homeless face. In Lakeland, one nonprofit said the need has grown over the past year. And they need support too, so they can continue to help.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Cosmo Project is a nonprofit organization that serves food, provides clothing and hygiene products to the homeless every Sunday at 11 a.m. in Munn Park in Lakeland
    • They say that over the past year, the number of people they serve and the need for volunteers have both increased 
    • The nonprofit’s founder, Michael Carrano, said he’s focused on giving the homeless community the resources that will help them get back on their feet during a tough time


    Sorting through piles of donations, it’s become an everyday thing for Michael Carrano and his team with The Cosmo Project.

    It’s a nonprofit focused on providing resources to the homeless community.

    Carrano founded The Cosmo Project in 2023 to give back.

    “When you’re unhoused and you need clothing, nine times out of 10, you get what’s handed to you — you don’t get to pick your own clothing,” he said.

    The clothing is set up on racks, along with food and hygiene products for the homeless community, which is given out to them at Munn Park in Lakeland every Sunday at 11 a.m.

    But Carrano said the need has grown over the past year.

    “Last year, we served about 4,000 to 5,000 people. This year, we clocked in about 6,300,” he said.

    Carrano also said that several factors could be contributing to the increase in the homeless population they serve.

    “Housing market is insane, food prices are high,” he said.

    With the increased need, the nonprofit is also in need of more helping hands, like Oliver Lamy. He started volunteering with his parents about a year ago.

    “I mostly do the smaller parts like hanging the clothes, organizing stuff, but it just feels satisfying to see them having things they need,” said Lamy.

    He encourages the younger generation to go out and help. For Carrano, it’s about giving the homeless community the resources that will help them get back on their feet during a tough time.

    “It is harder now to be homeless than it has ever been,” said Carrano.

    The Cosmo Project said that right now, they’re most in need of men’s clothing items and volunteers.

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    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • Planning board blocks Talbot House plan to relocate

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — Talbot House Ministries may soon need to find a new location for its proposed homeless shelter and social services campus.

    What You Need To Know

    • Lakeland’s Planning and Zoning Board denied Talbot House Ministries’ proposal to relocate its homeless shelter and social services campus to Memorial Boulevard after months of community opposition

    • Nearby residents cited concerns about neighborhood impact and school proximity, saying the project could disrupt the character and safety of the area

    • Talbot House has 30 days to appeal the decision to the Lakeland City Commission, and its attorney warns the denial could raise federal Fair Housing Act concerns


    Lakeland’s Planning and Zoning Board recently blocked the organization’s plan to relocate to Memorial Boulevard after months of pushback from the community. The campus would have served up to 390 people and provided long-term housing, job training and health care.

    While there is still a long process ahead, residents living on Edgewater Drive say the board’s decision brought them one step closer to preserving the neighborhood they know and love.

    “When we initially moved into this neighborhood, it was a very quiet and close-knit community,” longtime resident Wanda Avery said.

    Avery said that she and her neighbors have worked to maintain that atmosphere over the past 20 years.

    “They love this community, but they also want to protect our livelihood, our way of life here, our feeling of community,” she said.

    Avery said that Talbot House Ministries’ plans to build its campus nearby could have had a negative impact. She said she was concerned about the proximity to homes and nearby schools.

    “Nothing is protected. They have nothing in place to protect the five schools in the area,” Avery said. “If you count feet from the corner of Ingraham to Memorial, you’re 60 feet across the street from the opening to the school.”

    City leaders said they took residents’ concerns into consideration during the most recent Planning and Zoning Board meeting. Despite the organization making several changes to its plans — including moving the building farther from homes and rotating the entrance to face North Ingraham Avenue — board members still voted to deny the proposal.

    Talbot House’s attorney, Tim Campbell, warned that the decision could violate federal civil rights laws.

    “It is discriminatory under the Fair Housing Act for a local government to deny a land-use approval based upon the use of the property for services which assist the homeless and disabled,” Campbell said.

    However, Avery said it is also important to consider the rights of nearby residents.

    “We just can’t imagine, honestly, that this has anything to do with the betterment of this community,” she said.

    Talbot House has 30 days to appeal the decision to the Lakeland City Commission, which would make the final decision after a public hearing.

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Pinellas teens sleep outside to learn about homelessness

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It’s a harsh reality, but several people in the Tampa Bay community are spending their night on the street.

    Nearly 2,000 people are experiencing homelessness in Pinellas County in a single night, according to the Pinellas County Point in Time Count. 

    What You Need To Know

    • At St. Raphael Catholic Church, about 20 teens slept outside with minimal shelter to learn what it’s like to be houseless

    • The kids could only bring three items. Some brought boxes, pillows, and tarps

    • Guest speakers, like Pinellas Hope representatives, talked to teens about the issue

    • They also made donations to shelters


    On Saturday night, dozens of teens slept outside without shelter to get a glimpse into the life of a person experiencing homelessness.

    Out in a field behind the St. Raphael Catholic Church, about 20 teens slept outside with almost nothing.

    “I slept in a cardboard box,” said Hudson Maphet, a teen participating in the program.

    They were only allowed to bring three items. Maphet brought a pillow a blanket and deodorant. It’s all part of the homeless retreat where teens from five churches are learning what it’s like to be houseless.

    “I’m kind of used to the cold, so it didn’t hit me too hard until I decided to walk around in socks in the cold, wet grass. It was not it,” Maphet said.

    Participants heard from experts about the issue. The director of the temporary emergency shelter, Joe Pondolfino of Pinellas Hope, spoke to the group Saturday night. He said he was hoping to clear up any misconceptions the teens had.

    “It’s not about just looking at somebody on the street corner and saying, ‘Oh, what did they do wrong?’ It’s really what happened to them. So it’s really important to look at each person individually and it’s important for the next generation to help us tackle this problem,” said Pondolfino.

    And the problem is not going away. Pondolfino said Pinellas Hope is seeing about 20 new people a week.

    “It tells me that the problem still exists. It’s not gotten much better at this point, even though we do have some great successes. It’s something that we can’t take our eye off the ball,” he said.

    After hearing from Pondolfino and sleeping in the wet grass, Maphet said even though they are teenagers, there are little things they can do to make a difference.

    “Just a conversation, just a ‘How are you?’ A handshake — something, something of acknowledgment, because most of those people out there, they feel like they’re invisible and they’re very much so seen,” Maphet said.

    It was more than an experience, it was also an outreach event.

    Teens packed up lunches along with hygiene products that will be distributed to shelters like Pinellas Hope.

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    Tyler O’Neill

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  • Judge makes ruling in homeless lawsuit against St. Pete

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A Pinellas County judge on Tuesday dismissed the motion for a third-party group to join a homeless lawsuit against the city of St. Petersburg.

    Restaurant owner Ronicca Whaley filed a lawsuit against the city in July, claiming the city was allowing homeless people to sleep overnight on public property.

    It’s one of the first lawsuits filed under a new state law.

    Whaley alleges the city’s conduct is hurting her business by enabling atrocious behaviorrs.

    The city in September asked the judge to dismiss Whaley’s lawsuit, stating it was based on vague assertions.

    The Progressive People’s Action asked the judge to intervene in the lawsuit, saying the case could affect the organization’s ability to deliver benefits.

    Both the plaintiff and defendant asked the judge to deny the PPA motion, which Judge Amy Williams ended up doing Tuesday.

    “This lawsuit is not about taking away aid or taking away anything from homeless,” Williams said. “This is simply about enforcing the law and whether the people should be allowed to sleep in the parks.”

    Earlier this month, Judge Williams also denied the city’s motion to dismiss Whaley’s complaint.

    The state law prohibits local governments from allowing overnight sleeping in public spaces.

    The lawsuit will proceed to the recovery stage.

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    Spectrum News Staff, Josh Rojas

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  • New program aims to get mental health care to the homeless

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A new psychiatry program launched in Mecklenburg County called Wellness Without Walls. It’s led by the United Way of Greater Charlotte and its Home for All Initiative.

    Malia Suhren believes everyone deserves equitable health care.

    “That’s not something that has to be earned. It’s just a human right,” said Suhren, director of unsheltered housing navigation for Roof Above.

    What You Need To Know

    • A new psychiatry program launched in Mecklenburg County called Wellness Without Walls, led by the United Way of Greater Charlotte 

    • It takes mental health care out to the streets to reach homeless populations 

    • The treatment is consensual, and the goal is to help people long term


    It’’s a sentiment Suhren keeps close to her heart and it’s why her organization has partnered with other nonprofits and health providers to start the Wellness Without Walls program. It takes mental health care out to the streets, making sure homeless populations get mental health treatment. Suhren and her team take the essential supplies people need and a psychiatrist goes out with them once or twice a week. 

    “They conduct walk-and-talk assessments, connect people with life-changing medication, provide the psycho-education that just goes beyond what we’re able to provide at outreach,” Suhren said.

    All the treatment is consensual, and the goal is to help people long term.

    “When we have a discussion around safety, we tend to think of our own personal safety and perceptions of safety, and that’s totally valid and totally right,” said Kathryn Firmin-Sellers, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Charlotte. “I want to feel safe on the light rail. I want to feel safe walking Uptown.”

    “But I also want our homeless neighbors to feel safe as well,” she said. “So I think expanding that conversation around public safety to include all Charlotteans is a great addition and a great outcome of bringing this program to life.” 

    The total homeless population in North Carolina without shelter increased by 50% from 2010 to 2024, compared with 17% nationally, according to the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency.

    “It would be amazing if Mecklenburg County could be something that people use as a model in order to improve services all around North Carolina,” Suhren said.

    The program is in its pilot phase but the United Way says it hopes to scale the program up in the coming year. 

    Helpful resources

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    Arin Cotel-Altman

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  • Metropolitan Ministries expanding; opening holiday tent in Pinellas County

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — After providing a holiday tent assistance program in Tampa more than 40 years, Metropolitan Ministries is expanding its outreach and opening a tent in Pinellas County this season.

    What You Need To Know

    • Metropolitan Ministries expands iconic holiday tent site to Pinellas County 

    • The St. Petersburg location at Holy Cross Catholic Church is expected to serve more than 5,000 families

    • Organization hiring for seasonal staff to help support holiday outreach efforts


     “We’ve done distributions out of the back of a truck and giving people food but this is more relational,” said Tim Marks, Chief Strategy Advisor and Former CEO of Metropolitan Ministries. “My role is to take what we’ve done in Tampa (and) make sure we do our best here in Pinellas to serve.”

    The organization will offer hope, Marks says, to more than 5,000 families the organization is expected to serve.

    “Some are struggling still from the hurricanes from last year. Others have economic storms and other storms of life that they’re facing. We want to bring hope and happiness to families over the holiday season,” he said.

    Families can start registering online Oct. 20 for the tent that helps people through the Thanksgiving and Christmas season.

    “You shop for the food you like for your family. You pick out the toys. It’s not Metropolitan Ministries that’s providing the toys; you want to give mom and dad the dignity of providing toys for their kids,” said Marks.

    Holy Cross Catholic Church in St. Petersburg says parishioners are also excited about the expansion and ready to volunteer.

    Metropolitan Ministries is also hiring for several temporary positions to help support what it calls Tampa Bay’s largest outreach initiative serving families in crisis over Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

    “We’ve been seeing about a 15% increase in seniors struggling and needing help because they’re on fixed income. Their rent’s gone up, their food costs have gone up, utilities have gone up,” said Marks.

    While setup is still in progress, the tent will soon be filled with people serving the community.

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    Melissa Eichman

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  • Greensboro veteran who was homeless now helps veterans overcome homelessness

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    GREENSBORO, N.C. — For many veterans, the transition home is not easy, and some even find themselves without a place to live. 

    In Greensboro, Army veteran Diane Dunn is now a case manager at The Servant Center, a nonprofit that provides housing and resources for veterans experiencing homelessness. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Army veteran Diane Dunn is a case manager at The Servant Center, a nonprofit that provides housing and resources for veterans experiencing homelessness
    • It’s personal for Dunn, because she once faced homelessness herself
    • The Servant Center’s new temporary housing facility will include 21 beds for disabled veterans experiencing homelessness, 22 medical respite beds and office space for staff
    • On Sept. 12, the center hosted its 2025 Triad Stand Down event where veterans connected with critical services like health and dental care, employment and housing




    The Servant Center offers permanent supportive housing — a program that Dunn said is life-changing. It’s personal for her, because she once faced homelessness.

    Dunn said since last year, Servant Center’s Glenwood and Haworth permanent housing facility has served 20 veterans and 95% of them remained permanently housed. In the Foxworth facility, Dunn says 34 veteran families were served, 100% of which have remained permanently housed.

    Dunn uses her own story of survival to help others find stability after serving their country.

    “When I had gotten out of the military in 1997, they didn’t have, of course, any programs like this,” Dunn said. “So I was homeless for almost a year.”

    Diane Dunn served in the Army for 10 years before becoming a case manager at The Servant Center. (Courtesy: Diane Dunn)

    Dunn served in the Army for 10 years. She said coming home and adjusting to civilian life was difficult.

    “You’re with a group of people all the time, and now you have to come home and learn to be a husband, learn to be a wife, you know, and fit into the daily schedule,” Dunn said.

    At the time, Dunn said she was “couch surfing” and even “dumpster diving” for food.

    Despite her circumstances, she enrolled in college while also working a part-time job. She was homeless for a year and a half. Now, Dunn helps residents with everything from medical appointments to transportation, but she said the most important thing she offers is trust.

    Dunn said residents lean on one another like family inside The Servant Center’s supportive housing.

    “Everybody in this building watches over everybody’s child, so I’m thankful for that,” Dunn said.

    Still, Dunn pointed out that supportive housing options for female veterans are limited across North Carolina.

    “The females don’t know where to go, and it’s not safe in the street,” Dunn said. “You find a lot of females hidden behind buildings off in the corner until daylight.”

    That’s why The Servant Center is opening a new building with a female hall for the first time. Dunn said it’s a mission that’s long overdue.

    The North Carolina Point-in-Time Count showed that in 2024 on any given day, 6% of people who were experiencing homelessness were veterans, and out of 11,626 people who were experiencing homelessness that same year, 41% were female.

    The Servant Center’s new temporary housing facility will include 21 beds for disabled veterans experiencing homelessness, 22 medical respite beds and office space for staff.

    On Sept. 12, the center hosted its 2025 Triad Stand Down event where veterans connected with critical services like health and dental care, employment and housing.

     

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    Ashley Van Havere

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  • Pasco County hosting series of town hall meetings on homelessness

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    NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — It has been a growing issue throughout the country and one that hits close to Tampa Bay.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pasco County will host a series of town hall meetings discussing homelessness

    • The local government is asking to hear from residents to find out how homelessness is impacting neighborhoods, communities and businesses
    • Two town hall meetings will take place, starting Tuesday night at the West Pasco Government Center


    Homelessness has become a cause for discussion, even in Pasco County. The local government is asking to hear from residents to help reduce the trend in a series of town halls with the first taking place Tuesday night.

    Pasco County says they want to find out how homelessness is impacting neighborhoods, communities and businesses. But it all starts with hearing from residents. That’s the reason behind this series of town hall meetings the county will host; first tonight and again next Tuesday.

    The Board of County Commissioners is working on their 2025-2030 strategic plan and the goal is to make homelessness rare, brief and non-existent. The county says they want to hear which services and facilities are working and which of those services still need some work. Residents are invited to either attend in-person or fill out an online survey.

    “I hope to see education around the topic of homelessness so that we can create a response external to county government, local county government, but all-inclusive with our citizens, our not-for-profits, our public safety sector,” says Brian Hobin, Pasco County Director of Community Services. “It needs to be an all-hands-on-deck response for us to be able to make a difference in homelessness.”

    And Hobin says Pasco County has already opened what they call a low barrier shelter through Pasco Hope. They will be in attendance for tonight’s meeting.

    The first town hall takes place tonight at the West Pasco Government Center in the boardroom starting at 5:30 p.m. Another town hall is scheduled for next Tuesday, Sept. 30, at the Saint Leo University Wellness Center at 5:30 p.m.

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • St. Pete motions to dismiss public sleeping suit filed by restaurant owner

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The city of St. Petersburg has responded to the public sleeping lawsuit filed by downtown restaurant owner Ronicca Whaley by asking a judge to dismiss it due to vague assertions.

    What You Need To Know

    • The city of St. Petersburg filed a motion to dismiss a public sleeping lawsuit 

    • Ronicca Whaley’s one of the first people in Florida to file a suit under the new state law  

    • The city states the lawsuit makes vague assertions about Whaley’s beliefs

    • Whaley’s attorney stated she only has to show any person is being regularly allowed to sleep on public property under the law


    The city’s motion filed last month states, “The complaint warrants dismissal because it is replete with vague, conclusory and immaterial facts not obviously connected to any particular cause of action.”

    In July, Whaley accused the city of failing to enforce a new state law which prohibits local governments from regularly allowing overnight sleeping on public property, which she said has been harming her business Shiso Crispy.

    “The City’s failure to enforce this statute, particularly in Williams Park and the surrounding sidewalks near Plaintiff’s restaurants, constituents a blatant disregard for state law and undermines the safety, economic vitality and aesthetic integrity of the community,” states the complaint.

    According to the city, Whaley’s lawsuit makes vague assertions “based on information and belief” and should not be a catchall to assert a laundry list of real or perceived personal grievances.

    “Plaintiff’s ‘beliefs’ are not facts. There are no dates, times, nor names… this type of allegation is impossible to defend,” the motion stated.

    Last week, Whaley’s attorney, Sandford Kinne, responded to the city’s motion to dismiss. Kinne said the state law does not require Whaley to identify specific individuals. Instead, she only has to show any person is being regularly allowed to sleep on public property.

    “Defendant’s insistence that Plaintiff must produce the names of each individual sleeper, along with dates and times, would impose a burden that is neither found in the statute nor compatible with its purpose,” stated the opposition motion.

    Kinne stated his client is not required to perform a census of those experiencing homelessness and the court should allow the case to proceed to discovery.

    “Plaintiff’s factual allegations are neither vague, conclusory or irrelevant,” he stated. “The complaint is replete with specific instances of her personal observations of individuals sleeping in Williams Park and outside her restaurant.”   

    Whaley has said her goal is to get the city and county to create an area where the homeless are allowed to sleep overnight and get wraparound services. She also wanted to raise awareness about the problem downtown.

    Whaley’s one of the first people to file a lawsuit in Florida under the new state law.

    Attorney Kinne did not respond to a request for an interview. The city has a policy of not commenting on lawsuits. A court hearing on the matter has not yet been scheduled.

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    Josh Rojas

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  • St. Pete family displaced by sewage flooding face homelessness

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A St. Petersburg family, whose house was flooded twice last year when the sewer system in their Disston Heights neighborhood backed up and overflowed from their toilet, received a notice on Thursday from Pinellas County to vacate the Seminole RV they’ve been temporarily living in.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Pennington’s home was flooded twice in 2024 by raw sewage overflowing from their toilet

    • Public Works said the toilet is the lowest point in the system and acts as a relief valve when over pressurized 

    • The city declined to purchase the Pennington’s home in May and instead Public Works installed a backflow preventer on the lateral line 

    • Pinellas County has given the Penningtons 20 days to vacate the RV the family of five has been temporarily living in since November


    “We don’t know where we’re going to go. We don’t know what we’re going to do,” said Jim Pennington, 53. “This is kind of a last resort for us. We feel honestly…we might be homeless if we’re kicked out of this location.”

    Pennington said a member of his church offered up the RV for free last November, which is parked on the side of a home in unincorporated Seminole. State law allows homeowners to put a temporary trailer on their property to live in for 36 months while repairs are being made to their flood-damaged home.

    In Pennington’s case, there was no place to park an RV outside of his St. Petersburg home. He asked Pinellas County for a permit to live in the RV outside his friend’s Seminole home. Pinellas County tried to be flexible and allowed the family to live in the RV, but complaints from neighbors and a change in the primary residence of the Seminole home shifted the stance.

    “The intent of the state law and the language of the permit allows residents to put a temporary RV on their residential property, which is what the single-family home property was when they initially moved into the RV there,” said Brian Pellerin, Pinellas County spokesperson. “Since then, the use of the property has shifted from residential to AirBNB, and the permit is no longer valid.”

    Pellerin said the county worked extensively with the Pennington family over the past six months and will connect them to community resources. The notice from code enforcement gave the Penningtons 20 days to vacate the RV. Rachelle Pennington, 48, said she’s worried about where they’ll end up with their three kids ages 17, 14 and 11, which she homeschools.

    “Now we’re under this ticking time bomb,” she said. “It’s not in our budget to go pay rent for an RV park, if we can even find one.”

    Pennington said he wishes he could move back into his St. Petersburg home, but he doesn’t have any money to repair it and lost 9 months while the city considered purchasing it.

    “They originally were kind of making it out, that they wanted to potentially purchase our home,” he said. “Instead, what they said is, ‘We’re not going to purchase your home because it doesn’t benefit us. It doesn’t benefit the stormwater system, or it doesn’t benefit the wastewater system.’”

    Pennington said the city has known since 2016 that his home had sewage backup problems, which peaked last year. Public Works Administrator Claude Tankersley wrote in a letter to Pennington that states:

    “We believe the reason sewage backed up into your plumbing during heavy rain events was because other users of the sewer system had removed the cleanout caps on their laterals.”

    Tankersley said the removal of cleanout caps was likely an attempt to drain stormwater from their properties allowed thousands of gallons to drain into the sanitary sewer pipes.

    “The surge of stormwater completely filled the sanitary sewer pipes until the sewage/stormwater combination found an easy way to escape — through the lowest points in the system,” he stated. “The sanitary sewer manhole and toilet acted as a pressure relief valve, allowing the water to exit the pressurized system at those points.”

    Pennington said he was shocked the city blamed his neighbors for the sewage flooding.

    “I think they’re trying to say, ‘Hey, our system is actually performing as it should, but the neighbors are not doing what they’re supposed to do,’” he said. “’That’s what’s causing your issue in your location.’”

    Tankersley said Public Works notified the users with missing cleanout caps that they must never remove the caps to drain their yards because they risk flooding someone else’s house with sewage. The city also bolted down the manhole cover and installed a backflow preventer on Pennington’s lateral line to prevent future sewer backups.

    “We wish they would have put this in sooner. I asked the city about solutions in 2016,” he said. “The sewage portion, we are hopeful, is maybe solved for the future. It doesn’t help us with recovering from our home the way it is right now and what happened already. And it doesn’t help the stormwater issues.”

    Spectrum Bay News 9 requested an interview with Tankersley, but it was declined. City spokesperson Samantha Bequer said that “given that there is currently an open claim with the City for the Pennington home, we are unable to comment.”

    Pennington said his claim for purchasing the home was denied in May and the claim for their ruined belongings was denied in June.

    “It’s not open anymore,” he said. “We just want a safe place to live in our city…(and) the city is looking out for our back.”

    The Pennington home is located in City Council member Richie Floyd’s District 8 who said he’s going to ask the administration for more information. Floyd said it’s a terrible situation, which shows the need for outreach after storms so people can get connected with resources as soon as possible.

    Pennington said that since they lived on high ground, they did not have flood insurance, the window to apply for an SBA loan has long passed and he’s not sure how they’re going to afford the estimated $150,000 to repair their sewage damaged home.

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    Josh Rojas

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  • Metro BrigAIDe back up and running after AmeriCorps cuts

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    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — The Metro BrigAIDe program is a part of Metropolitan Ministries.

    They travel around Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties looking for those experiencing homelessness so they can help.

    However, earlier this year, they were forced to shut down temporarily.

    For people like Nelson Doland, who had been previously helped by the program, he said it’s upsetting to see.

    “If it wasn’t for them, I’d still be at the soup kitchen, probably sweating to death,” he said in sign language.

    Metro BrigAIDe Associate Director Ethan Weilant said their entire team is passionate about helping people like Doland.

    Since 2018, Metro BrigAIDe has helped thousands of people gain access to the resources they need.

    “The main thing we’re trying to do is housing, and so a really good way to create initial connection with individuals is by having some kind of good that we can hand out,” Weilant said.

    In late April, Metropolitan Ministries was told it would no longer receive funding through AmeriCorps.

    With 20 members of the BrigAIDe team funded through AmeriCorps, Weilant said they had to pause services to reorganize.

    “People felt that we weren’t there,” he said. “The phone lines started adding up. We got tons of calls from the hotline. We had agencies reaching out, seeing if we were able to help them, and we had to tell them we’re doing as much as we can right now, but we have a really limited team.”

    10 Metro BrigAIDe positions were revived after the cuts.

    Three for Hillsborough County, three for Pasco, and four for Pinellas.

    According to Metropolitan Ministries, AmeriCorps contracts were reinstated in late July.

    However, they said that since the Metro BrigAIDe program was reorganized due to the original cuts, they’ve decided not to apply for the 2026 fiscal year, citing the volatility of the funding.

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    Matt Lackritz

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  • ‘It was a gut punch’: Federal cuts hit Metropolitan Ministries homeless program

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    TAMPA, Fla. — New federal budget cuts to AmeriCorps are affecting programs in the Tampa Bay region. 

    What You Need To Know

    • AmeriCorps roles at Metropolitan Ministries have been eliminated due to federal cuts

    • Metropolitan Ministries is moving $550,000 to create 11 positions to keep Metro BrigAIDe going

    • Most of the Metropolitan Ministries mobile street outreach operations will pause for one month


    Officials with Metropolitan Ministries said they need to reorganize their Metro BrigAIDe program, which had 30 AmeriCorps members serving the homeless community in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco counties. 

    Matthew Fertitta is one of the staff members affected by the cuts. 

    “Our managers called an emergency mandatory meeting between all three counties and canceled all sites, so I was immediately pretty sure that what was happening was that DOGE was cutting our program,” he said.  

    Fertitta isn’t the only one caught off guard. 

    John Paul Comas, the senior director of BrigAIDe Mobile Outreach, said he found out from Volunteer Florida about the cuts through an email. 

    “It was a gut punch,” he said. “It was devastating to know that it could be done so quickly.”

    Since 2018, Metro BrigAIDe has helped thousands of people living on the street gain access to the resources they need. 

    Metropolitan Ministries is not letting the program end, though.

    In response to the federal cuts, the organization is moving $550,000 to create 11 positions to keep Metro BrigAIDe going.

    Comas said the program makes such a big impact, it would be devastating if it disappeared.

    “Help with identification, access to benefits, Social Security, health care, transportation, employment, shelter and housing, reunifying families,” he said. “These are some of the life-saving services that we provide to the folks that are out there on the streets and it was shut down in a way that is just hurtful and harmful to the community.” 

    Metropolitan Ministries leaders say part of the reorganization includes a new staffing model and securing the money needed to keep the BrigAIDe critical services going. 

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    Matt Lackritz

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  • Pasco nonprofit partners with church for LGBTQ+ friendly food pantry

    Pasco nonprofit partners with church for LGBTQ+ friendly food pantry

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    NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Saturday morning New Life Community Gospel Church welcomed residents to the first LGBTQ+ friendly food pantry in the area.

    It’s a partnership with Messengers of Hope Mission, a nonprofit that provides food in their mobile unit to residents across Pasco County.

    What You Need To Know

    • Messengers of Hope Mission is a nonprofit organization that helps feed the hungry in Pasco County with their mobile food pantry

    • The nonprofit partnered with New Life Community Gospel Church for an LGBTQ+ food pantry

    • Church leaders want to create a space where residents feel safe and loved to get food they need

    • The initiative will take place every second Saturday of the month


    For the church’s Associate Pastor Randy Meadows, it is a chance to connect with residents in his community.

    “We have a lot of LGBTQ people that don’t feel safe to come to certain areas for whatever reason so we just wanted to make sure that they knew that they had a place to come that we could give them the food that they needed,” he said.

    It’s that reassurance of safety and support why Stephanie Stuart went to the pantry Saturday.

    “I do visit other pantries and they’re very sweet people at the church, but it’s always in the back of my mind I wonder if they’d be that sweet if they knew the whole truth,” she said.

    Having support from church leaders is a sense of relief for Stuart, who has struggled to make ends meet being an entertainer in the area.

    Leaving with a cart full of food but also love, she is grateful for the variety the pantry provides.

    “I got girl scout cookies, thin mint, but yea, this is going to help me for probably the next two weeks,” said Stuart.

    For Meadows, seeing the smiles in his community is how he knows they’re making a difference.

    “Jesus said to John, feed my sheep and that’s what we’re trying to do is feed the sheep for the lord and whoever goes through this parking lot I want to love on them,” he said.

    This pantry will be held every second Saturday of the month.

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    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • Homeless Empowerment Program helps families stock up for new school year

    Homeless Empowerment Program helps families stock up for new school year

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    CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Homeless Empowerment Program is helping its families stock up for a new school year.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Homeless Empowerment Program’s Back to School Bash helps families in its shelter prepare for new year

    • About 70 children who reside at the HEP shelter selected new backpacks and filled them with school supplies

    • Other services at the bash included haircuts from SalonCentric and sports physicals from BayCare


    About 70 children who reside at HEP selected new backpacks and filled them with school supplies. The Back to School Bash provided families with everything from folders and notebooks to pencils and lunchboxes. The children even got to select their own items at a pop-up store full of socks and more.

    “It really helps out a lot, so I’m very grateful and blessed,” said Honor Edwards, who attended with her two children. “Me and my husband lost our jobs, we lost our condo, we lost cars, we lost everything, so we were homeless for five years.”

    Edwards says she’s grateful she connected with HEP and its programs, thankful her children are all set for the new school year.

    “It really helps out a lot, so I’m very grateful and blessed,” said Edwards.

    “We know that when kids go back to school without the supplies that they need, they’re already being set up for an educational disadvantage,” said Ashely Lowery, HEP President and CEO. “But it also sets them up for social issues and emotional issues as well, so we’re hoping just by giving them everything they need at the beginning of the year that they’ll be able to put their best food forward and start the year in a way that will set them up for success.”

    A National Retail Federation survey reports families will spend about $900 sending their kids back to school.

    “That’s a big number for any family and then when you start looking at low-income families and families that are living within homeless shelter systems that becomes even more of a burden,” said Lowery. “So, we’re very happy to be able to relieve that for the families that we serve through all of the partners that are donating goods and services today.”

    Services from those partners included haircuts from the SalonCentric salon on campus, sports physicals from BayCare and the pop-up store featuring Odd Sox socks.

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    Melissa Eichman

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  • Cooling kits bring relief to Pasco’s homeless in extreme heat

    Cooling kits bring relief to Pasco’s homeless in extreme heat

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    NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Dangerously hot and humid conditions pose life-threatening and deadly risks in Florida, especially for people experiencing homelessness, one of our most vulnerable populations.

    On average, August is historically the hottest month of the year in Florida, so to help its unhoused clients endure the extreme heat and humidity, The Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County just started assembling and distributing cooling kits.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County just started assembling and distributing cooling kits

    • Each drawstring bag includes a hat, sunglasses, cooling cloth, bug spray, reusable water bottle, lip balm and liquid IV packets, along with multiple sunscreen options

    • In addition to several agencies throughout Pasco County serving as points of distribution, street outreach teams deliver the cooling kits to homeless individuals directly

    “Our mission is to serve our unhoused and those individuals at risk of homelessness in Pasco County,” said Jennifer Watts, the Chief Executive Officer of The Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County.

    “So, we started this last summer when we were experiencing extremely deadly high temperatures here in Florida,” Watts continued. “In an effort to meet the needs of those clients, this was our way to offer them some supplies and some comfort. We know it doesn’t replace a house or roof over their head, but it’s something we can do to extend those services. These are items that many of us take for granted when going out of the house each day, but these are not items that our clients have on hand, so it’s important that we provide them to meet those basic needs.”

    With the help of teenage volunteers, the nonprofit has assembled dozens of cooling kits for this first round of distribution. Watts added that the bug spray and liquid IV packets are the most requested items. 

    Each drawstring bag includes a hat, sunglasses, cooling cloth, bug spray, reusable water bottle, lip balm and liquid IV packets, along with multiple sunscreen options.

    DeeDee Dodson, who has been homeless for six months, walked into the nonprofit’s office to pick up a cooling kit and seek help for housing services. “They help out everybody, everybody here,” Dodson said. “They help the families and the kids.”

    In addition to several agencies throughout Pasco County serving as points of distribution, street outreach teams deliver the cooling kits to homeless individuals directly.

    “A lot of our community partners thought it was a great idea, so we were eager to start it again this year,” Watts said. “We were able to reach a widespread of clients throughout the community to meet those needs with help from the Healing Hearts Cafe, Metropolitan Ministries Outreach Brigade, The Sword & Spoon, Pasco County Libraries and Pasco County Human Services. They were all homes for our cooling kits to reach different clients,” Watts continued.

    A more robust solution revolves around the implementation of cooling centers as another option. The Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County is working with area municipalities with the hope of having libraries and recreation centers serve as cooling centers in the near future.

    In addition to Pasco County, the City of St. Petersburg also distributes cooling kits through its Housing and Neighborhood Services Administration.

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    Erica Riggins

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  • Talbot House Ministries expanding homeless services to Winter Haven

    Talbot House Ministries expanding homeless services to Winter Haven

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    WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Talbot House Ministries in Lakeland is hoping to bring relief to homeless families by expanding its services into Winter Haven.

    What You Need To Know

    • Talbot House Ministries purchased property in Winter Haven to expand services for woman, children and families

    • The new facility will help expand their residential programs to help families find affordable housing, establish a food pantry and a clinic

    • Polk County has over 600 people that are homeless, according to the homeless coalition of Polk County

    This new facility will help expand their residential programs to help families find affordable housing, establish a food pantry and a clinic. It will also house 82 people.

    “We have a bulk of uncounted families sleeping in the cars or couch surfing with family members and friends,” said Talbot House Ministries executive director Maria Cruz. “So we want to tackle the need of this population.”

    Twice a week you’ll find Cruz helping pack boxes of food at the ministry’s pantry.

    “It’s a very significant service that we provide, we know that food insecurity is a big reason why people become homeless,” she said. “We have the working class people that are struggling to just be able to pay the rent.”

    Right now, Polk County has over 600 people that are homeless, according to the homeless coalition of Polk County. So, Cruz says anything they can help with goes a long way.

    “Our primary service that is used is the emergency shelter. We are serving over 120 and 130 individuals any given night of the year,” she said.

    Bringing services to Winter Haven, Cruz says, will hopefully create a brighter future for more people.

    Talbot House Ministries will begin renovation of the purchased property in the next few months with the goal of opening early next year.

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    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • Housing agencies look to help youth aging out of foster care

    Housing agencies look to help youth aging out of foster care

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, youth who age out of foster care often lose the support and stability provided by the system, leading to a high risk of homelessness.

    What You Need To Know

    • According to the U.S. Department of Housing and urban development, youth who age out of foster care often lose the support and stability provided by the system, leading to a high risk of homelessness

    • HUD’s Foster Youth to Independence program made $13 million available for public housing agencies to address this problem

    • 22-year-old Shiane Bunch says she struggled to find housing since aging out of the foster care system about a year ago, but found Swan Lake, an affordable housing community in Lakeland

    “Looking for housing, especially without a reference, is a struggle,” said first-time renter Shiane Bunch.

    The 22-year-old says she struggled to find housing since aging out of the foster care system about a year ago.

    Then she learned about Swan Lake Village, a new affordable housing development by Blue Sky Communities in Lakeland.

    “I learned they accept foster kids, and it was section 8, so I thought it was good to get in here and take the chance, and I finally got in,” said Bunch. 

    She says it’s the best decision she’s made yet as an adult. 

    “I love it here. It’s beautiful,” said Bunch.

    According to the Community Assisted and Supported Living organization (CASL), some young adults who grew up in foster care may not have completed their education or have the necessary skills to secure stable employment. 

    CASL says this can also be a barrier to securing housing.

    This year, HUD’s Foster Youth to Independence program made $13 million available for public housing agencies, like Swan Lake, to address this problem.

    Vivianne Vanador, a case manager with CASL, says on-site services at Swan Lake offer extra support, like counseling, to help clients transition from foster care to independent living.  

    “It’s like they’re still in that frame of mind as a teenager even though they are in their 20s,” said Vanador. “That’s where I come in.” 

    She helps with things like housing vouchers, finding a job, rides to doctor’s appointments and weekly grocery deliveries.

    “I love the support and guidance that I receive here at CASL,” said Bunch, “Living on my own, I do have type one diabetes, so I was a little scared, but they helped me open my mind.” 

    Bunch says the odds can be stacked against people who’ve been in foster care seeking independence.

    “Especially with the rent. How hard it is now, it’s hard to find a place,” she said. “Foster care wasn’t that great of an experience, but it did help me stability-wise.”

    Now with stable housing and a new job, Bunch says she can focus on building the future of her dreams. 

    She hopes to inspire other young people currently in foster care that they can do the same.

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    Fadia Patterson

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  • Manatee County to start new emergency shelter to keep homeless off the street

    Manatee County to start new emergency shelter to keep homeless off the street

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    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — More help is coming to take people off the streets in Manatee County. County officials are in the works of opening an emergency shelter.

    What You Need To Know

    • The county is investing in an alternative to follow House Bill 1365. It’s called the Fresh Start Manatee proposal

    • County officials plan on replicating a similar style to Pinellas Hope

    • Those staying at the shelter will receive a wide range of on-site help such as substance abuse and mental health services

    This comes after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 1365 that goes into effect in October. The law will ban Florida’s homeless will be banned from sleeping on sidewalks and in parks and other public spaces.

    “The reason for our people being unhoused is that there is not enough affordable housing and we need to provide alternatives,” said Kathleen Cramer, the executive director of Turning Points in Bradenton.

    The county is investing in an alternative to follow House Bill 1365. It’s called the Fresh Start Manatee proposal and will be an emergency homeless shelter that will help about 100 men and women for 90 days.

    “I think we have an opportunity to do this program correctly. We do it with a plan and strategy. How we can help people who are experiencing homelessness and not just put them in a camp,” Cramer said.

    County officials plan on replicating a similar style to Pinellas Hope. The organization uses tents for shelters and has one structure that houses basic needs like an outside area, a kitchen, a laundry room, and bathrooms and showers.

    “I’ve toured the program. It is a camp. Some people don’t like the idea of a camp, but the feel of it is incredible. It feels calm, safe. People are working towards stability and long-term housing,” Cramer said.

    Those staying at the shelter will receive a wide range of on-site help such as substance abuse and mental health services, along with employment and financial assistance to help people get on the right track. In order to check these off the list, commissioners want to partner with organizations like Turning Points, which Cramer says could happen.

    “The services I think we need are navigation services, people to help individuals create a stability plan and connect to the resources to make that plan possible,” she said.

    But she does have some concerns.

    “October is going to be here really quickly and it comes with no additional money from our local government to implement this, so that’s a concern,” she said.

    Cramer hopes that the county will make it happen before the law goes into effect.

    According to a county commissioner, meetings will be needed to discuss where the emergency shelter will be located and when it will open.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Winter Haven organizations rally to aid homeless after Salvation Army closure

    Winter Haven organizations rally to aid homeless after Salvation Army closure

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    WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — At the Bible Way Resource Center in Winter Haven, volunteers put together food boxes meant to feed a family. They make enough in a single day for at least 50.

    What You Need To Know

    • Salvation Army recently closed emergency shelter in Winter Haven over financial issues 

    • Local organizations along with city officials are coming up with solutions to find more housing for families in need 

    • Heart for Winter Haven is considering purchasing the property and open it up to families in need again 

    Outreach coordinator Lydia Adcock helps to get things organized.

    “If people come and have an emergency, a homeless situation, then we will put together a quick care package for them, especially someone with a family,” she said. “You know they just need to eat now.”

    Helping others in need is Adcock’s passion.

    “If I could do this full time and still get my rent paid, Hallelujah!” she said.

    Adock experienced homelessness herself after escaping domestic violence. She says the need for resources like affordable housing, food, clothing and transitional housing is growing.

    This comes after the Salvation Army recently shut down a family emergency shelter for women and children in the city. The facility was nearly $125,000 in debt. More than a dozen families have been relocated to other facilities.

    However, the facility might have a new beginning. Heart for Winter Heaven, a center that provides rental assistance, mental health and education to get people back on their feet, is considering purchasing the property. Executive Director Brad Beatty says they are working toward that goal.

    “We’re working with some of our city leadership and investors to see what can be done with the homeless coalition of Polk County to maybe see if we can resurrect it,” Beatty said.

    Heart for Winter Haven helped Adcock during her darkest time and says the organization is a lifesaver.

    “I know if I hadn’t had the opportunity, I would have hightailed it back to what I knew,” Adcock said.

    Adcock is now giving back by volunteering for the Bible Way Resource Center. The organization is small but its looking to expand and provide transitional housing. She also wants to expand services, but they are in need of funding and more volunteers to help out.

    The organization recently created a Facebook page to bring more attention to their efforts and hopefully gain more funding.

    For Adcock, this is her calling.

    “I am a great testimony by God’s grace of paying it forward. Somebody helped me and here I am wanting to help someone else,” she said.

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    Jeff Van Sant

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  • Tampa Bay area shelters noticing rise in homeless seniors

    Tampa Bay area shelters noticing rise in homeless seniors

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    HUDSON, Fla. — The face of homelessness is constantly changing and some shelters are now seeing a growing senior population. A recent study by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development says those 50 and older are the fastest growing age group experiencing homelessness and that those 55 and older make up nearly 20% of the sheltered homeless.

    What You Need To Know

    • A study shows people 50 and older are the fastest growing age group experiencing homelessness and that those 55 and older make up nearly 20% of the sheltered homeless in the U.S. 

    • Shelters in Florida are noticing their residents are trending towards seniors

    • David Madore experienced homeless after his partner died and he could no longer pay the bills 

    These statistics are showing up at shelters in Tampa Bay, as they continue to see a growing number of seniors seeking for help.

    At the R.O.P.E Center in Hudson, 65-year-old David Madore has had a rough life in recent years. He shared an apartment with a partner who died suddenly late last year.

    Madore said that he took nearly full-time care of his partner and didn’t have a full-time job. After his partner’s death, he says the bills started to pile up and he could no longer afford his apartment and eventually ended up sleeping on the streets. 

    “I never want to be in that situation again. I was scared,” Madore said. 

    He says one night he was attacked and robbed of his phone. After that encounter, he says he sought out help and eventually ended up at the R.O.P.E. Center. 

    “If I didn’t have this place, I don’t know what I would do. I’d still be out there,” Madore said.

    Madore was helped by Gregory Hicks, who is a Clinical Social Worker at the R.O.P.E Center. He has worked with the homeless for years. He said that Madore’s story is becoming all too common at the center. 

    “Probably 1 of every 5 to 8 of the people who come to our gate is a senior who can no longer afford where they are living,” he said. “They are not coming with backgrounds of substance abuse or anything like that, but a lot of it is coming from losing their apartments and houses because of rising rents.”

    Hicks says that he works to find seniors to buddy up and share the cost of an apartment, and that’s exactly what Madore is planning to do next. He has come a long way. He says he almost gave up on living and hopes for a better future. 

    “I am at ease,” Madore said. “Everybody there is great. I get along with everybody in there and we help each other if we can.”

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    Jeff Van Sant

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