Today Catholic Charities, the cities of St. Petersburg, Largo, and Pinellas County dedicated Phase II of Pinellas Hope, our amazing outreach to the homeless of our cities and county. Mayor Bill Foster of St. Petersburg joined Karen Seel, chairwoman of the Pinellas County Commission and numerous other city officials from Largo, Clearwater, St. Petersburg and Pinellas County in launching the second and incredibly exciting phase of Pinellas Hope, now in its third year of providing safe haven to the homeless and opportunities for ending their plight and resuming a normal life. There are two wonderful parts of Pinellas Hope II, a brand new community center with permanent showers and toilets, a warming kitchen for catering the meals to the residents, offices for the support staff and a large covered gathering space to be used for eating meals, watching television in the evening and community meetings. The community center will allow Catholic Charities to finally get rid of the three year-old modular bathrooms and showers which are literally crumbling at their base (remember, Pinellas Hope opened for what was originally thought to be six winter months only. Another modular structure has served as the warming kitchen and chow-line since opening and it also was never intended to last three years.
The second exciting part of Pinellas Hope II are 80 individual apartments which will serve as transitional housing for those who qualify and who are about to move out to permanent housing. These one room apartments, air-conditioned with refrigerators, stove, etc. will be rented to those who qualify while they achieve the economic base to move out of the complex and into independent living. To rent an apartment or house almost anywhere requires a first and last month’s rent deposit. A good number of the residents currently at Pinellas Hope have jobs and are earning some income. If they choose to save it against that day within six months when they will be able to live independently, they will qualify for the apartments. It is a transition living situation. All of this was made possible by grants from the county low-income trust fund and a large multi-million dollar grant from the State of Florida. It is precisely this synergy which has made Pinellas Hope a successful experiment in housing for the homeless.
Everyone present for today’s dedication formalities paid special tribute to Catholic Charity’s Sheila Lopez and her boss and my colleague Frank Murphy for making Pinellas Hope I and II the successful venture they have proven to be. Both have devoted endless hours of their work day and their leisure time to establishing, building and operating this unique facility. Great praise and tribute was also heaped on the faith-based communities which day after day bring hot meals for the evening and other food for breakfast and dinner. Because of these invaluable contributed services, Pinellas Hope costs about $10.00 per day for resident. There are also units for those homeless people who are discharged from area hospitals and need care for their complete rehabilitation. Nursing care services are provided by BayCare, largely through the presence of St. Anthony Hospital.
Pinellas Hope has proven not the proper cup of tea for every homeless person in the area. Requiring a criminal background check prior to admission and a firm pledge to refrain from all use of drugs and alcohol on the premises and off the premises for the former, there are strict hours when the gate is open and a level of accountability that some find so burdensome that they would never think of coming there. Yet for those who accept the ground rules there is a safe environment and counselors and associates ready to help anyone get back on their feet. THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES ran a lengthy article on Sunday recently about what they found when studying Pinellas Hope I. Are its results 100% certain? No. Are all who are discharged to independent living situations successful and off the streets? No. Is there a way to track the seemingly successful months and years after they depart? No. But still, about 40% leave to take up independent living after a few months at Pinellas Hope and there is indeed hope for those who enter the gates.
Now, we are able to provide essential services in a more human, sanitary, and comfortable environment and help our client residents in their transition from the streets to shelters to independent living. Hope continues to spring eternal. It is impossible for me to convey to the thousands of people, of my faith and many faiths, who have provided the essential services at no or very low cost to the most vulnerable. Pinellas Hope is the Church’s pro-life commitment enfleshed in tents, casitas, apartments and essential services. I hope you join me in being very proud of what has been wrought on the special, holy ground.
+RNL
Update: Here’s a video of my tour of the office spaces in the new community center, with more videos to come.
The post NEW HOPE FOR PINELLAS HOPE appeared first on .