Announcements

Challenge Grant Information Available

Click here to access the 2009 Continuum of Care Challenge Grant Evaluation Tool and RFP for local agencies


Our Commercial

Click here to view our commercial airing on TV stations now! It features the local homeless family of "Melissa's Story"


Crestview Homeless Resources Available
Click here for Crestview homeless resources.


 

 Homeless Prevention Funds Update

We appreciate the response we received regarding the application for administrative entity for homeless prevention funds, scheduled for release by the federal government in October, 2009. Opportunity, Inc. will serve as point of service for fund distribution, and will begin taking applications in late fall. Should the government alter this time line, we will post notification on the web site and through local news media.

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Grand Opening 

Thanks to everyone who came to our grand opening June 8 at 305 Lovejoy Road, and made it the tremendous celebration it was. Opportunity Place is already becoming a resource for the homeless, near-homeless, and greater community, offering case management, resource and referral services, and soon short-term housing, clothing closet and food pantry. It didn't happen without the tremendous cooperation and coordination of numerous resources, including the Community Development Corporation, the Sylvania Heights Front Porch Council, the Burnette Wood Harmon Community Center, and Organizing for Change. We can best honor their work by our continued work, support, and love.

Meanwhile, we are still in the service coordination, grant writing, service provider support, community awareness, and strategic planning business, to name just a few of our functions. Please call us at 850-226-7694, or come by and visit, should you have any concerns, questions or input for us. And if you want to help us or any of our member agencies, we want to hear from you even more. Check out our "Road Map for Success" and see where you fit in, or click here to donate to Opportunity Place.


2009 Homeless Point-in-Time Survey Results 

This year's point-in-time survey captured the first fall-out from the economic downturn, with the largest jump by far occurring in the "situational homelessness" category, the group of people who have lost jobs, been evicted or gone through foreclosure, and have been homeless for very little time. The number of chronically homeless was essentially unchanged from last year, although the number of veterans increased by about 40. This is likely due to enhanced outreach and services to veterans, including the Stand Down sponsored by local veterans' groups, the presence of JobsPlus veteran's benefits workers at Sunday morning programs, and other specialized assistance.

While I was personally very surprised by the total count of 2446, Lydia Barton, our resource and referral manager, was not. In fact, she had estimated a result of 2400 before we even began tallying the reports. She is a daily witness to the upsurge in calls for assistance, and the number of families calling. It doesn't take as many families as one would think to greatly alter the numbers. When the increase or decrease comes primarily from the chronically homeless, the numbers change by one or two at a time. When families fall into homelessness, numbers can go up by as much as seven or eight at a time.

Volunteers, law enforcement and Continuum of Care staff conduct the point-in-time survey each year to meet federal and state requirements (neither of which funds this survey), but the real value lies in enhancing our ability to meet the needs of our homeless and near-homeless populations, and plan more accurately for the future. We meet at 3:30 p.m., the first Monday of each month at the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce. Come join us, ask questions, find out the methodology behind the survey, and help us get those who need assistance return to productive, self-sufficient lives.

The 2009 survey results are available by clicking here.  A list of our service providers are available by clicking here.


 
Friends of Hope/
Friends of Opportunity
Redirect Your Generosity Campaign Funds Needed Now

Opportunity, Inc. and its partner, the HOPE Network in Crestview, are looking for “Friends of Hope” and “Friends of Opportunity.” The idea is to find sponsors willing to pledge $10 per month toward helping those in desperate need. 

Act now to become a charter member of the Friends of Hope or the Friends of Opportunity! Contributions may be made online or via mail.

Our goal is to find at least 50 Friends of HOPE, and 100 Friends of Opportunity.  
More >>


The Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce has launched the "Give a Hand Up, Not a Hand Out" campaign to redirect the money given to the panhandlers on the street to organizations such as the Okaloosa Walton Homeless Continuum of Care/ Opportunity, Inc. The goal is to support the organizations who are directly serving the needs of our area's most vulnerable citizens: the homeless and near-homeless. Together, we provide meals, emergency shelter, transitional and permanent housing, showers, laundry service, clothing, etc.
How You Can Help >>
Each day brings ever-more heartbreaking requests for help. An elderly woman, probably in early states of dementia, fell prey to con artists working on her fears concerning safety and loss of income. Several women have lost homes and employment because of violent attacks and trauma. Single parents, juggling for years to keep up with rent payments, utility bills, health care, and groceries out of a single income, can no longer keep all the balls in the air. Service providers trying to meet the ever-growing requests for help are struggling to make their own meager payrolls. 
How You Can Help >>

 

 

 


Okaloosa Walton Homeless Continuum Care / Opportunity, Inc.
305 Lovejoy Road  |  Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
 Phone: (850) 226-7694  |
  info@okaloosawaltonhomeless.org

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