Opportunity, Inc. serves as an umbrella agency for local groups addressing homelessness. Participants include county and municipal governments, law enforcement, the judiciary, non-profit agencies, state government offices, the Workforce Development Board, businesses, churches and other faith-based organizations. The Continuum is in the process of creating a 10-year-plan to end homelessness through a public/private partnership.  Click here for an explanation of the functions of Continuums within the communities across the United States.
Vision
The Okaloosa Walton Homeless Continuum of Care/ Opportunity, Inc. is dedicated to the alleviation of homelessness.
Mission
The Okaloosa Walton Homeless Continuum of Care/ Opportunity, Inc. is a community partnership dedicated to the alleviation of homelessness through prevention, assistance toward self-sufficiency, the provision of housing options, and advocacy.
Goals
The Okaloosa Walton Homeless Continuum of Care/ Opportunity, Inc. is committed to the propositions that:
  • Help homeless persons attain the skills necessary for finding and maintaining jobs paying a living wage, using living wage estimates provided by the Workforce Development Board.

  • Link homeless persons with affordable housing, including public housing, section 8 housing, boarding houses, and low-cost apartments.

  • Support life while homeless families and individuals are transitioning into self-sufficiency, through temporary emergency shelter; provision of food, clothing, and health care; opportunities for regular personal hygeine; storage of personal positions.

  • Assist women, families, the elderly and the disabled in obtaining mainstream benefits such as Social Security, Temporary Aid to Needy Families, subsidized child care, food stamps, Medicaid, and Social Security Disability.

  • Coordinate services through a web-based Homeless Management Information System, ensuring the greatest number of homeless families and individuals are served, while avoiding duplication of efforts.

  • Foster collaboration and mutual support among community stakeholders working with the homeless.

Objectives
  • Expand supportive services including food, clothing, showers, storage, work readiness, case management, transportation, personal hygiene, severe weather shelter, education and vocational training. 
We have utilized the Challenge Grant to expand supportive services throughout the two county region. providing cold night shelter to 1995 persons over the course of the 2009-2010 winter; personal hygiene to 400 persons at the Stand Down and through Project Cheer; regular meals for 726 persons, prescription medication for 12 persons, and case management for 155 persons. Funds were also used to build an outdoor shower for homeless living in the Destin area, and to support meal programs serving an additional 450 persons. Opportunity Place provides a community center for persons seeking to apply for mainstream benefits, study and test for 
GEDs, and get assistance in finding employment.
  • Establish new Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) procedures making it user-friendly for providers and homeless.
The Okaloosa Walton Homeless Continuum of Care/ Opportunity, Inc. operates a functional HMIS utilizing the Client Track web-based system. HMIS not only provides area-wide data collection, but supports individually customized systems design to meet the case management needs of individual providers. As of 9/15/2010, there were 10 providers connected to the system, with more coming in at a steady pace.
  • Reduce incidence of disease and disability through effective use of health systems.
Okaloosa Walton Homeless Continuum of Care/ Opportunity, Inc. has adopted health protocols created under the leadership of Dr. Beth Norton, professor of nursing at Northwest Florida State College who oversees the RN to BSN program. Opportunity, Inc. has sponsored free CPR and first aid classes to service providers, and has held flu vaccination and wound care clinics for the homeless.
  • Increase transitional and permanent shelter for women and children. 
Opportunity, Inc. has utilized prevention and rapid rehousing to 250 families in FY 2009-2010, either through preventing imminent homelessness, or through rehousing. 
  • Provide emergency shelter and transitional service to all homeless. 
We are a long way from sheltering all homeless, but we have added Opportunity Place as an emergency shelter for homeless women and families.
Strategies
  • Secure a centralized location for intake and access to services

  • Assist in work readiness through increased shower, laundry, haircuts and bathroom facilities

  • Create HMIS card system for rapid and accurate tracking of homeless persons and services received

  • Provide risk reduction education to minimize spread of staph infection and disease

  • Assist in fund development for transitional housing and emergency shelter

Plans
  • Purchase trailer for use as centralized service access, with fittings for showers and laundry facilities: target date December 31, 2008.

  • Achieve 75% usage of HMIS by direct service providers, June 30, 2008.

  • Train direct service providers in health risk reduction by October 1, 2008.

  • Partner with existing providers to apply for housing grants, June 30, 2008.

What is the “dream in progress”?
  • That every adult willing to be trained, educated and work have a chance at a job paying a living wage.

  • That every family have the opportunity to live in affordable housing.

  • That every child have a place to rest, food to eat, a good education, and people who care.

  • This is not an impossible dream. It just takes community partnerships, volunteers, funds, and public support. It takes you.
Board of Directors and Chairs

Officers
Nate Smith, President:  Verval Enterprises
Martin Fancher, Vice-President:  7th Day Adventist Church
Virginia Glynn Barr, Treasurer:  Mental Health Association of Okaloosa and Walton Counties
Jackie Pilcher, Secretary: Pelican Real Estate


Executive Board Members
Larry Ashley: Sheriff, Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office
*Captain Ken Lapee, Alternate
Gloria Battle: St. Simon's Episcopal Church
Patricia Franklin: (Ex-Officio, Non-Voting) Department of Children and Families
joyce gossum: City Council - City of Fort Walton Beach
Judy Byrne Riley: Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Duane St. John: Member at Large, Destin
Ashley Siner: Taco Bell
Ann Wallace: Christ the King Episcopal, Santa Rosa Beach


Principal Staff
Lenore Wilson, Executive Director 
203 Cloverdale Boulevard
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547-1405
(850) 409-3070
 info@okaloosawaltonhomeless.org


Cedric (CC) Fearson
Manager, Opportunity Place
305 Lovejoy Road
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
(850) 659-3186 (Direct)
(850) 659-3190 (Shelter Office)

 
 

Okaloosa Walton Homeless Continuum Care / Opportunity, Inc.
Opportunity, Inc. (Admin Office)
203 Cloverdale Boulevard, Suite B
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547
Phone: (850) 409-3070
Fax: (850) 409-3071
info@okaloosawaltonhomeless.org 		Opportunity Place
305 Lovejoy Road
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
Phone: (850) 659-3190
Fax: (850) 659-3191


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