ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – In an effort to battle homelessness several organizations are coming together to provide supportive housing and more services.
Community leaders expect more families to become homeless due to the lack of affordable housing.
This groundbreaking is just the beginning for Home Again St. Johns and its movement towards a multi-service support site for the homeless in the county.
"It's a much-needed facility and what we're trying to do is bring all the groups together with one united service center and with this one facility we should be able to provide a bunch of different groups with the added support and added space," said Troy Blevins, board president, Home Again.
Right now Home Again is only using about 10 percent of its property along State Road 207 in St. Augustine, housing Salvation Army social services, a food pantry and an office. And they're looking forward to this project so they can better serve a community in need.
Home Again will be available to the other homeless support services throughout the county and includes 100 units of housing, a 4,000 square foot medical clinic with help from Flagler Hospital and Good Samaritan Wildflower Clinic; and will also incorporate a bus stop with services from the Sunshine Bus Company.
Space will also be made to accommodate the surrounding support services, to provide a one-stop homeless service center and help struggling families get back on their feet.
"The vast majority of homeless people are just like you and I,” said Gary Peterson, executive director, Home Again. “They just need someone to help them pull their lives together and a platform to make it happen and they will then become self-sustaining and productive and then we can move on to other people we can do the same thing for."
This project has been in the works for about 10 years and cost a hefty $1.5 million, but organizers said donations, as well as contribution of materials and volunteers help cut down the cost.