Local nonprofit, Mission House has just been awarded a $23,000 grant from the Beaches Community Fund, a division of the Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, in order to assist veterans, and address the number one issue in the country--mental health.
$10,000 of the grant will be used to help continue Mission House’s existing programs for veterans facing challenges such as finding affordable housing, invisible wounds of war, and economic hardships that have put them at great risk of becoming homeless.
After receiving a grant in October of 2017 to bridge the gap between homelessness and housing assistance from area Supportive Services for Veteran Families programs, Mission House was able to temporarily house veterans and their families as they waited for SSVF assistance in locating permanent housing for the families. The intent of helping veterans and their families, and any homeless family, is to assure children have a safe place to sleep, as well as finding a way to help individuals who have made sacrifices for our country.
Another $10,000 of the grant is being used to address mental health, in collaboration with the I.M. Sulzbacher Center, bringing a Licensed Mental Health Counselor to Mission House once a week.
In addition to the two $10,000 grants, another $3,000 grant was provided to Mission House for the purchase of single-day Jacksonville Transportation Authority bus passes, to help address the transportation needs of those experiencing homelessness, in getting to doctor’s appointments, job interviews, employment, and other needed assistance.
Homelessness and severe mental health issues often co-occur, making it difficult for those experiencing homelessness to get the services they need for their mental health while living on the streets or in shelters, or to maintain housing, if obtained. Mission House’s ability to now provide consistent mental health services onsite will not only address mental health concerns of those experiencing homelessness, but will help alleviate the very homelessness they are experiencing.
Leading this project is Mission House’s Case Management Coordinator, Natalie Collier, who has an extensive background in case management leadership, in addition to experience working with other social service agencies serving Duval County. CEO of the Sulzbacher Center, Cindy Funkhouser, and Executive Director of Mission House, Lori Anderson, have collaborated on various projects assisting the homeless over the past eight years.
About Mission House
Mission House is the only day facility to help meet the needs of the homeless at the Beaches, they are supported by the community while they continue to help people get off the streets and get them back to living self-sufficient lives. With years of experience, Mission House continues to impact the community by housing more and more individuals. In 2018 Mission House housed a total of 114 men and women in part to the Beaches Community Fund, the community foundation for northeast Florida.
To learn more, visit: www.missionhousejax.org/