OUR STORY
Message from our CEO
From the onset of the global pandemic, to adjusting to life afterwards, we have witnessed exactly what can happen when one nation is underhoused. Yet, despite many challenges, our community has been given a tremendous opportunity to find common ground, to better understand that equity in housing and healthcare is essential, and to know just how powerful synergy is when a force of collaboration across diverse sectors — service providers, local partners, concerned citizens, and government entities — work together to protect people experiencing homelessness.
When we lead boldly, we can find commonsense, long-term solutions that are effective, sustainable, and make real impact.
Homelessness is solvable, and we all thrive when everyone has a place to call home.
Thank you for visiting our website.
Together, we are Changing Homelessness.
Our Board
Bradley Russell, Russell & Russell Attorneys at Law P.A.,Board Chair
Charles Garrison, WGI, Vice Chair
Kemal Gasper, VyStar Credit Union, Treasurer
Dr. Tammy Hodo, All Things Diverse, LLC, Secretary
Amy Wilkerson, Law Office of Jared M. Wilkerson
Cindy Delaparte,TD Bank
Derek Brown, Merrill Lynch
Dr. Heather Brown, Brooks
Dr. Kia Mitchell, Families First Medical Group
Melissa Lockhart, Business Valuation, Inc.
Patrick Douglas, Douglas & Douglas Law
Penny Kievet, Retired
Terry Lewis, One Call
Our Role
In 1974, Changing Homelessness was formed by a group of concerned and engaged social service agencies and religious leaders.
Today we serve Northeast Florida (Clay, Duval, and Nassau Counties) as the lead agency for homelessness, which includes systems/data support. In this role, we convene community conversations, we provide training and education through various Learning Collaboratives, and we facilitate state, federal and foundation grant funding programs of approximately $8 million annually.
Serving those who’ve served us, we also administer the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grant, a U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs program. With great honor, we received our first SSVF Duval County award in 2012 for $1 million. Since that time, we have worked diligently to deliver a stellar program serving more than 600 Veterans on average annually. Most notably and a testament to program delivery, our most recent SSVF award exceeds $12 million and covers 17 counties, 10 in Georgia and seven in Florida.
Our MISSION to guide the community effort and build capacity to prevent and end homelessness, is driven by a team of dedicated professionals who value diversity, equity, inclusion, creativity, and transparency. We believe that long-term, sustainable change happens when strategy, consistency, and intentionality align.
Our VISION is clear: An end to homelessness.
Changing Homelessness is committed to ensuring that individuals and families are housed permanently and successfully, building strong partnerships, and being good stewards of funding that is leveraged with integrity.
Our VALUES are as follows:
RESPECT
We recognize the value and dignity of each individual and the role of every agency.
TRUST
We work cooperatively to acheieve a common vision.
QUALITY
We instill best practices in our work that is driven by data and work towards measurable outcomes.
PARTNERING
We work collaboratively towards positive outcomes for each indvidual, every agency, and our community overall.
TRANSPARENCY
Our work is open and accountable to the commuity, to our members, and to the people they serve.
We Advocate
We believe that it is our responsibility to be a voice for persons experiencing homelessness because housing for all is essential. Serving 17 counties throughout Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia, we visit our state and nation’s capitals for conversations with lawmakers that drive policy decisions and yield much-needed resources and funding – we are staunch in efforts that prioritize awareness for addressing, preventing, and ending homelessness.
We Convene
We believe that ending homelessness can only be done through authentic connectivity, and by fostering a community that advances equity through human dignity and common good, we bring together 40+ member agencies and partners to share best practices and stay abreast of current trends via both General Membership and the Northeast Florida CoC Governance Board. Additionally, we host a number of events annually, in-person and virtually, that promote meaningful conversations, mutual value, and yield opportunities to network and collaborate.
We Educate
We believe that a strong community educates citizens about the needs that exist and engages them on goals they want to achieve together. Whether building awareness and creating trust or providing training and participating in outreach opportunities with citizen groups, we are committed to ensuring that citizens, member agencies, and other stakeholders are well-informed and know that the data shared is reliable.
Our Funding
As the lead agency for the FL-510, Continuum of Care, Changing Homelessness administered over $9 million dollars in 2020 from multiple funding sources, including federal grants, state/local grants, foundation/corporation grants and other revenue. These allocations provide financial assistance for housing, funding to other agencies, the Continuum of Care (FL-510), HMIS Database and other services.
In 2012, we were awarded the Supportive Services for Veteran Families grant, under which we are responsible for program administration and coordination of services for Veterans experiencing homelessness.
Additionally, we manage Coronavirus Aid, Economic Relief and Security (CARES) Act funding through both the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
These programs provide grant funding to (1) engage homeless individuals and families living on the street, (2) rapidly re-house homeless individuals and families, (3) help operate and provide essential services in emergency shelters for homeless individuals and families, and (4) prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless.
Our Accreditation
The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) provides accreditation services worldwide at the request of health and human service providers. Providers that meet CARF standards are required to demonstrate commitment to quality improvement, focus on the unique needs of each person served, and monitor the results of services.
Changing Homelessness proudly holds CARF, 3-Year Accreditation valid December 31 2023, through December 31, 2026.
Registration Information:
For information concerning our registration, please call: 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) or visit www.FloridaConsumerHelp.com
Refer to registration number: CH13995
725 PENINSULAR PLACE, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32204 | 844.367.7783 | INFO@CHANGINGHOMELESSNESS.ORG