Operation Outreach= Success

I'm happy to say that Operation Outreach was a success! According to this article, over 1,000 people were served, but I have it under good authority that the total number of people in attendance well exceeded 1,000. We had a booth out front in the social services fair area, as well as a seat at the housing specialty table in the "west wing." Here's a picture of our table, where we gave out information on our residential program and provided information on food stamps. We also gave away board games and pens, which were both a HUGE hit.
In the west wing, our Family Advocate worked with clients one on one and assessed them for a possible fit with our emergency financial assistance and residential programs. About a half dozen appointments were set as a result of the event, as well as providing information and referral to many, many families.

This is a picture of the event area as things are just starting to get underway- this is my attempt at an "aerial" shot, but since I'm only five feet tall you'll need to use your imagination!


I would be remiss if I didn't mention a few awesome organizations that made this thing happen:
- Osceola County and the social services team there, for putting the whole thing together in a matter of weeks
- Give Kids Safe Shelter, for providing financial support
- Community of Faith Church, who provided not only a whole cadre of trained and smiling volunteers, but also provided financial support
- Our fellow provider agencies

This is why I love Osceola- with partnerships and hard work, a lot can be achieved in a short amount of time! Sphere: Related Content

Operation Outreach 192- Tomorrow!

Please check out this great story on Operation Outreach 192, which HOME will be participating in tomorrow. We're teaming up with a ton of county, faith-based, and social service providers to help families who are living in motels become more stable. Providers will work together to provide "aid packages" to give each family a fighting chance at self-sufficiency.

If you're in need of assistance, the event is at the Rock Church on 192 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday June 25th. You do not need to be pre-registered, but you should plan to bring any documentation that you have, including ID/social security card, birth certificates, benefit letters, proof of income, and motel receipts. There's also a flyer and more information here.

If you'd like to help by donating your time or resources, contact information for Osceola County is here. Sphere: Related Content

HOMELite: helping families put food on the table

Most of the community knows HOME best for our residential program, where we help homeless single moms get back on their feet. However, we also have an outreach program called HOMELite that serves families who don't live at HOME but are still in need of services. We provide information and referral, case management, life skills training, emergency financial assistance, and help with food stamps.

A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of partnering with America's Best Inn Main Gate East to take our food stamp services on the road. The hotel was kind enough to provide meeting space, flyers to potential clients, and even juice and cookies! We met with several families, walking them through the food stamp application process and checking their eligibility status.

Guess what? 100% of the families we met with were eligible! One family, as it turned out, even had active food stamps with money available on their card, and they just didn't know it. That family was literally able to leave their meeting with us and go straight to the grocery store to buy food. So far, that small outreach event has helped leverage over $550 per month in food stamps for families that literally couldn't afford to put enough food on the table.

These mobile food stamp outreach services are made possible through a grant from the USDA. Our next outreach event will be on June 25th, from 10-2 at the Rock Church on West 192. Hopefully we'll be able to help even more families get the food they need Sphere: Related Content

HOME Free Yard Sale

When: April 4, 2009 @ 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Where: 924 Determination Way • Kissimmee, FL 34741

What: A community yard sale to provide free items such as clothing, furniture, baby items, books and more to those who may not be able to purchase these items.

Why: Because Helping Others Make the Effort is a non-profit organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County. By providing these items, free of charge, we are providing a service to those who may be needing such items to get back on their feet.

Want More Info? Visit www.osceolahome.org, call 407-932-0943, or look for signs off of John Young Parkway and Vine in Kissimmee on the day of the event to direct you to the FREE YARD SALE!
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