by Jennifer Ganley, Kiwanis of South Lake
The Kiwanis Club of South Lake (KCOSL) was pleased to welcome Brian Broadway and Shannon Herrera to its August 11 meeting. They presented the club with information about Find, Feed & Restore (FFR). FFR provides a pathway for families from Homeless to Hopeful. They provide services including free housing to families with children allowing them to get back on their feet, affordable housing to working families with children, homelessness avoidance services, and a woman’s mental health and domestic violence shelter. They also provide financial budgeting classes, credit report education, economic meal planning, interview preparation, resume writing and counseling services.
Many neighbors in Clermont are experiencing a housing crisis. Brian explained how the face of homelessness has changed over the years. It’s not just the unemployed, the mentally ill, or the drug addicted as we might assume. Many of today’s homeless work, but their wages are simply not enough to pay today’s sky-high rents.
“You would be surprised to find out how many children under the age of 10 live in cars and in the woods in and around Clermont,” said Brian. Florida is ranked #5 out of 50 states in the number of unsheltered children living here. He told us that one out of three children who experience homeless have a significant mental health disorder by the age of eight. And of course, these families can’t afford to pay for the treatment.
Brian described a mother living in her car with a 2-year-old, a 3-year-old, and a 5-year-old. Imagine the logistics involved in raising three small children in a car. Where do you bathe and brush your teeth? How do you cook and eat meals? Where do you store and wash clothes? How do you read stories and send those precious babies off to sleep? Thankfully, FFR was able to find this family a home and to provide them with things like groceries, towels, AC and warm beds. The children, who slept in a car, were overjoyed. Said the mother of another family with four small children, “You’re the miracle I’ve been waiting for.”
Providing housing for those in need is complex and expensive. As a result, most non-profits are not able to do so. KCOSL was honored to present FFR with a $1,000 check to sponsor their upcoming fundraiser, Battle for Hope: Cops vs, County on September 24, and to help them continue their important work.
So what can we do to help these children and families? FFRs programs are all funded by grants and by the generous support of the community. To learn more about Find, Feed and Restore, to make a donation, or to become a volunteer, visit them at findfeedrestore.com
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Kiwanis International is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child at a time. The Kiwanis Club of South Lake is an active community service organization. They meet every Thursday morning at 7:30 am at the Citrus Tower Conference Center, 2757 Citrus Tower Boulevard.
Stop by and check them out. For additional information about Kiwanis, please visit kcosl.org or Kiwanis.org
