Sunday, May 17th was our first time as a group volunteering with the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition.
We arrived shortly after 4:00 p.m. in order to get ready to serve dinner from 5:00-6:00 p.m. Our office has committed to volunteer one Sunday a month May through October. We thought it would be a great way to not only give back to our community and do something good for those around us, but also bond with our staff members. The evening went smoothly and we enjoyed interacting with and serving the diners.
Did you know that the Homeless Coalition serves between 90-150 hot dinners each night? They also serve an average of 55 breakfast each morning and the Coalition’s food pantry provides a three day supply of food for 500 families each month. The shelter also can house up to 52 people up to 60 days and is the only shelter in Charlotte County.
Their goal is to keep families in tact, and also have 6 family units. The Safe House Shelter has served over 1,000 of Charlotte County’s homeless individuals and families, and more than 74% of the residents have gone on to permanent independent housing.
The Homeless Coalition also assists clients with homeless prevention, in finding employment opportunities, resume and interview skills, and transitional housing. Due to the economy and foreclosure crisis, a lot of those in need are families that have come upon hard times.
We were also impressed by the number of local restaurants, grocery stores, churches and businesses that donate food, supplies and time. It’s amazing to see the community come together to help those in need. There is still a tremendous need for volunteers and food donations, for more information please contact Volunteer@cchomelesscoalition.org or the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition’s website at www.cchomelesscoalition.org