“Look the homeless in the eye; you’ll see they’re real people,” said Sister Mary Alice Hannan, guest speaker at the sixth annual Spring Luncheon at Bent Pine Golf Club to benefit the Homeless Family Center.
Prior to Hannan’s talk, Mary Ellen Maguire, HFC executive director, welcomed guests to the event, chaired this year by Pat Dunsmore and Mariclare Beggy.
“I love this event because it signifies a new beginning; it signifies a renewal, and that’s what we do at the Homeless Family Center,” said Maguire. “Because of you, we provide a new opportunity; a new beginning for families in our community.”
She said many of the homeless who seek their help have jobs. But due to a life change – a cutback in working hours, medical bills, a car braking down – they are no longer able to pay the rent.
“Everyday life challenges; the simplest things became a huge snowball and it rolls and it gets too heavy to pick up.”
HFC provides a solid foundation to help families get back on their feet, enhanced now with ancillary programs through community partners to provide even greater assistance.
Indian River State College provides college classes on site, Career Source helps train for job readiness, and A Second Chance Thrift Store has an apprenticeship program to teach retail management.
The Ages and Stages children’s program addresses infants and children up to age 4 who have not met standard developmental milestones. Basic literacy assessments and one-to-one tutoring for children ages 5 to 7 helps them get on track and a Bright Kids Club for ages 7 to 17 offers tutoring and activities through Youth Guidance and other organizations.
Additionally, 80 children will attend summer camps this year thanks to the Schooner Foundation, and Whole Health Family Connections, Florida Legal Services, and the Dental Partners of Vero Beach all provide free after-hours services.
“Our campus has now become a campus of opportunity, for residents, staff and the community,” said Maguire.
“In a lifetime, you don’t meet many people like this,” said Sue Scully as she introduced Hannan, executive director of POTS (Part of the Solution), a “one-stop shop” approach to helping individuals and families in crisis, and founder of Desda’s Grate, a temporary residence for homeless women and their children.
Hannan said she considers herself lucky to be able to follow her dreams, but added, “That’s not the norm for many of you and most of the world.”
She spoke of the importance of helping the entire family unit, treating them with love, respect and dignity in an atmosphere of cleanliness and order, and providing access to health and education so that they may achieve self-sufficiency. Hannan stressed that education, living wages, childcare and affordable housing are all key to lifting families out of poverty.
She said a favorite saying of hers came from Desda, the homeless woman who lived and died “on a grate” in New York City and who inspired the name of her organization: “One soul saved; 100 blessed.”
“It can change the system; one person. It doesn’t have to be about big numbers,” said Hannan. “Together we are able to create the change. Together we will build a better society.”