Mayor John Cotugno, Judge Nicole Menz and Tony Zorbaugh. PHOTO BY JOSHUA KODIS

At the third annual Hidden Faces event, the Heritage Center was filled with a congenial mix of supporters and members of the Source, a Christian-based nonprofit that serves the poor and the homeless.

Guests mingled about before enjoying a bounteous buffet prepared by participants in their Dignity food programs.

Event emcee Marty Paris noted that the Source, which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2025, provides unique programs and services.

Individuals in need are offered food, shower facilities, laundry services and mailbox slots, Bible study, adult literacy, fitness and nutrition classes, assistance with legal documents, employee training, social skills development, wellness counseling and a sense of community.

“All of these programs and services have one thing in common. They offer something that members have not received in a very long time, and that is dignity,” said Paris.

Programs now include Dining with Dignity, Dignity Caterers, Dignity Food Truck, Dignity Bus, Dignity Smiles, Dignity Wellness, Dignity Hospitality, Dignity Gigs, Dignity Community Works and Dignity Newspaper.

Anthony Zorbaugh, executive director, thanked everyone for their support and contributions and, while acknowledging that their difficult work occasionally results in failures, said Hidden Faces was dedicated to celebrating their many successes.

Vero Beach Mayor John Cotugno said he first got involved through Dignity Community Works, where Source members work to clean up public streets and properties.

Cotugno also commended the Source for its foresight in creating Dignity Busses, where sleeping pods provide safe overnight shelter. There are now three in Vero Beach, and one each in Rhode Island and Chicago, with other cities expressing interest.

“We create opportunities for people to find purpose, for our members to work, and to contribute in whatever capacity that they are able to,” said Jane Alexander, director of operations, adding that many of their staff had been homeless at some point in their lives.

“Everyone has value and is able to contribute in some ways to their own success.”

In 2023, Alexander said the Source provided 2,400 rides to work, interviews and doctor’s appointments; assisted 136 to obtain state employment IDs; hired 11 members and provided resources to 888 unique individuals.

Their Dignity and Wellness team provided some 490 clinical counseling hours to individuals seeking mental health services. Additionally, Dignity Hospitality trains people to earn industry certificates and Dignity Gigs helps members access full- and part-time job opportunities.

County Court Judge Nicole Menz, who presides over half of the 19th Judicial Circuit’s criminal and civil cases, plus the Veterans Treatment and Mental Health Courts, said that since taking the bench in 2019, she has seen a significant increase in the homeless population.

Menz said the vast majority of the new faces appearing before the court are charged with trespassing. As they have nowhere else to go and can’t afford bond, they generally stay in jail until their first court appearance, at taxpayers’ expense.

To combat the situation, Menz said she and Judge Stone have begun utilizing resources such as the Source.

They consider releasing individuals who pose no danger to the community on their own recognizance, and direct them to the Source, where they can begin the process of restoring their lives.

Dr. Adam Jones, one of nine dentists in the Dignity Smiles program, spoke of their efforts to restore the smiles of employed graduates of their programs.

Alexander said more than 150 graduates of their Dining with Dignity Culinary Training program have been employed throughout the community and 100-plus have earned Florida State Food Handler Certificates.

She presented representatives of Taco Dive with a token of appreciation for consistently hiring their Dignity graduates, treating them with respect and giving them a second chance.

In a video presentation produced by Jonathan Orozco, development director, three Source members of varied ages and backgrounds spoke of their experiences, from hitting rock bottom to getting back on their feet again through the Source.

At the video’s conclusion, the screen was lifted to reveal the three of them – this year’s Hidden Faces.

For more information, visit IAmTheSource.org.

Photos by Joshua Kodis