City of Orlando Tackles Homelessness through Local Partnerships
by Hayley Michelle Clemmer | The Florida Free Press
ORLANDO — Thousands of Florida residents are experiencing the effects of homelessness; the city of Orlando is on the frontlines with local organizations that are working to alleviate this state-wide issue.
According to Lisa Portelli, the city’s Homelessness and Social Services Advisor, the city of Orlando contributes at least $3.5 million annually towards providing services for the homeless.
“Some of those dollars channel through the Commission on Homelessness so they’re part of the strategic planning piece, and some of it we’re directly providing grants to the organizations to support that plan,” Portelli told The Florida Free Press in an interview.
According to their website, The Central Florida Commission on Homelessness is an organization that acts as “a hub for information and initiatives.”
In addition to receiving financial support from the city, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer also plays an active role on the commission’s board, helping with strategic planning and coordinating the efforts of the many homeless organizations in the area.
Other organizations that receive support from the city include the Coalition for the Homeless and the Salvation Army, along with many others. Portelli said there are 37 organizations affiliated with the Commission on Homelessness.
The services these organizations provide range from housing assistance to meal provision.
“In the downtown Orlando area specifically, lunch and dinner is available 7 days a week to someone who is hungry,” Portelli said.
The myriad options for assistance in Orlando make help easily accessible for the city’s homeless population. Orlando residents can also point homeless people to these resources when they are asked for money on the streets.
In fact, the city encourages local residents to direct the homeless to a shelter or food pantry instead of giving direct monetary assistance.
“Direct them to lunch or dinner, particularly if you’re in the downtown area,” Portelli said. “Lunch and dinner are available every single day, so that when they’re asking for dollars for food it’s not necessary. There’s an unlimited supply of food. There’s no line, they’re not going to run out.”
She also noted that pointing the homeless to one of Orlando’s many assistance programs could offer them more long-term and essential care than cash would provide.
“If they go to a food line, there’s a better chance that [they can use these] services, connect to that organization, maybe get a shelter bed for the night and get off the street,” Portelli said.
This is part of an ongoing series investigating homelessness in Central Florida.
