The Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County

Description

In 2008 community advocates and leaders crafted the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness in Palm Beach County. A cornerstone and major accomplishment of the plan was a single-access-point homeless resource center to connect homeless individuals and families to housing and resources – The Lewis Center! It was named in honor of Senator Philip D. Lewis, a longtime advocate for the homeless. The primary goal of the Center is ‘Housing First”, getting individuals and families into homes. The Senator Philip D. Lewis Center opened its doors on July 2, 2012 as the first central access to services and housing for the homeless in Palm Beach County. In its first year, the Lewis Center helped 2,155 children and 3,199 adults end their homelessness. The Homeless Coalition works with a unique partnership of community leaders from across the spectrum of business, non-profits, government, faith-based entities, formerly homeless, and the community-at-large have all come together to make a difference. A team of community providers at the Lewis Center provide clients with assessment, interim housing, medical care, life skills, job training and placement. That team includes: Gulstream Goodwill, Adopt-A-Family of the Palm Beaches, The Lord's Place, Homeless Outreach Team and the Palm Beach County Health Dept. The Resource Center hopes to provide a system that will end homelessness in Palm Beach County and set a national example.