A Port in the Storm: Being Homeless in the Panhandle
By Judy Byrne Riley
Where do you go if you have been evicted because your Landlord didn’t pass on your rental payment to their Mortgagor, or if you are living in your car with your little children because you are a single mother and you lost your job, or your family has a tent in the woods where you are all living because you are sick, cannot work and have no savings left? There are very few options for the women and families in our area who are homeless.
The one safe place, however, is OPPORTUNITY PLACE, a temporary shelter for women and families who are homeless. Opened in 2008, OPPORTUNITY PLACE has given a safe, secure home to so many of those who need that helping hand. Located at 305 Lovejoy Road in Fort Walton, the shelter is always full and always has a waiting list. Over the years, the shelter has helped hundreds of people: single women of all ages and families with children from age eighteen to newborn, some born while their mother was living at the shelter. Most of the children at OPPORTUNITY PLACE are under the age of four. On any given day 25-36 individuals have found refuge at OPPORTUNITY PLACE and more than 60% are children.
It is not just a roof over their heads that our residents receive. Our goal is self-sufficiency and there are many parts to reach that goal. When a woman or family arrives at our door they often have nothing – no food, clothes, transportation or basic care items. In addition to providing a roof over their heads and a secure environment, our staff and volunteers connect them to community resources; they receive assistance enrolling in SNAP (food stamps), health care, school and/or childcare for the minors. Local churches, organizations and generous individuals provide a warm meal every evening of the year, either homemade or donating $77. Our residents receive help with developing and implementing a plan of action that will result in improved financial security, jobs and permanent affordable housing and much more.
When OPPORTUNITY PLACE opened in July of 2008, it was a part of the “Okaloosa Walton Homeless Continuum of Care/Opportunity, Inc.” That organization is currently known as Homelessness and Housing Alliance (HHA) and has deleted the “Opportunity, Inc.” portion of their name. In September of 2015, a small group incorporated a new non-profit organization with the sole purpose of continuing to provide temporary shelter for women and families, OPPORTUNITY PLACE, INC. In October of 2015, Debra McDaniel joined the staff as Executive Director of the organization.
Our newly formed non-profit has struggled but survived these past months. One important source of income has been government funding, channeled through the state of Florida and the local HHA. In 2016, those funds designated for homeless shelters was re-directed to other federal programs Consequently, those governmental funds we have had access to up to 2016, will not be available to our organization in 2017 and on.
Because of this redirection, OPPORTUNITY PLACE unexpectedly and immediately lost approximately 25% of its funding and found itself with a threat to have to close our doors. Instead, we appealed to the public and began our first SAVE THE SHELTER Campaign. The public has stepped up and we are slowly reaching our goal. Now our charge is to replace that government funding with additional grants and funding, fund raisers and a continual support of those in our community who have reached out to us during this campaign.
If you see the name OPPORTUNITY PLACE or OPPORTUNITY PLACE, INC., know that this is the shelter for women and families who are homeless, know that we accept all homeless women and families if we have room, know that we will help them get on their feet and become self-sufficient and ready to move on. And know that we are always looking for friends in our communities, to volunteer to donate to be part of our team.