Orange County’s $19.5 million commitment and a $10 million City of Orlando investment will support a facility designed to increase the Coalition’s service capacity by 40 to 50 percent.
By The Sun Post News
Newsroom
ORLANDO, Fla. — The Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida will break ground Wednesday, October 28, on a new Center for Women and Families, launching a construction initiative intended to expand residential accommodations and bring healthcare, childcare and other support services together at one location.
The ceremony is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. at the Coalition’s campus, 18 North Terry Avenue in downtown Orlando.
Known as the Foundations Project, the initiative calls for a facility spanning more than 105,000 square feet. According to the Coalition’s announcement, the center is expected to increase the organization’s service capacity by 40 to 50 percent.
The project’s approach centers on coordinated care: providing women and families experiencing homelessness with access to accommodations and services that can help them move from an immediate crisis toward greater stability.
Public Investments Support the Project
Orange County is contributing $19.5 million through federal community development, disaster recovery and emergency solutions grant programs. The City of Orlando is investing another $10 million through its Accelerate Orlando initiative.
Those two commitments total $29.5 million. The Coalition’s announcement also identifies additional federal grants and community partnerships as sources of support, but does not state the project’s overall construction budget.
The investment will support a center designed to address several needs simultaneously, rather than requiring families to navigate separate locations for residential assistance, healthcare and programs for their children.
More Beds and Bridge Housing
Plans include 112 additional short-term residential beds, along with more than 20 bridge housing units containing more than 75 beds.
The announcement lists short-term residential accommodations and bridge housing as distinct components. It does not specify eligibility requirements, anticipated lengths of stay or how families will transition between services.
Those operating details will help define how the expanded facility serves people at different stages of housing instability.
The projected 40-to-50-percent increase refers to the Coalition’s overall service capacity. The announcement does not provide a breakdown showing how that increase will be distributed among residential programs and other services.
Healthcare, Meals and Programs for Children
Beyond residential space, the center’s plans include an on-site health clinic, expanded meal service, childcare and youth programs.
Bringing those services into the same facility could make it easier for families to attend appointments and participate in support programs while managing their children’s needs. The Coalition describes the project as a way to provide coordinated, wraparound care in a safe and thoughtfully designed setting.
AdventHealth is identified as a community partner in the announcement. However, the release does not specify the organization’s role in operating the clinic or describe the clinic’s staffing, hours or range of services.
Childcare and youth programming are also part of the planned service expansion. Their inclusion recognizes that assistance for a parent experiencing homelessness must account for the needs of the entire family.
Groundbreaking to Bring Together Regional Leaders
Officials scheduled to join the Coalition for the ceremony include U.S. Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost, Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.
Orange County District 6 Commissioner Michael “Mike” Scott and Orlando District 5 Commissioner Shan Rose are also expected to participate.
The Coalition will be represented by board chair Dr. Amy Donley and President and CEO Brad Butterstein. AdventHealth and project contractor DeAngelis Diamond are also listed among the participants.
The ceremony marks the start of a construction phase. The announcement does not provide an anticipated completion date or say when the new center will begin accepting residents.
For families who will eventually use the facility, its impact will depend on both the additional accommodations and the availability of coordinated services after opening. The Foundations Project is designed to strengthen that connection, pairing a larger residential footprint with resources intended to help women and children work toward stability.
