The Homeless Mobile Meals Mini-Van project will give us the ability to meet an unmet need by serving a hot meals, water, and personal items to the chronically homeless, children, youth, adults and veterans in the Kissimmee Osceola County, Florida community. We will provide these services once a week instead of every two weeks by having a Homeless Mobile Meals Mini-Van. Currently we are only able to serve the chronically homeless hot meals, water and personal items every two weeks. This will give the organization the opportunity to provide 83 meals to 83 individuals every month, as well as, 20 individuals with personal items every month. A targeted goal of providing 1,000 meals and 240 individual with meals and personal items in one year.
The chronically homeless population has been traumatized due to unresolved life issues. The organization is increasing our awareness of the trauma-informed care required to understand and respond to the impact that trauma has caused the individuals. The organization serves them from a humanitarian perspective, having empathy, compassion, patient, responsive to their needs, giving them hope, encouraging them and letting them know they are in a temporary condition that they can overcome.
The program outlined collaborates directly with local service providers in the community to serve the chronically homeless individuals experiencing homelessness, health, and social needs. Ensuring everyone has access to opportunities and resources regardless of their economic status. This project is unique due to no other organization providing a service with a Homeless Mobile Meals Mini-Van in the community we currently serve.
Transportation: Required to serve the chronically homeless in Kissimmee Osceola County, Florida community with meals and personal items every week instead of every two weeks. 2022 Ford Transit Connect Cargo Mini-Van $27,900 (tax-exempt source: Lionsmotorsfl.com); License plates: $450 for one year (source: www.dmvflorida.org / tax-exempt); Insurance $1,560 for one year; Maintenance cost: $972 average cost per year (source: http://enginepatrol.com) Gas: $120 a month x 12 months = $1,440 Total: $32,322 (Sustainability through grants, fundraisers, individual donations and board member fees)
