Pinellas Hope is a pilot project that will provide temporary shelter and services to street homeless adults in Pinellas County on a voluntary basis.  Beginning on December 1, 2007 and ending on April 30, 2008, the project is a community-based initiative, coordinated by Catholic Charities and located on land owned by the Catholic Diocese in an industrial area at 5726 126th Avenue North, west of 49th Street North.

The purpose of Pinellas Hope is to provide temporary safe and secure shelter for unsheltered adults, while offering services needed to help them get off the streets and into more permanent housing. The goals are to reduce street homelessness and to successfully transition approximately 40% of Pinellas Hope residents out of street homelessness to self sufficiency. Approximately 225-250 people at any one time

The target population is adults 18 and over not living in a shelter or other regular housing at this time; they may be living on the street, in the woods, in a car- a place not fit for human habitation. Many of the potential residents are newly homeless in the last six months, losing places to live due to lost jobs, unexpected expenses, or being priced out of the rental market with current incomes.

Some of the individuals will have been ‘on the street’ off and on over a period of years. The residents will include veterans, women, men, couples, individuals; some will be already employed (often day labor), some may have mental or physical health issues (they will be connected with services), and some may have substance abuse/alcohol concerns. No families with children will be housed at Pinellas Hope.

If you would like more information about Pinellas Hope, you can get some in any of the following ways:
Visit http://pinellashope.org
Download the Pinellas Hope Information Sheet
If you are interested in volunteering, click HERE

Thanks to Sarah Snyder, Executive Director, Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless, for this information.