Seminole County’s only shelter for the unhoused, the Rescue Outreach Mission in Sanford, is serving as a critical lifeline for a growing number of seniors and families facing homelessness in the area.
A Growing Concern
Anita Roman and Karen Love, both 68, met less than a year ago while living on the streets. Both women lost their husbands and eventually lost everything they owned to scammers. The shelter has provided them with a safe place to stay and support to get back on their feet.
The Rescue Outreach Mission is seeing a notable shift in the local unhoused population, with seniors now making up the fastest-growing group of people seeking help at the shelter. Many of these seniors are struggling to make ends meet on fixed incomes, with some receiving as little as $650 to $700 per month in Social Security benefits.
The shelter provides case managers who work seven days a week, a computer lab for job searches, and structured plans to help guests get back on their feet. The shelter’s CEO, Chris Ham, insists on calling the people who stay at the mission ‘guests’ rather than clients, and emphasizes the importance of treating them with respect and dignity.
Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.
