ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A Central Florida nonprofit owner just opened a transitional home in Pine Hills, working to be a beacon of hope for men experiencing homelessness.
The Rev. Linda Chislom is using her faith to rebuild lives and get results for people in Orange County and beyond.
“Our thing is to instill in them love, hope, determination and greatness because if God did it for me he certainly can do it for them,” Chislom said. “I’ve overcome incarceration myself and I know what it feels like to be down and out and have no one to help.”
That’s why her nonprofit — Two-Fold H.E.L.P Ministries, Inc. — held a grand opening ceremony Saturday afternoon of a transitional home on Sarazen Drive.
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It’ll house 12 men. Community leaders, pastors and many others were given a look inside on Saturday.
“It’s basically for those people who have bad a rough time in life, a situation in life and they have lost their home or lost their places to stay, including veterans, people who are displaced and those recently released from prison,” Chislom said.
Interested people will have to sign up and may have to pay a fee based on income. Like many places, they can’t allow sex offenders.
“All the clients when they come in will be given a welcome basket,” said Joyce Sanders, Chislom’s sister. “They’ll come here, spend a little time here, as long as they need, and they’ll be able to go out and get acclimated into real life.”
The home’s research room includes two computers than residents in transition can use to apply to jobs and look for other resources. Those who stay there will be given constant positive affirmations of vision, focus, determination, discipline, persistence and more, we were told.
This comes as HB 1365 was filed this week in the Florida House, proposed legislation that would prohibit public camping or sleeping on public property statewide. Additionally, the city of Orlando in 2023 unveiled a three-year plan to address homelessness, including attempts to add more affordable housing.
Back in Pine Hills, the nonprofit’s leaders have big dreams that will soon include women, but they say they need more funding.
“The next dream is to do perhaps a hotel or an apartment building or something perhaps to house hundreds of people,” Sanders said.
Learn more at the nonprofit’s website.
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