APOPKA, Fla. – A Central Florida nonprofit is hoping to take its homelessness response on the road—literally.
Matthew’s Hope, a longtime homeless outreach organization, has already secured approval for three mobile shelter buses in Brevard County. Now, the group is asking Apopka city leaders to allow one of those units to be stationed in the city, serving as an overnight shelter for people experiencing homelessness.
The organization is not asking the city for funding, only for permission to park the vehicle on city-owned property.
During a city council meeting Wednesday, Mayor Bryan Nelson the issue would be brought up for a formal vote during the next meeting on June 18.
“We realized that we couldn’t expect people to always make it to us,” said Shelley Bradford, president and executive director of Matthew’s Hope. “So we felt like it was more important to try to find a way to get to them as well, and just to take a little bit of a burden off of people.”
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The bus in question is designed to sleep just over 20 people and would only be used for overnight shelter. It is one of three buses already approved by Brevard County, though none are active yet. Matthew’s Hope says those units are expected to launch sometime this summer.
Bradford said the mobile approach also plays into one of the nonprofit’s larger goals: building trust and encouraging people to move toward independence.
“A big part of our ministry is building trust and rapport,” Bradford said. “We’re hoping people will see us around, build trust in us, and want to make their lives better—move forward toward a life of independence and sustainability.”
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Matthew’s Hope said homelessness continues to rise in West Orange County, and Apopka is one of the areas in greatest need of new shelter options.
City council members are expected to take up the proposal at the regular meeting on Wednesday, June 18 at 7 p.m. If approved, the shelter bus could begin service in Apopka by the end of the year.
Matthew’s Hope is not the only group looking at mobile shelter buses as a quicker alternative to add beds for homeless people in Central Florida.
In March, the Orlando City Council approved a plan by the Christian Service Center to convert two Greyhound buses into mobile homeless shelters. Those buses are expected to be ready for use this summer.
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