Changing Homelessness

The first three years of life are a critical period for brain development, with approximately 90% of brain growth occurring before age five. During this time, the brain is highly adaptable and responsive, making early identification and intervention especially important when developmental milestones are not being met.

Early Steps is Florida’s early intervention program designed to support young children with developmental delays or disabilities and their families in the community, helping promote healthy development and improve outcomes during these vital early years.

Join us in this virtual session with guest speaker Camile Velardo, Professional Development and Credentialing Coordinator, Northeastern Early Steps.

📧 To register for this free virtual event, email [email protected] or call 904-402-4684.

Happy 250th birthday, USA ✨

Whether you’re going downtown to view the fireworks or staying in with friends and family at the cookout, we hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday! 🦅🇺🇸

Join us at Sulzbacher Village for our annual backpack giveaway! Thanks to our partnership with VyStar Credit Union, local students will receive backpacks filled with school supplies while families enjoy food, entertainment, and community resources. We can't wait to welcome you on August 1!

Earlier this week, Changing Homelessness hosted a Housing Fair for our veteran clients ages 50 and older 🏡

This was a private event for selected older adults and it was a huge success:
👥 - 28 attendees
📝 - 19 housing applications submitted
🏢 - 11 properties represented

Thank you to all our amazing housing and community partners who showed up to help get our older veterans housed!

We're closed in observance of Juneteenth!

We encourage everyone to check out what's happening in the city today and this weekend and get involved in the community. 🧡

We will be open for regular business hours on Monday, June 22.

ICYMI 👀

We're excited to share HUD’s release of the FY2026 Continuum of Care (CoC) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

This week, we're hosting two (2) Zoom meetings for the Mandatory Bidder's Conferences. You only need to attend one of the meetings, if you plan to apply.

We encourage all nonprofits and faith-based organizations to review the NOFO and consider submitting an application. Please submit any questions, or if you'd like to register for the Bidder's Conferences, to [email protected] 😊

The NOFO can be viewed on our website or at the link in our bio!

"Food costs and housing costs have continued to go up at a pace that's much faster than incomes," said Gilman. "So, even though many of our folks are working, often working full-time, they don't command the salary that allows them to afford transportation, food, medical care, and housing."

Northeast Florida homelessness rises from 2025 to 2026 in Point-In-Time count New data shows 14% increase from last year, while advocates report more working families and seniors struggling to afford housing

Join us at the General Membership Meeting‼️

This month's meeting will primarily focus on giving an introduction to the FY2026 HUD CoC and YHDP NOFO that released last week. There will also be a brief chat about the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) if time allows!

⌚- 9:00AM
📅- Thursday, June 11th
📍- Virtual on Zoom

If you plan on attending this introductory session, please send an email to [email protected] to reserve your Zoom spot. 😊

Monday, May 25 is Memorial Day in the United States, and it is incredibly important to remember exactly what this day represents.

The day formally and federally marks a day of reflection and observance, honoring all the servicemen and women who made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of the United States of America. Those sacrifices have guaranteed 250 years of continued life, liberty, and our ongoing pursuit of happiness.

Since our Nation's founding, over 1 million service members have died in combat and non-combat situations, including servicemembers lost in both World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq, as well as those we lost in non-combat accidents and to su***de. It is because of these individuals' sacrifice and selflessness that our way of life persists, not just at home but around the world.

The National Moment of Remembrance occurs every Memorial Day at 3pm local time where Americans are encouraged to pause and reflect for one full minute on this individual and collective loss.

At Changing Homelessness, our Veteran Program served more than 1,200 veterans and helped house 473 veterans in 2025.

For more information on the history of Memorial Day, please see the National Cemetery Administration website. It offers a detailed evolution of how informally honoring servicemembers transitioned into a national tradition.

The Wounded Warrior Project also provides a helpful guide to mark this occasion beyond the community-based events.

Please check your local news sites and community event pages to see what's happening around your area for Memorial Day!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Housing is Hope 🧡

We’re so grateful to everyone who spent their morning with us and helped make this year’s event so special. Seeing community members, volunteers, partners, advocates, and supporters all in one room was a reminder that real change happens when people come together.

A huge congratulations to this year’s award recipients, and thank you to our incredible volunteers who continue to stand beside us in the mission to end homelessness.

We also want to give a special thank you to our sponsors, , First Horizon Bank, BVI, and community partners, Florida Blue and First Coast News, whose generosity and belief in this work helped make Housing is Hope possible. And to our panelists, Drew Schrimsher, Whitney Meyer, Pastor Joe Williams, and Tony Jenkins -- your support allows us to continue creating spaces for conversation, collaboration, and action in our community.

This is just the beginning. From volunteer opportunities and community events to advocacy efforts and special campaigns, there are so many ways to stay connected and continue making an impact with us.

Be sure to follow us here on social media, check your inbox for updates, and visit our website to stay involved.

Thank you again for being part of Housing is Hope! 🏡✨

📸: https://dreams2reality.passgallery.com/-housingishope/gallery