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National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week
11/15/09 - 07:09 PM

Homeless and Hunger Coalition of Northwest Florida

 RSS Feed

The week of November 15th is National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week, and the Homeless and Hunger Coalition of Northwest Florida has scheduled a number of local events to bring greater understanding of the challenges that homeless individuals, families and children face daily in the Panama City area.

The Homeless and Hunger Coalition of Northwest Florida along with its 40 local Coalition member organizations have joined arms to bring greater awareness to the general public about the needs of the local homeless individuals and families in our community and what we can do to help eliminate homelessness among our friends, family members, fellow workers, military veterans, neighbors and travelers. 

Events are planned every day of the week starting Sunday, November 15th to Saturday November 21st, 2009, at the Day Center located on the campus of the Panama City Rescue Mission at 515 East 6th Street in Downtown Panama City and other downtown locations. During this year’s awareness program, the Coalition’s partners are providing the general public and local officials an opportunity to awaken their hearts and minds of the many current struggles of others and to help replenish the limited resources our community has currently devoted to moving people from homelessness living on the streets , out of poverty and into permanent housing and a livable wage job.

One of a person’s most important needs is food and safe shelter.  Unfortunately, due to the recession and high unemployment there are so many in our community today who are unable to afford shelter and are left out in the cold living on our city streets, parks, in the woods and vacant buildings downtown.  With the onset of colder weather, their plight becomes much direr.  The local Homeless and Hunger Coalition estimated that there will be over 2,000 homeless people in the six counties area-Bay, Gulf, Calhoun, Holmes, Jackson and Washington during the course of the year in 2009.  It is estimated that in Bay County alone, there are over 1,000 people who become homeless due to loss of job, eviction, medical problems and drug/alcohol addiction every year.  This problem is beyond the sad plight of a few hard luck individuals. 

The Panama City area has a high percentage of seasonal hospitality and construction workers in our workforce and leads the region in having some of the lowest paid workers in Northwest Florida. With the off-season upon us, the numbers of homeless needing services is on the rise.  Adults and children can be found every night sleeping in vehicles, doubling up with friends/family and in encamped in our neighborhood woods.

The following is a list of Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week events in our community.

Sunday, November 15th:

SUNDAY SERVICES:  Local pastors are encouraged to pray during their Sunday services for homeless and hungry individuals and families in their churches and out in the community; especially children.

Monday, November 16th thru Saturday, November 21st:

The DAY CENTER will host an Open House for the public to visit the Center and talk with the volunteers and professional who work daily with our community’s homeless.  The Center closes for lunch from 11:30am to 12:30 pm. The general public is invited.

The Panama City Rescue Mission invites the general public and organizations to come and have a meal with a homeless person or family from 11:45 am to
12:45 pm any day during the Homeless and Hunger Awareness Week.  Come share a warm noon time meal, listen to an individual’s story and offer an encouraging word.  Please RSVP your interest in having lunch at the Mission by calling the Mission’s Volunteer Coordinator at . 

Wednesday, November 18, 2009 10:30 AM Workforce Center:

Regular monthly membership meeting of the Homeless and Hunger Coalition of Northwest Florida, Inc.  Guest Speakers: Rev. Diana Barnes, Transformational Ministries, Hiland Park United Methodist Church; Ms. Allison Carter, Guardian ad Litem.

Friday night, November 20 to Saturday morning, November 21:

“One Night Without a Home” sponsored by FaithWorks InterFaith Ministries

Network, Inc. and the Panama City Rescue Mission

For more information and sign up call FaithWorks @ .

“One Night Without a Home” Awareness Sleep Out takes place nationally during Awareness Week and this year will occur locally in downtown Panama City.

The “One Night” is an opportunity for area residents and leaders to spend a night outside to discuss, think, and learn more about homelessness. Although one night outside can in no way simulates homelessness, this awareness-raising activity will promote advocacy, protest, and education among participates.  Lasting only about 12 hours, from 7 p.m. Friday night until Saturday morning, interested citizens in participating in “One Night” should meet at the Panama City Hall at 7:00 pm Friday, Nov. 20th.  The night’s activities will include a candle light vigil in McKenzie Park for all those who have died homeless here in Bay County within the last 12 months.

“One Night” Time Schedule

7:00 p.m—Gather at the Panama City Hall at the south end of Harrison Blvd. 
7:30 p.m-Hot coffee and a hot meal will be prepared by the various churches who host the bi-weekly “Feed the Hungry” for the hungry and homeless in our community behind the offices of attorney, Carroll McCauley at 36 East Oak Street near McKenzie Park.
8:00 p.m. to 11:00 pm—Candlelight vigil/Speakers/music/outside discussion groups at McKenzie Park/”Walk A Mile In My Shoes” Program whereby participants are paired with a homeless or formerly homeless person and will spend a few hours together doing such things as sharing how they eat when living on the streets, sharing where they sleep for the night, or just talking about the challenges they have accessing needed social and medical services in our community. This will be an opportunity for the participants to share quality time with someone who is homeless, someone that will share their struggles and hardships of life on the streets.
11:00 p.m.—Late night hot chocolate/coffee /music at McKenzie Park
12:00 midnight—“One Night’s Manger Camp” at Massalina Community Garden on Allen Avenue between 6th and 7th Streets near the Panama City Rescue Mission will OPEN for the “homeless” like participates who can’t find shelter in the Panama City Rescue Mission or who can’t afford a night at the local motels and inns. (City of Panama City Police will be on duty all night at the Massalina Community Garden)
7:00 a.m. Saturday—Hot breakfast at the Panama City Rescue Mission/Morning Devotion Service and closing remarks

Interested individuals, local civic organizations and clubs can get involved by participating in the following activities:

SKIP A MEAL-Instead of purchasing a lunch one day, donate (tax deductible) the money that you would have spent for a meal to the Hunger and Homeless Coalition of Northwest Florida, Inc. to provide vital services and food to the homeless in our community.

FOOD DRIVE-Organize a food drive in your neighborhood/church/office to collect non perishable items such as certain foods, hygiene products, clothing, blankets, books and toys.  Drop off at Day Center on 6th and Allen Street, downtown Panama City, any time during the week.

HIRE THE HOMELESS DAY-Call FaithWorks InterFaith Ministries Network, Inc, Willing Workers Program at and hire a qualified, alcohol/drug free worker to perform odd jobs around the house or your business, with supervision, for a day or two: 1) pine straw raking, 2) exterior window cleaning, 3) tree and palm trimming, 4) vacant home, apartment or condo cleaning, 5) exterior painting, 6) car, truck or boat washing/detailing, 7) gutter cleaning, 8) fence building, 9) vacant lot clearing, 10) junk removal, 11) door to door distribution of advertising flyer, 12) home number painting on the street and, 13) other odd jobs.  All work guaranteed satisfaction or your money back.

VOLUNTEER-Volunteer to work a few hours at the local Day Center by calling the Panama City Rescue Mission, volunteer Coordinator at .

LET’S SHARE THE WARMTH! –The Homeless Coalition is hosting a Blanket/Warm Clothing Drive for the homeless in our community during the whole week, November 15 through Nov. 21st.  The Panama City Rescue Mission is full and turning away people and families every night to sleep on the floor and out of doors in the streets, the woods, vehicles and vacant buildings. We are inviting the whole community to help us collect all types of blankets, sleeping bags and warm clothing (new or clean used in good condition) to be distributed to people in need of warmth during the coming winter season. Please bring any items you wish to donate any day during the week to the Day Center on the campus of the Panama City Rescue Mission located at 6th Street and Allen Avenue.  Items will be given to people throughout the community needing the for the coming cold season. Let’s come together to help those who are not blessed with a warm place to be this holiday season.