Homeless day center in Downtown closing today

[thelakelander]

By David Chapman, Staff Writer

It's been a place for the homeless to beat the heat.
To take a shower, do some laundry and use the restroom three days a week.

The Jacksonville Day Resource Center opened just under two years ago as a pilot program. At about 4 p.m. today, the experiment is ending.

Despite pleas from one group Monday to City Council members to keep it open, the center had run its natural life, said Dawn Gilman, CEO of Changing Homelessness.

Grant funding wasn't there. Private sector support isn't available. The building's owner wanted it back.

The center's time was just up.

"We did learn from it," said Gilman, "And for that reason alone it was a success."

For services like showers, meals and a brief escape the center provided, Downtown's homeless service providers say they are stepping up.

Showers for men will be available each day from 10-11 a.m. at Sulzbacher. City Rescue Mission offers the same for women.

Sulzbacher's Hope Team, which provides health services, will make trips to Clara White Mission. And Clara White will still provide its veterans clinic.

"I think the key in this kind of program was finding out what kind of services were needed," said Penny Kievet, City Rescue Mission executive director. "And I think we accomplished that."

When it opened in October 2013, the center's goal was twofold: Connect people to services and reduce misdemeanor homeless arrests.

Gilman, Kievet and Sulzbacher President and CEO Cindy Funkhouser all agreed the first goal was met. They also agreed the second goal wasn't.

Full article: http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=546214