Emergency homeless shelter gets boost

Seminole County, AdventHealth help fill financial gap for mission operating at loss

Seminole County’s only emergency homeless shelter — on the brink of closing a few months ago — is getting a fresh infusion of cash and support from the county, the sheriff’s office and AdventHealth to help the nonprofit agency make repairs and keep its doors open.

The 101-bed Rescue Outreach Mission, in Sanford’s historical Goldsboro community, is the county’s designated cold weather shelter — meaning it does not turn anyone away when temperatures drop below 40 degrees. The agency provides separate dormitories for men and women, including women with children, and it serves a free lunch and dinner five days a week to anyone in need through its “Loaves & Fishes” program.

That program routinely 100 to 200 people each day.

“They play a very critical role in our community here,” said Tim Cook, CEO of AdventHealth Altamonte Springs, which this week announced a $50,000 donation to the facility on behalf of the hospital company’s medical staff. feeds

“People who aren’t able to find a place to live for their family — it just compounds all kinds of other problems. … We believe that we can get ahead of this and help people before they find themselves in a desperate health-care crisis,” he said.

The county has invested nearly $248,000 over the past 18 months to bolster the mission — not including the salary for its interim executive director, Bonnye Deese, a county employee on loan to the mission. In addition, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office is giving $25,000 from a law-enforcement trust fund to help repair and maintain the aging facility.

“We’re thrilled to help fill the gap… we just wish they had reached out sooner,” said Seminole County Commissioner Amy Lockhart. “Unfortunately, I don’t think they knew when to wave the white flag.”