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Coalition for the Homeless of Nassau County volunteer Christene Stewart drives the nonprofit’s RV, which provides services to Callahan and Hilliard’s homeless. It is equipped with two showers, laundry and kitchen amenities. Photo by Kathie Sciullo
Kathie Sciullo
NCR Reporter
Coalition for the Homeless of Nassau County volunteers recently expanded mobile help services to Callahan and Hilliard. The Fernandina Beach-based nonprofit also provides mobile services in Yulee.
The self-contained RV is equipped with two restrooms, showers, a washer and dryer and other amenities to assist those in need. The mobile unit parks at Callahan Methodist Church Wednesdays from 4-6 p.m. Journey West in Hilliard hosts the RV on the first and third Friday of each month from 10 a.m. to noon. Anyone who needs a shower or to wash clothing is welcome.
Food, snacks, hygiene items, clothes, and resource materials are also available.
The coalition met at Callahan Volunteer Fire Department Station 5 May 14 to discuss past accomplishments and assess future needs. Callahan Mayor Randy Knagge, Callahan Town Council President Ken Bass and Councilwoman Ashton Bishop Vargas were in attendance.
Board director Peg Scherr gave an overview of the group’s accomplishments in 2023, including raising $43,000 to purchase the RV. Sandy Phipps and Christene Stewart drive the RV.
Prior to associating with the coalition, Stewart and her two children lived in their vehicle for months before securing a place to live. She prayed that she would receive an RV, but her prayers were answered in a different way.
“God put me in the RV to take me to places to help other people,” Stewart said. “It’s been a blessing. It really has.”
A second daytime location in Callahan is sought.
“We are looking for volunteers,” Phipps said. “We need volunteers to actually ride. It’s not a one-man job. It’s getting a little busy.”
Male and female clients need black pants and shoes to wear to job interviews or work. Sunscreen wipes and insect repellent wipes are also requested.
“It’s a wonderful program,” Phipps said. “What I would like to see is – I look at it and I see all of us working together for the same goal. If we could all use our resources for the same goal, can you imagine what kind of mountains we could move? I mean, it would be amazing to see all of us working together.”
Coalition member Dawn Huffman updated the group on the cold night shelter at the City of Fernandina Beach Recreation Department’s MLK Center. The coalition provided clients 35 nights of indoor shelter. A total of 409 people sought shelter from November through February.
A warm meal and cots are provided when nighttime temperatures fall to the low 40s. The group hosts at least 15 clients per night and sheltered as many as 22 people on a single night.
Twenty volunteers are trained to stay overnight, with two volunteers each night. Twenty more volunteers are needed, according to Huffman.
A drop-in center on South 14th Street provides breakfast for clients.
Blankets, T-shirts and thick socks are welcomed donations. Future plans include providing cool shelters during the summer heat.
Zen Carver updated the group about House Bill 1365, which could affect how homeless people are sheltered. The law takes effect Oct. 1.
The bill prohibits “public camping and public sleeping.” This includes “lodging or residing overnight in a temporary outdoor habitation used as a dwelling or living space and evidenced by the erection of a tent or other temporary shelter,” according to the bill.
Staying overnight in vehicles is not included in “public camping or sleeping.”
“Lodging or residing overnight in a motor vehicle that is registered, insured and located in a place where it may lawfully be,” the bill notes in addition to allowing recreational camping.
Public sleeping can be allowed on government property.
If county officials confirm that the area doesn’t have enough open beds in shelters to assist those in need and is “not contiguous to property designated for residential use by the county or municipality in the local government comprehensive plan and future land use map,” a property could be designated for use. But the property must also be approved by the Florida Department of Children and Families’ secretary.
Locations must abide by a 365-day limit before having to re-establish another shelter elsewhere that meets the law’s guidelines.
Nassau County Commissioner John Martin was at the May 14 meeting. He said if the county develops a temporary shelter that can provide food, accommodations and paid security, it could be costly.
He asked, “If there are no ties to Nassau County, can we go 20 miles down the road, to something that’s already established, even if it’s across county lines and have folks go there?”
The current shelter in Fernandina Beach may not serve as an accommodation, because the building doesn’t have a sprinkler system. This requires volunteers to stay alert all night in the event of fires, according to coalition president Carlene McDuffie.
“Even if it had a sprinkler system under this new law, we’d have to have paid security folks there with your volunteers,” Martin said.
Carver said the law does have caveats that will need discussed with elected officials and law enforcement.
“I think something that was intended to be a good thing to help people, I think there’s going to be an unintended consequence to it,” Martin said. “And that is that the homeless count in Nassau County is going to increase. It’s not going to be because people that live in Nassau County became homeless in Nassau County, it’s going to be because we’ll have an influx of people that are homeless somewhere else that are going to come here, because it’s a better place to be than Duval County if we have to provide.”
Providing services related to housing could be challenging, but the coalition wants to be available to help.
“On the other hand, if we don’t do something for now, I mean, yes, you’re right. We’re going to get bombed from Jacksonville,” Huffman said. “But if we know that we’re going to be bursting at the seams in no time flat, that doesn’t mean that we can’t do it and help the people that we do have. And address that overflow problem as we come across that. I mean, we can’t just sit on our hands and say, ‘Well, we’re sure that that’s going to happen’ and not do anything.”
For clients who want to get back on track, the coalition offers a Pathway to Success Program.
Project goals include helping participants obtain health insurance, rehabilitation, eventual housing and jobs.
“We may not make a lot of difference in this world,” McDuffie said. “But we’re going to make a difference for at least one. … And that to me is all that matters to me any more – is one person.”
Email CHNassau@gmail.com to learn more about volunteer opportunities.
ksciullo@nassau
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