JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville homeless shelter just got a major boost from the federal government -- not in money, but in services.
The Sulzbacher Village in the Brentwood area is the first homeless program in the state and one of a few in the country to be labeled as an EnVision Center. The designation comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which will now offer more resources for the homeless in the city.
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During a ceremony Monday at the facility, numerous dignitaries were on hand. But it was the voices of the residents and the families who live on the site that were the most powerful.
“When I came to Sulzbacher, I was devastated. I never thought I’d do this. But when I got there and stayed there, it was like a dream come true to me,” said resident Bessie Ballard.
The designation as an EnVision Center does not come with a price tag, but it does open up more doors from HUD with education, health care and economic incentives, such as job training and counseling.