Mary Frances Ford doesn’t mind saying something that offends people. “The homeless population is just like the population that I belong to and you belong to, in the sense that ‘they’re just people,’” said the case worker with 37 years of experience working with people experiencing homelessness. “When it comes down to it they’re just
Case worker offers insight from decades of helping people who are homeless Read More »
There is no easy solution to homelessness. But it will start with affordable housing and a shelter on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. That was the message from a public forum on homelessness held at Back Bay Mission in Biloxi. “What we need as a collective is more affordable housing built,” said Mary Simons, executive director
Affordable housing, shelter at top of homeless needs list Read More »
Hannah Booker’s life has come full circle. “Three years ago, I was a homeless drug addict,” Booker said. “Sleeping in park bathrooms in a horrible domestic violence marriage.” Now she is helping addicts recover and get into housing. “This is the first job I’ve ever had that it was OK to be an addict,
Former addict now helps others in recovery Read More »
Jail or high school diploma? It seems like an easy decision. Climb CDC and Open Doors Homeless Coalition made that decision easier for Keanna Penman. Penman, 20, had been in and out of jail several times on drug charges. The high-school dropout was facing a longer stretch, but the YouthBuild program at Climb Community Development
Gulfport woman gets stable housing, diploma instead of jail time Read More »
The Continuum of Care seeks new agencies The Mississippi Gulf Coast region’s Continuum of Care is now accepting applications for the HUD Continuum of Care Program. Open Doors Homeless Coalition encourages agencies that serve to house the unsheltered to join the Continuum of Care. Go to www.opendoorshc.org for the information under the Continuum of Care
The Continuum of Care seeks new agencies Read More »
It was a moment to celebrate. 10 students that had given up on themselves, instead found success. And with the help of Climb Community Development Corporation in Gulfport, they got their high school diplomas. The odds were against these students. They were high school drop-outs that were on the verge of becoming a burden on
Climb CDC transforms dropouts into graduates Read More »
