Earlier this year, Halifax Urban Ministries in Daytona Beach, Fla., opened a temporary housing facility for homeless families and youth in a former elementary school. Dubbed Hope Place, the center provides an emergency shelter for 26 families with children, 9 apartments for families with children and a 32 dorm rooms for unaccompanied youth, ages 18-24.

 

Conceived by former HUM Executive Director Troy Ray in 2012, it is a $3.8 million collaboration of city and county governments and local agencies.

 

“Hope Place is working just the way we designed it,” said current Executive Director Buck Jones. “We are moving families in, and we are moving them out.” HUM anticipates it will serve 150 families and over 500 individuals this year at Hope Place. They anticipate placing 50 families into permanent housing.