This summer, more people experiencing homelessness will have access to relief from dangerously high temperatures. Orange County recently lowered the heat-index threshold for opening cooling centers from 108 degrees to 103 degrees, recognizing extreme heat as both a public health and public safety issue. That five-degree change will have a significant impact. At the previous threshold, our community averaged about 10 days of emergency heat-response services each year. At 103

When Miss Jones stepped off a Greyhound bus in Orlando in early 2023, she carried four suitcases and traveled with her small dog. She had come from Jacksonville hoping to stay with her sister, only to learn that her sister’s transitional living program could not accommodate her. “That was the day I became homeless,” said Miss Jones. Over the next two and a half years, she lost nearly everything. Her dog was stolen, along with her belongings, wallet, and money. She slept u

For Veterans experiencing homelessness, the path back to stability can be difficult to navigate alone. At the Christian Service Center for the Homeless, our Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program helps Veterans and their families secure stable housing while connecting them with case management and resources that support long-term stability. In 2025 alone, this program helped 144 Veterans and their family members move into safe and stable housing across Cen

Every day at the Christian Service Center, we work toward a simple but powerful vision: making this the last night anyone sleeps outside in Central Florida. This holiday season, we are celebrating neighbors who are experiencing that promise firsthand as they move into safe and stable housing before the year’s end. One of those families is Willie and Jean Collins. For more than seven years, the Collins family lived in motels, spending nearly all of their monthly income on ro