The Homeless Coalition of Polk County, Inc. has submitted a proposal to Mayor Mutz and the City of Lakeland commissioners for a daily resource center for individuals who are experiencing homelessness.
Upon hearing Lakeland’s desire to renovate Munn Park, Bridget Engleman, the Executive Director of the Homeless Coalition, formed a committee of local service providers to discuss solutions for the unhoused residents of Lakeland who would be unable to visit the park during renovations.
Engleman conducted a survey over the course of three days whereby she sat in the park and spoke to as many individuals as possible. The vast majority of the respondents stated that if Munn Park were to close, they would likely migrate to Lake Mirror, but confirmed that if there was another location available, they would be happy to spend time there. Additionally, Engleman spoke with many of the organizations that visit the park to provide food, clothing, and inspiration to individuals in need. All but one of the organizations agreed they would welcome another location to conduct their services to avoid the possibility of citations due to unsanctioned public feedings in a city park.
According to Engleman, “Ideally, the resource center will be located within a reasonable walking distance to Downtown Lakeland due to other nearby resources, such as overnight shelters like Talbot House Ministries and Lighthouse Ministries, which close during daytime hours”.
The Homeless Coalition of Polk County, Inc. seeks to work in tandem with the City of Lakeland and other community stakeholders to address the challenges and needs of city residents and business owners. (1) Downtown business owners have grown increasingly frustrated with instances of encroachment, and in some cases, menacing behavior. It is important to note, all offenders may not be related to Lakeland’s homeless population, though a number of individuals without traditional housing do frequent the downtown area. (2) Business owners and city officials agree that feeding those in need is charitable, still, doing so without following proper protocol exacerbates community challenges in serving homeless individuals. Some challenges include clean-up, lack of restrooms, and blatant disregard for city regulations. (3) Overnight shelters typically operate from 6p-6 am. Due to the restriction in hours, shelter guests are left with a myriad of unmet needs during much of the day.
“Our goal is to provide immediate and specialized support for the members of the community who remain unhoused. We wish to maintain a welcoming, low-barrier-to-entry campus while at the same time adequately addressing the realities of homeless services and crisis care. Our goal is to address the needs of the community more efficiently through diversion, direct on-site services, and rapid rehousing solutions. We truly feel our resource center will be a win-win for the community, as well as our homeless residents”, said Engleman.