As dignitaries sat under the merciful shade of a white tent Friday afternoon, the conditions seemed to emphasize the crucial need they had gathered to recognize.
New Life Outreach Ministry, a Lakeland nonprofit that bolsters the homeless and formerly incarcerated, held the dedication of a planned dwelling for veterans without permanent homes. As the pitiless sun scorched the ground outside the tent, supporters of the program had reason to ponder how miserable it would be to lack shelter on such a day.
The ministry plans to build a three-bedroom house that will accommodate six veterans, Founder and Director Larry Mitchell said.
As he stood at the front of the tent Friday afternoon, wearing an orange shirt whose brightness reflected his enthusiasm for the shelter, Mitchell described the project as being in the works for 35 years.
The invited audience included several staff members from New Life Outreach Ministry, Lakeland City Commissioners Sam Simmons and Stephanie Madden; Florida Rep. Jennifer Canady, R-Lakeland; and representatives from the offices of U.S. Rep. Scott Franklin, R-Lakeland; and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida.
The guests sat on green chairs decorated with orange sashes, the colors of Florida A&M University, Mitchell’s alma mater. Mitchell paid tribute to supporters of his ministry in the audience, such as Annie Phyall, a retired teacher and respected elder in Lakeland’s Northwest community.
Mitchell founded New Life in the 1990s and has established a small campus along Kathleen Road. The nonprofit provides transitional and permanent housing for men, including those with mental and physical disabilities or substance abuse and those recently released from jail or prison.
The ministry offers programs aimed at helping the men become independent and productive.
New Life operates a main shelter and has five other houses in the process of renovation, Mitchell said. The veterans’ home will be constructed across the street from the ministry’s headquarters on Omohundro Avenue, just off Kathleen Road.
As of Friday afternoon, three mounds of dirt designated the building site. Posted atop one pile was a statue of a soldier in uniform, standing on a base labeled “Honor and Bravery,” with an American flag waving behind it.
The ministry will draw upon $550,000 in funding from Polk County to build the home for veterans, Mitchell said. The county distributed that money from the $141 million it received through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 trillion stimulus package addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mitchell introduced a series of guests to speak about the project, offering gratitude to Katrina Lunsford, a banking executive who advised him on securing the funding. Lunsford said the nonprofits such as New Life Outreach Ministry typically have “little to no resources” and struggle with operational funds.
“We challenged the county to look at smaller agencies and people that’s in the community doing great work, and take that opportunity to give grants to them,” Lunsford said. “And they did just that.”
She added: “This is just one phase of what we need to do, and we need more to come, right?”
Terry Coney, a retired U.S. Air Force officer and President of the NAACP Lakeland Branch, also spoke at the dedication, wearing a blue Air Force cap. Coney, who served during the Vietnam War era, talked of the veterans who didn’t return from places of combat.
“But we have veterans that make it back, and they have difficulties, whether it’s reestablishing themselves in society, getting jobs, finding home health care, those kinds of things,” Coney said. “I was fortunate to come back in one piece. I’ve been able to establish a solid base back in civilian life. But we can’t assume that when our veterans come back home, everything’s great. So it’s a wonderful thing what Larry’s doing here with this facility. We can’t do enough for our veterans.”
Rose Regin, a staff member with New Life Outreach Ministry, also addressed the audience.
“This is one of my heroes, right here,” Regin said, indicating Mitchell. “I’ve watched him for 15 years struggle and give back. And when he said his vision was to have a veterans’ home, I’m like, ‘Whatever I can do, I’ll do.’ And I see so many of you do the same thing. So, I’m so glad that you’re here.”
Mitchell also introduced Gerald Poleon of EHS Construction Services, the lead contractor on the project. Mitchell said he expects construction to begin in September and conclude by December.
Amy Wiggins, President and CEO of the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce, attended the event, as did Phillip Walker, the Chamber’s Vice President for Partnerships and Research and a former city commissioner representing the Northwest area.
After the ceremony, Mitchell and some supporters gripped shovels with gold spades for photo opportunities at the mounds of dirt. Guests then took refuge in the air conditioning of the New Life Outreach Ministry headquarters.
Simmons suggested that others should follow Mitchell’s example.
“We need more veteran housing,” Simmons said. “There are several facets within the homeless population, one of them certainly being veterans, as well as people with mental illnesses. And I’m really committed that we need to get more veterans off the streets and into homes and services. There are services out there. That’s one of my commitments to make happen.”
As for Mitchell’s project, Simmons said, “It’s great. He’s got a good start. We need to do more. Hopefully, he’s the catalyst forward so that others can follow suit.”