Homeless Shelter Makes Advances to Facility

Rescue Outreach Mission has been providing services to the homeless for 25 years and continue to find new and innovative ways to keep their residents comfortable and happy.

Their most recent addition is the playground and learning center and have made renovations the children's playroom, all of which are inside the Open Door Shelter for Women and Children.

Executive Director Ernie Hamilton said they accomodate to when the times change. "We wanted to make it suitable for today's children," he said. "It's just a change in the time. I'm sure five years from now, we will see things grow and change as we move forward. Just like any university or business, it always changes and this is going to be forever changing also to meet the needs of the community."

The Playground

The modern playground was put in the backyard of the Open door in 2010 and was refurbished by Leadership Seminole, who raised $75,000 for materials.

Wayne Weinberg, president of Leadership Seminole, said they were happy to have helped. "It puts smiles on each and everyone of our faces," he said. "It's pretty cool. It's great stuff. I tested it. I started swinging on it."

Tanishia Hunter, a case manager in the women's unit, said the former playground, which was an old, wooden kind, was not being utilized but the replacement has "livened" the children, who play at least three times a week.

Hunter said she enjoys seeing the residents socialize. "It's just good to see them come out together, not just one person sitting out here," she said. "But all the families come out here and socialize and they have fun. It's really good. This has really just made things better here for the kids."

The Learning Center

Four brand new Dell computers equipped with headphones were set up at four individual tables and are equipped with headphones for the residents of the shelter to use the internet for communication with family or to find jobs.

"All of our residents have to go down the road to the library to use the computer and I said, you know what it would be really good to have something here on-site," Hamilton said.

Residents will also be able to use the Access program to apply for food stamps, medicaid and cash assistance.

Hunter said due to the time limits for computer use and crowds at libraries, they were motivated to do this.

"We just wanted to make it easier for them to access what they needed, here," said Hunter.

The shelter received a $10,000 donation from Symantec for the costs affiliated with the multimedia room, but the paint, flooring and furniture was donated by Leadership Seminole Class 19, a group that provides volunteer services to the community.

The Play Room

Class 19 also assisted the shelter with remodeling the playroom. An engraved name plate has been placed on the door and reads, "Leadership Seminole Class 19."

"It's not like your regular at-home [playground]," Hamilton said. "It's like the city park, county park kind of playground. It is beautiful ... [It] has the state of the art brand new things in there for the kids to play with. It looks like a little classroom."

Hunter said that prior to the modifications being made, the play room only had a table with chairs and that that the room was falling apart. "They made it really look like a VPK room for the kids to come in and have so much fun and help develop their mental education. They love that room," she said.

Now, the room is packed with all different types of dolls, toys, games and even a kitchen for kids.

Mission Accomplished

Chantal Brazell has been living at Open Door with her two children, Aliyah, 2, and Walter, 4, for about a year and said the children love the playground. "They really enjoy it," she said. "They like playing, like getting stuff to learn and keeping active."

Walter said his favorite activity on the playground is the tire swing, and Chantal said Aliyah's favorite is the slide. "I have lots of fun," Walter said.

"It's a really good place," Chantal said. "They are very helpful. They help you get on your feet in the right way. They are positive people. They try to keep you positive. They try to keep you on the right track and try to help you the best way they can."

More Work Ahead

"My next vision is phase two," Hamilton said. "If things go the way it is with some things, we are for this office right here to be the learning center for the men. But right now, they can use next door."

Currently, there are 35 men, six single women, six families and 14 kids living in the shelters, and Hamilton said they are continuously getting more and are constantly full, serving 6,000 meals per month. He said he is eager to do more to help.

"We hope to expand our services even broader in the next year or two. A lot of growth is happening," he said. "We are one of the most employed counties in Florida. So when you think about Seminole County, you think money and you don't think poverty."

But he said that a homeless person can be anybody and no longer fits any stereotype.

"We are watching the face of homelessness change," he said. "The caliber of the person who lives here today is different. It's not just the alcoholic or the drunk ... It's families that are coming in here now needing help."

Hunter had equal sentiments and said she has grown a rapport with the women and children. "It's not the bum that you see on the street holding the sign saying, 'Will work for food,' " Hunter said. "It's the person who has the degree and who had a good job and had a good car. It has really changed. Homelessness has really changed. They are good people. We all are good people."

Sylvia Izquierdo is the administrative director and daughter of Mother Weaver, who had the vision to create ROM. Izquierdo said they are persistently working and that she thanks God for the Rescue Outreach Mission and all of the successful conversions they were able to make.

"We are just proud to be here; proud to be working in here," Izquierdo said. "When you look where we have come from in 25 years; you may see some of the old films of what it was to what it is now."

For more information, visit http://www.rescueoutreachmission.org.