SWEET HOME TALLAHASSEE By Marcia Warfel
LIVING LOCAL
R
ecently, Tallahassee Women caught up with the newly appointed CEO of The Kearney Center, Samantha Vance, to discuss homelessness in Tallahassee and how the community can rally together to impart solutions for one of our most vulnerable populations. Impressively, Samantha has raised nearly $1M to date for nonprofits in the state of Florida and she was appointed by Governor DeSantis to serve on the state advisory board for the Department of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention, assisting with the management and allocation of close to $3M in federal funding. Her wealth of leadership experience and zeal for community support strongly aligns with The Kearney Center’s mission to provide emergency shelter to those experiencing homelessness in addition to services like GED training, prayer groups, and workforce development. Samantha has provided solutions as to how we can help the homeless population in Tallahassee and make this an ongoing priority in the community. A big thanks to The Kearney Center and Samantha Vance for continually raising awareness and providing resources for our community at large. What would you say is the most important aspect about homelessness that we should know?
Anyone can experience homelessness. It has no set race, gender, or career criteria. Many people who struggle with chronic homelessness have issues coping with substance abuse, severe mental health concerns, and complicated unresolved trauma. Housing is one need among many that must be addressed to effectively aide people experiencing homelessness. How can we help the homeless population here in Tallahassee? Donate, donate, donate. Though money is one obvious contribution, volunteering and donating gently used clothes, feminine products, toiletries, and non-perishable food items are a major help to our daily operations at
The Kearney Center. During the holidays, important items to donate would be clothing and other items t o keep warm, especially socks. With the weather getting colder, it is increasingly important to donate blankets and winter coats. What can we do as a community to reduce homelessness? Let your voices be heard politically. Homelessness is a multifaceted issue that stems from inequities in education, housing, and healthcare. Call upon legislators and other elected officials to make homelessness a priority. Who experiences homelessness in our community? Anyone can experience homelessness. At The Kearney Center we assist individuals ages 18 and older, with most of our clients being between the ages of 30-65. Other local agencies assist children, families, domestic violence victims, and pregnant women who are experiencing homelessness. Some of the main factors that cause homelessness in our community is unresolved trauma, severe mental health, and lack of affordable housing, which affects all ages. What is the best solution to homelessness in Tallahassee? There is not one grand solution to homelessness. It takes collaboration from the whole community including hospitals, law enforcement, and other social services agencies to meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness.
tallahassee woman | 22 | december 2021 • january 2022
