Ribbon-Cutting Set For Salvation Army's Hope Homes, Shelter Addition

LAKELAND, FL — The Salvation Army of Lakeland George Jenkins Community of Hope will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Hope Homes and a shelter addition on Friday, Oct. 20 at 10 a.m.

The George Jenkins Community of Hope is located at 2455 Jim Galloway Road, Lakeland.

As a result of post-pandemic eviction moratoriums and a lack of affordable housing, stable housing has become increasingly precarious. The Salvation Army has added 20 new rooms to its existing shelter and semi-permanent transitional housing with 13 new houses to assist families with housing insecurity.

Related: Salvation Army To Double Housing For Homeless At Lakeland Community

The Salvation Army's Capt. Jeremy Mockabee, advisory board members, officials and supporters will be on hand for the event.

The George W. Jenkins Community of Hope is the Salvation Army's only family shelter in Central Florida. And, due to the affordable housing crisis, the community's 21 fully furnished triplex apartments on a 49-acre site weren't sufficient for the number of residents needing homes and the community had a long waiting list of families and individuals needing housing.

The Salvation Army, therefore, invested $19.5 million to double the capacity of its 49-acre family-friendly neighborhood to provide struggling families with semi-permanent transitional housing while they rebuild their lives.

The project, which broke ground in September 2022, adds 20 additional rooms to the existing emergency shelter, 12 new apartments for transitional living, 13 homes for supportive housing, and a community and worship center.

In addition to providing emergency shelter and semi-permanent housing, the Salvation Army provides a Pathway of Home program, which provides free services such as life skills classes, financial planning, referrals to other community agencies, transportation and child-care support, as well as case management support focused on obtaining sustainable housing.

As part of the Pathway of Home initiative, semi-permanent, transitional housing provides families with the opportunity to achieve self-sufficiency and financial independence, setting them on the path to home ownership.