Homeless Men in Indian River County Receive Help
MEDIA RELEASE
Homeless men in Indian River County received a boost from area residents who turned out Thursday in support of the first CAMP HAVEN fund raising event since the facility opened last week.
CAMP HAVEN, a homeless shelter for men, has been a dream of many who are determined to end homelessness in the county. Richard Stark, who was honored at the gala held at the Elks Club in Vero Beach, offered his support in the fight to help local men through the construction and opening of CAMP HAVEN. Stark is well known in Indian River County for his fight to help his less fortunate neighbors.
“The plight of the homeless is nearly incomprehensible to most of us,” Stark said at the event which included entertainment by Theatre Go Round performers. “In fact, homelessness touches all segments of our community and all walks of life. It is not limited to just those who are highly visible to us. It touches many more who are hidden from sight, suffering from a disability, mental illness, living on a fixed income, suffering a foreclosure and those who are literally one paycheck away from living in a car,” he continued.
Public Defender Diamond Litty and Camp Haven President Lalita Janke joined Stark in welcoming over 150 guests who were there to join the fight against homelessness in Indian River County. Entering the lavish event through a Rainbow Arch signifying a new beginning for the homeless in Indian River County, guest enjoyed music, dancing, dinner and a show by Theatre Go Round. The George E. Warren Corporation, Sheila and John Connors, Warren Schwerin and Mrs. Thomas Chiarenza, Jim Beckley, Jim Schorner, Republican Women Aware, Mr. and Mrs. Mel Teetz, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Schlitt, Mr. and Mrs. John Hardy, Mrs. Herman Becker, the McCabe Foundation, Carwill Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Lynch are among those who were event sponsors and supporters.
Camp Haven welcomed its first five residents last week when the facility located at 3256 U.S. 1 in Vero Beach opened after years of renovations and struggles.
Camp Haven at this point of construction, will house 20 to 30 Indian River County men per year who need a safe place to stay while they prepare to rejoin the workforce. In addition to a safe place to sleep; these men will be given job training, counseling and transportation to job interviews. Janke says the objective is to help homeless men find a job, save enough money to rent their own apartment and support themselves, thereby transitioning back into self-sufficiency.
“It is not enough to help the men and provide them shelter as they transition, we need to provide them jobs, support them while they change their thinking and behaviors, Janke added. “Change is the hard part for all of us, “she said. “Can we give them an opportunity to gain back their self-respect – that is the question we need to ask,” she concluded.
“We are helping homeless men transition from Helplessness to Hopefulness,” Janke said during the event.
“Men will stay at Camp Haven until they have jobs and have saved enough money to pay first, last and security deposits on their own apartments,” Janke said. “These are men who have lost jobs, their homes and have no one to turn to,” Janke added. “Camp Haven is there to help them transition back into society.
CAMP HAVEN is supported entirely by Indian River County residents and organizations.
A donation was received to purchase a van to transport men living at Camp Haven to and from Job Interviews and jobs and men living at Camp Haven will grow their own vegetables. Also supporting Camp Haven is Impact 100 and the Indian River Community Foundation. Serving on the Camp Haven Board of Directors with Janke are: Jim Beckley, Vice President; Jim Schorner, Treasurer/Secretary; Sheila Connors, Louise Hubbard, Sue Rux and Stark.
“There are no words to express how good it feels to finally be open and provide shelter for our area homeless men,” Janke said during the Thursday evening event. “It has been a long battle but at last we are here and grateful to so many who have made this vision actually happen,” Janke added.
Also participating in the Thursday fund raising event were Republican Women Aware (RWA) Volunteers: Elaine Bath, President; Susan Haller, 2nd Vice President and MK Corrigan, Treasurer. Co-Chairs of the event were: Carole Jean Jordan, Dr. Deepti Sandwani and Connie Bishop.
To ensure the success of Camp Haven’s project for the homeless, it needs continuous support from the community. To find out how you can make a difference in someone’s life today, call (772) 999-3625 or visit www.CampHaven.net.
Indian River Guardian 