news release

When The Source first opened their doors as a homeless ministry in 1995, it provided meals and Bible Study in a modest 600 sq. ft. Vero Beach storefront. The Source has evolved significantly over the past 30 years into a more expansive facility which stands as a vital community resource center open every day of the week.

The organization serves its homeless neighbors through a myriad of core programs and services that include Dining with Dignity-a culinary employability training program, Dignity Catering and Dignity Food Trucks, Dignity Buses-mobile overnight emergency shelters sleeping up to 56 men and women nightly, with additional offsite affordable housing units sleeping another 25 on an on-going basis.

With the support of Jody Miller, a local philanthropic donor, along with a close relationship with Homeless Children’s Foundation (HCF), another non-profit organization in Vero Beach, The Source’s doors have opened yet again, and this time, it is a project that now houses families for the first time in their history of helping the homeless.

HCF’s mission is to fund and coordinate programs for homeless children and to enable their healthy development and long term success while guiding their families to self-sufficiency. They were founded in 2015 by community members to address an unmet, urgent need that gives homeless children their childhood back and breaks the cycle of homelessness by exposing them to quality programming throughout Indian River County. Once children are in programming, their parents receive case management from HCF to address barriers, refer them to other resources, and guide them to a path of stability.

“It took just one phone call from a non-profit associate, Hannah Hite, Executive Director of HCF, to set this project in motion,” shares Tony Zorbaugh, Executive Director of The Source.

That project in motion was a generous offer from Miller….a donation of three living units in his real estate inventory to provide housing for underserved families. The housing units, located in central Vero Beach, include one main house for a multi-generational family and two smaller apartments; one that is occupied and the other, a one bedroom that is currently under refurbishing by The Source who will handle the on-going maintenance and operations of the overall property. Hannah, along with HCF caseworkers, will qualify the families that desperately need the housing security, coordinate the move into their new home and identify the programs to be offered to the family members.

“When I learned of this opportunity for our organization to expand our care to families in need of a roof over their heads, it was an added opportunity for collaboration, one of our core beliefs,” expressed Mrs. Hite. “HCF does not run any programs itself and in 10 years of operation, we have successfully established over 50 active not-for-profit and for-profit partnerships. I immediately reached out to Zorbaugh as a possible partner knowing he and his organization were actively involved in affordable housing solutions and management.”

Hite and Zorbaugh agree that their new collaboration takes each of their organizations in a new direction of care for the most vulnerable members of the community. Their appreciation runs deep for Miller.

“Jody Miller elected to give back to the community rather than sell the property he had owned for a few years,” says Hite. “In speaking for The Source as well, we both know that non-profits like ours rely on the generosity of donors who can step up and out of the box to do positive things for the community where they live.  Mr. Miller did just that and we are very thankful to him. Unity is strength, and a project like this one has the ability to change lives for generations to come!

For more information on The Source, contact Executive Director Anthony Zorbaugh at 772-564-0202, Ext. 204 or visit www.iamthesource.org . For more information on Homeless Children’s Foundation, contact Hannah Hite at 772-532-1139 or visit www.HCFIRC.com.