Homeless Leadership Alliance of Pinellas

Yesterday, the Pinellas Continuum of Care (CoC) sent a letter to the Pinellas County Legislative Delegation, urging them to support crucial funding for homelessness services in our community. With a 12% increase in unsheltered homelessness in Pinellas homelessness during the last year - a year that included Hurricanes Helene and Milton - funding for emergency shelter, housing solutions, and essential support services is more critical than ever. The Pinellas CoC is calling for: ? Continued Homeless CoC Challenge Grant Funding to sustain prevention efforts, housing placements, and wrap-around services. ? Ongoing Homeless CoC Staffing Grants to ensure our CoC can operate effectively and continue vital coordination. Homelessness affects the health, safety, and economic well-being of our entire community. We need strong, continued investment to create real, lasting solutions. ?? Want to make a difference? Join the Pinellas CoC Advocacy Committee, which meets quarterly on Zoom! Learn more at www.PinellasCoC.org/join. #EndingHomelessnessTogether #PinellasCoC

The City of St. Petersburg is seeking input from local nonprofit service providers and community organizations to help shape its recovery efforts after Hurricanes Idalia and Helene: ?? Complete the Sunrise St. Pete Unmet Needs Survey and Community Groups Recovery Survey by March 20th. ?? Join an in-person input session on March 26th to learn more and share feedback. ?? Access the surveys and additional information here: ?? www.SunriseStPete.org ?? https://lnkd.in/ensWzgPT #PinellasCoC #EndingHomelessnessTogether #StPete #CommunityRecovery

? The Homeless Leadership Alliance of Pinellas is excited to announce new leadership appointments: ? Cheri Holzbacher has been named Interim CEO, bringing extensive experience in advocacy, housing rights, and grants management. ? Kimberly Rodgers has been elected Board Chair, continuing her dedicated service in legal advocacy and community leadership. ? Nick Carey has been elected Vice Chair, bringing his passion for housing justice and community organizing. These newly appointed leaders and the HLA team extend our heartfelt gratitude to former Interim CEO Aaron M. Swift, Esq., and former Board Chair Mick Constantinou for their dedication and leadership. Together, we remain committed to making homelessness rare, brief, and one-time in Pinellas County! ?? Learn more about the HLA Board at https://lnkd.in/eAnj8erN and HLA’s leadership team at https://lnkd.in/ezVRcseW. Support our mission to end homelessness at https://lnkd.in/g-MR6Hgs. #EndingHomelessnessTogether #PinellasCoC

?? Join us for a virtal #PinellasCoC Resource Information Session on Tuesday! ?? Date: Tuesday, March 11th ? Time: 5:30pm - 7:00pm ?? Location: Zoom ?? Registration: www.bit.ly/2025Sessions This session will cover key resources available for people experiencing homelessness in #PinellasCounty, including: ?? Coordinated Entry & Shelter Assessments – Homeless Leadership Alliance of Pinellas ?? Emergency Shelter – Pinellas County Sheriff's Office ?? Homeless Street Outreach – City of Largo, Florida ?? Resource Connections – First Contact This session will help people experiencing or facing homelessness - as well as anyone hoping to help a neighbor in need - understand and access Pinellas resources. #EndingHomelessnessTogether #HomelessServices #CommunityResources

??Pinellas Cold Night Shelters Open TOMORROW, Thursday, February 20th?? The National Weather Service Tampa Bay Florida predicts "feels like" temperatures to reach lows of 40 and colder Thursday night into early Friday morning. Pinellas Cold Night Shelter Hours: ?Open: 6pm on Thursday, February 20, 2025 ?Close: 6am on Friday, February 21, 2025 Pinellas Cold Night Shelter Locations: ??Families: Call First Contact at 211 for referrals (based on availability) ??Boys and Girls Club of the Suncoast: 111 W Lime Street, Tarpon Springs ??First United Methodist Church of Clearwater: 411 Turner Street, Clearwater ??First United Methodist Church of Pinellas Park: 9025 49th Street North, Pinellas Park ??Boys & Girls Club of the Suncoast in Pinellas Park: 7790 61st Street North, Pinellas Park ??Note: This location requires the use of stairs ??Northwest Church: 6330 54th Avenue North, St. Petersburg ??WestCare Turning Point: 1801 5th Avenue North, St. Petersburg ??Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Petersburg: 100 Mirror Lake Drive North, St. Petersburg ??Note: This location requires the use of stairs ??Salvation Army, St. Pete: 1400 4th Street South, St. Petersburg Pinellas Cold Night Shelter Transportation: ??Ride #PSTA busses to / from Pinellas Cold Night Shelters for FREE during this activation ??Fare-free rides are available from 5pm on Thursday, 2/20/25 – 7am on Friday, 2/21/25 ??Riders should tell bus drivers they're heading to / from a Cold Night Shelter when boarding ??If drivers have questions, ask them to contact PSTA dispatch Important Details for Guests: ??Guests are accepted until shelters reach capacity ??All sites provide a warm place to sleep; many also serve a meal ??Shelters close at 6am to allow locations to resume daytime operations Support Pinellas Cold Night Shelters: ??Volunteers are needed at St. Pete Cold Night Shelter locations: www.bit.ly/HLAVolunteer. ??Donations make this lifesaving program possible: www.bit.ly/HLADonation ??Learn more about Pinellas #ColdNightShelters at https://lnkd.in/eQ9utMpD #EndingHomelessnessTogether #PinellasCoC #ColdNightShelter #Volunteer #Donate

This #PresidentsDay, we recognize the leadership and dedication of those who have shaped our nation. Both the Homeless Leadership Alliance of Pinellas and the Pinellas Continuum of Care believe that true leadership is about service — working together to build a stronger, more compassionate community for all. In honor of Presidents Day, let’s recommit to ensuring everyone has a safe place to call home. Join the #PinellasCoC and be part of the solution! Learn more and apply at www.PinellasCoC.org/join. #EndingHomelessnessTogether

?? FREE Pinellas CoC Mental Health First Aid Certificate Training in March 2025 ???? The Pinellas CoC is offering a FREE Virtual Mental Health First Aid Training Certificate Course for CoC members, volunteers, and staff of member agencies! This valuable training - typically valued at $125 - is hosted by St. Petersburg College and equips participants with essential skills to identify, understand, and respond to mental health and substance use challenges in our community. ?? Date: Wednesday, March 12, 2025 ? Time: 9am – 4pm (+2 hours of self-paced pre-work required) ?? Location: Virtual ? Registration Deadline: February 19, 2025 ?? More Information and Registration: www.bit.ly/MHFA2025 Let’s continue #EndingHomelessnessTogether by building a community trained in mental health response! #PinellasCoC #MentalHealthFirstAid

?? TODAY: Pinellas Continuum of Care Membership Meeting ?? ?? Date: Tuesday, February 11th ? Time: 5:30pm - 7:30pm ?? In-Person Attendance: Feeding Pinellas Trinity Cafe - 6330 54th Ave. N., St. Petersburg ?? Virtual Attendance: www.bit.ly/meetings2025 ?? Register and Learn More: www.bit.ly/Feb-25 Meeting participants will: ??? Receive an update on the State of Homelessness in Pinellas ??? Hear from CoC Leadership ?? Learn about Feeding Tampa Bay's Pinellas Empowerment Center ???????? Find out more about CoC membership, boards, councils, and committees Don't miss this opportunity to connect and collaborate in our mission of #EndingHomelessnessTogether! #PinellasCoC #PinellasCounty

One week ago, 307 incredible volunteers took to the streets for the 2025 Pinellas Point in Time (PIT) Count, connecting with and surveying our neighbors experiencing homelessness! ?? This effort makes a real impact! These incredible volunteers - as well as everyone who helped plan the PIT Count and distribute supplies during the event - help ? secure funding ? expand vital services and ? drive real change to make homelessness rare, brief, and one-time. But the work isn’t over! ? Keep the momentum going! ? ?? Share your experience ?? Complete the volunteer survey and share your PIT photos at https://lnkd.in/eAnym3JM ?? Continue your support by volunteering and donating critical supplies ? View a list of volunteer and donation opportunities at www.PinellasCoC.org/pit Every hour, every effort, every dollar brings us closer to ending homelessness. Thank you for being part of the solution! ?? #EndingHomelessnessTogether #PinellasCoC #PinellasCounty #2025PIT

?? Cold Night Shelter Volunteers and Donations Needed As temperatures drop, our community’s most vulnerable members need your help to stay safe and warm. While Pinellas isn’t seeing the snow that some of our northern Florida neighbors are, the cold weather is still dangerous for our neighbors living without shelter or heat. ?? How You Can Help: ? Volunteer your time to assist at a Cold Night Shelter ? Make a donation to support this lifesaving program Visit https://lnkd.in/eQ9utMpD for volunteer opportunities, donation options, and tonight’s shelter locations. ?? Thank you, all, for your support! #EndingHomelessnessTogether #PinellasCoC #ColdNightShelters