Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 10267
Tallahassee, FL 32302
Email:
Executive Director
Telephone:
(850) 942-2569
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Adding room for the "InnBetween"
Agency building more housing for homeless families
By TaMaryn Waters , DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
Kristl Moss didn't have a place to call home a couple of years ago. Moss was pregnant and trying to find a place for herself and her now 4-year-old son, Jonathan. They found a home at a homeless shelter for pregnant women but their time eventually expired.
Moss was referred to Lutheran Social Services of North Florida and was able to live in one of the agency's furnished town homes
until she could manage on her own. "I had no money saved up and nowhere to go," Moss remembered before she received the
referral. The agency's InnBetween transitional-housing program serves homeless families with at least one child under
age 18. It helped 23-year-old Moss, who now hopes to own the three-bedroom trailer she's currently renting. "Just to be able to
provide for my child is all I live for. I thank God everyday that he's given me second chances," Moss said.
Staffers at Lutheran Social Services are hoping to help others like Moss with the addition of two new homes that are being built
through the InnBetween transitional-housing program. Although the houses are being built from scratch, the agency is in need of
furniture to help the houses feel more like a home.
"Many of the families come to us with clothes and that's about it," said James Freeman, executive director of Lutheran Social
Services.
Most of their clients are single-parent families, and the parents are able to work. However, they can't afford the initial
costs to get in an apartment. The program allows each family to pay a monthly fee based on its income and how many children
will be living in the home.
After six months, an evaluation will help determine whether more time is needed to stay at one of the temporary homes. The
agency also helps with job training and child-care.
Melissa Griffin, case manager for Lutheran Social Services, said there is no waiting list for the pro-gram. Clients are
referred by other social-service agencies that work with the homeless population, such as ECHO Ministries' Bethany
Apartments and Brehon Institute for Family Services. She said coming to the agency is a way to save money for more
permanent shelter and help parents cope with homelessness.
"It really affects the children," Griffin said. "It's a terrible burden on the parents." Moss, who had to give up
her now 1-year-old daughter for adoption, said she didn't know what would've happened to her and her son if Lutheran Social
Services hadn't helped her. I feel very blessed that God worked through them to help me," she said.
You can help continue the work of the InnBetween Program with your tax-deductible donation.
This article was originally published in the Tallaassee Democrat as written by TaMaryn Waters at (850)
599-2162 or mailto:tlwaters@tallahassee.com. May 22, 2006 )
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