Did you know that Florida has the third-largest population of homeless persons of any state in the country?
Did you know that over 1,500 homeless people were identified in Okaloosa and Walton counties in 2013, and that over 44 percent of them were children under age 18?
With winter on the way, that is bad news.
Thanks to a coalition of organizations operating with the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce's support, a site for a permanent homeless shelter has been identified. It's at the city’s old wastewater treatment plant on North Beal Extension.
Please join the League of Women Voters of Okaloosa County at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, in Room 801 of Niceville United Methodist Church's Chandler Center (on Helms Street across from the NUMC Community Life Center) to hear about progress on this important community initiative that will help get our homeless back on their feet.
Opportunity Inc's immediate past board chair, Judy Byrne Riley, will be the guest speaker.
We look forward to seeing you at this free public event.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER: Help Okaloosa, Walton's homeless people