The Central Florida Commission on Homelessness, in partnership with Heart of Florida United Way, recently announced the launch of the Homeless Children and Families Emergency Fund, a temporary fund to provide short-term housing assistance to families with minor children who are homeless or about to become homeless but cannot access available community resources for 30 days or less.

Established with funding support of $125,000 from United Way, Orlando Magic and the city of Orlando, the fund is being administered by the United Way Stewardship Program, which provides emergency assistance to local residents at risk of hunger, homelessness and other critical problems.

“Families with children are the fastest growing segment of our homeless population, with an increase of more than 30 percent in three years,” Ray Larsen, executive director of the commission, said. “This is a unique situation where we’re seeing more and more families falling into a gap between becoming homeless and the time it takes to access available community resources. What’s even more troubling is continuing high employment in our region, which means more families for the first time will face homelessness.”

According to the 2009 Point in Time Count by the Homeless Services Network, there are 57,643 homeless people in Florida. Of that, nearly 10,000 are homeless in Central Florida (Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties). Twenty percent of that total, or 4,200, are children with 42 percent under the age of 6.

Those families with children who are homeless or on the brink of homelessness can call United Way 2-1-1 – a free, 24-hour per day information and referral service and crisis hotline. A case manager will help connect them to the appropriate community agencies.

“The Homeless Children and Families Emergency Fund represents a temporary response to the gap for a housing alternative,” United Way President/CEO Robert H. (Bob) Brown said. “The ongoing economic challenge continues to place a tremendous burden on many in our community – especially families with children. Through this fund, we’re ensuring that qualified families with children do not end up on the street or in an unsafe housing situation while they’re connecting to long-term services.”

Last year, more than 34,000 people called United Way 2-1-1 regarding housing assistance. Of the 171,400 residents who called during the year, 75 percent sought help through 2-1-1 for the very first time.

“What we are hoping to do is to keep families together while they navigate the system,” Larsen said. “This fund is a means to the beginning for them, instead of a means to the end.”

The number of families with children that can be helped is based on the dollars available. If you wish to donate the HCFE Fund, log onto www.cfhomelesscommission.org and click on Homeless Children and Families Emergency Fund, or if you know of a family who needs help, simply dial 2-1-1.

For more information about the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness, visit www.cfhomelesscommission.org or contact Ray Larsen, executive director, at 407-429-2202 or Ray.Larsen@hfuw.org.

Established in 2008, the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness is a public/private partnership of community leaders dedicated to systematically address homelessness in Central Florida.