Orange County commissioners signed off Tuesday on funding recommendations for $39 million in federal grant awards, including $15 million to the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida, Inc. for a new shelter for women and children experiencing homelessness.
“This is a much-needed facility with a lot of time — and a lot of work — in the planning,” said Martha Are, CEO of Homeless Service Network of Central Florida, which works closely with the coalition. “We know that, according to our annual Point-in-Time Count, nearly 20% of our homeless population is made up of children. Having safe housing and access to care and educational opportunities are critically important to their development, helping to break the generational cycle of poverty.”
It’s unclear where the new shelter would be located. Coalition leaders did not immediately return calls for comment Tuesday.
Other favored projects include a replacement for United Against Poverty’s storm-damaged food pantry in Orlando.
The $15 million grant will pay for a bigger, better equipped structure, allowing the organization to provide space for grocery services, social services, education, and health programs that support low- to moderate-income communities, executive director Anjali Vaya said in an email.
“This generous grant helps ensure that United Against Poverty – Orlando will be able to reach its goal to build a new facility that can not only weather future storms, but provide ongoing community support for those who need it, for decades to come,” she said.
The agency served more than 12,500 low-income households last year, representing more than 57,000 people.
Demand for services grew 30% year-over-year in 2025 and similar growth is expected this year. Half their clients are seniors.
United Against Poverty Orlando operates one of the busiest social services sites in the region, and its discount grocery is key for thousands of households. Many families served by the agency are on the edge of homelessness and access to its resources keeps many at-risk families in housing.
The roof of its pantry, located on West Michigan Street, caved in after a heavy summer rain in 2024.
The new structure will be built on the back section of the existing property in the SODO district.
A spokesperson said the current facility will continue to operate until the new one is built.
“This funding represents an important step forward in strengthening our community’s resilience and housing stability,” said Sarah Elbadri, director of constituent services for Congressman Maxwell Frost, who advocated for Orange County to receive the federal money.
She spoke on Frost’s behalf at Tuesday’s county commission meeting.
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Elbadri said the housing challenges in the greater Orlando region remain significant.
She cited a recent report which ranked the region among the nation’s least affordable for low-income households.
Commissioners approved Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery funds totaling $32.7 million for public facilities to support nonprofit-led improvements to shelter capacity, food distribution and infrastructure serving vulnerable residents.
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Another $6.17 million was set aside to repair storm-damaged affordable-housing units and develop supportive housing for domestic violence survivors and other at-risk populations. The awards also include $150,000 to create a countywide strategy to expand urban tree canopy and environmental resilience in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods.
The board also unanimously approved an award of about $450,000 to upgrade the Town of Eatonville Community Redevelopment Agency’s building, expanding its use to include economic development services and a small business incubator for residents.
shudak@orlandosentinel.com