The Gap Between Compassion and Capacity

In our last post, we discussed the Gloria Johnson Act and why punishing our neighbors for surviving in public spaces is a failing strategy. So where does that leave us? If the street isn’t the answer, where is the solution?

We often hear that “we have plenty of churches and charities helping.” This is true. Putnam County is home to incredibly dedicated organizations. Every day, groups like Bread of Life in Palatka and Interlachen Soup Kitchen Ministries provide hot meals. Organizations like Epic-Cure, St. Monica’s, and St. Vincent DePaul work tirelessly to distribute groceries across the county. We even have specialized recovery support through SMA Healthcare and The Nehemiah Project.

But there’s a crucial difference between a safety net and a path home.

The Current Reality: The Missing Pieces

While our community excels at providing a meal or a grocery bag, our own resource guide shows where the system stops. When we look at what our most vulnerable neighbors actually need, we find too many blank spaces:

• Chronic Homeless Housing: There is no designated facility in Putnam County for those facing long-term homelessness.
• Veterans Housing: Despite their service, we lack local, specialized housing for veterans in crisis.
• When Geography Becomes Destiny: Our data shows that while Palatka and Interlachen have some resources, residents in Florahome, Satsuma, Crescent City, Georgetown, or Lake Como have almost no access to local emergency services. No car or bus pass? You’re left stranded.
• The Shelter Gap: We have fantastic specialized shelters like the Lee Conlee House for domestic violence survivors and CDS for at-risk youth. But a single adult or a couple with no children who simply has nowhere to go tonight? The list is empty.

Moving From “Survival” to “Stability”

While vital programs provide the daily support that keeps our neighbors alive, the Coalition is focused on the next step: moving from survival to stability.

Charity alone is a band-aid. To make real progress, we need better coordination between these organizations and the people who need them. We need something beyond a hurricane shelter or a temporary mat—we need a “Welcome Home” that provides the stability someone needs to finally look toward the future.

We have added a Resource Gap Analysis to our Partner Portal, where our partner organizations are currently working together to identify every missing service and coordinate a fix. We aren’t just guessing; we are using real-time data to build a better system.

What’s Next?

On February 20th, our Coalition will meet at the First Baptist Church of Palatka (12:00 PM)

We’re identifying exactly where the holes are—specifically those missing pieces for our veterans and chronically homeless neighbors—and how we, as a community, are going to fill them.

While we’re working towards these solutions, you can help by donating blessing bags (visit the Blessing Bag Resource Page for information) and check out our Volunteer page to join the Rapid Response Team or the Join The Coalition page to join us. 

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