Organization Proposes Shelter Bus to Support Apopka’s Increasing Homeless Population

APOPKA, Fla. – A Central Florida nonprofit is hoping to take its homelessness response on the road—literally.

Matthew’s Hope, an established organization dedicated to aiding the homeless, has obtained approval for three mobile shelter buses in Brevard County. The organization is currently appealing to Apopka city officials to allow one of these buses to operate in the city as an overnight haven for individuals experiencing homelessness.

The organization is not asking the city for funding, only for permission to park the vehicle on city-owned property.

“We came to the understanding that it is unreasonable to expect individuals to always come to us,” explained Shelley Bradford, president and executive director of Matthew’s Hope. “Thus, we believed it was crucial to find a solution to reach them, alleviating some of their burden.”

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The discussed bus is capable of accommodating just over 20 individuals and will be used exclusively as an overnight shelter. It is one of the three buses sanctioned by Brevard County, although none have become operational yet. Matthew’s Hope anticipates these units will be operational by this summer.

Bradford said the mobile approach also plays into one of the nonprofit’s larger goals: building trust and encouraging people to move toward independence.

“A big part of our ministry is building trust and rapport,” Bradford said. “We’re hoping people will see us around, build trust in us, and want to make their lives better—move forward toward a life of independence and sustainability.”

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Matthew’s Hope said homelessness continues to rise in West Orange County, and Apopka is one of the areas in greatest need of new shelter options.

City council members are expected to take up the proposal at Wednesday afternoon’s meeting at 1:30 p.m. If approved, the shelter bus could begin service in Apopka by the end of the year.

Matthew’s Hope is not the only group looking at mobile shelter buses as a quicker alternative to add beds for homeless people in Central Florida.

In March, the Orlando City Council approved a plan by the Christian Service Center to convert two Greyhound buses into mobile homeless shelters. Those buses are expected to be ready for use this summer.

[WATCH the video below to learn more about the media collaborative shining a light on homelessness in Central Florida]