POLK COUNTY, Fla. — The fallout from the pandemic, inflation, global shortages and what some describe as the beginning of a recession is impacting families, especially in our most rural counties.
We sat down with leaders at several nonprofits in Polk County who told ABC Action News the needs are more significant than ever.
Polk County Schools is in partnership withHomeless Education Advocates Restoring the Hope (HEARTH), along with Teamwork Achieves Student Success and Encourages Learning (T.A.S.S.E.L.) and Feeding Tampa Bay. All three nonprofits work together to ensure no family falls through the gaps.
"We have had students that have moved seven, eight times in two months, all those addresses zoned for different schools," said Ben Rush, Homeless Liaison for HEARTH. "We help keep them at that original school, that school of origin, and get busing set up through the district so that the students can have that continuity, and they're not having to constantly switch schools every time they move."
Rush said the amount of students experiencing homelessness continues to grow every year.
"We are about 800 students ahead of the pace two years ago and about 400 from last year," Rush said. "Two years ago, at the end of the year, we had identified around 3,700 students experiencing homelessness. Last school year, 4,051 students experienced homelessness. And as of yesterday, 4,550 students are experiencing homelessness. By the end of the school year, it will probably be close to 4,700. So that's up even 1,000 from a couple of years ago."
Rush said a consistent education with stability is vital to keeping kids out of the cycle of poverty.
"It has a huge impact on our students of all ages, and it can have a dramatic impact on their ability to succeed in school—which is why we have our program to support these students and support the parents so that no matter what's going on outside of school, they have what they need while they're in school to succeed every year, get promoted from every grade level and eventually graduate high school," Rush said.
Other families are in dire financial straits. That is where the project can give people clothes, food, shoes, toys, toiletries and other items they might need.
"As inflation goes up, hurricanes and that kind of stuff, more families need help, even the middle class need more help," Ashley Dukes, coordinator, said. "Last year, we did over 4,000 families, students and parents. This year, we're already at over 6,000 and still getting orders."
Dukes started at the nonprofit seven years ago, and she said it's her life's work to help others.
"So many families are very grateful," Dukes said. "Before I came into this role, I brought a mom some food, clothing and stuff. And she brought out water to me and said, 'This was the last thing I had. You helped feed my children tonight.'"
More than a year ago, Feeding Tampa Bay set up a pantry at T.A.S.S.E.L.
"When we're serving rural communities, it's been really important to be there in the center of the community to help families access the food quickest and easiest as possible," said Clarissa Rain, the Assistant Director of Community Programs for Feeding Tampa Bay. "T.A.S.S.E.L. has been, I think, a great way to have a reach throughout the county to help give families a little bit of an extra push where they need to and also share resources about where Feeding Tampa Bay is, so you're not having to make long drives to try to find groceries."
While we were at T.A.S.S.E.L., we met a volunteer turned full-time employee who said making a difference in her community is all she wants to do.
"That makes you at the end of the day go, 'Wow,' you know, it keeps you coming back tomorrow wanting to do it even more. Where else can we help them?" Debbie Wright said.