JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As of Monday, the city of Jacksonville began moving people affected by homelessness to hotels.

It’s part of one new program called Pathway to Home.

The The reach has started in a homeless camp on a downtown lot on Union and Jefferson Streets. According to the city, the first 53 participants in the program will be relocated to long-stay hotels whose names will be withheld for their own safety.

The program is run in collaboration with the city, the Sulzbacher Center, the Mental Health Resource Center, the Changing Homelessness, Downtown Vision and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

“Unfortunately we are seeing an increase in homelessness on the street due to COVID,” said Cindy Funkhouser, CEO of Sulzbacher said on “The Morning Show” Saturday. “The Pathway to Home project is very critical, very exciting.”

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The program places people affected by homelessness in an extended-stay hotel for 30 days and provides nutritional and mental health assistance. During this time, the goal is to help them find long-term accommodation.

“This is not a band-aid approach,” said Funkhouser. This is a solution to a person’s homelessness. When we take them to a hotel, we never plan on them going back on the streets. We plan to have them move straight to permanent housing. They will have all the case management and all around services they need to stay stable and that is the answer and the solution to homelessness is permanent housing. “

The city said there is currently between $ 550,000 and $ 650,000 available for the project.

Community activist Brennan Reed said: “It’s good. It shows that we are improving in the right direction. It shows that people care and that we are a city that tries to show that we care about everyone equally Some people are just in a tight spot. They need a little help, a push. “

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The Pathway to Home program inspired others to take action. Claudia Liner and her sister started a program called Radical Aid Jax. They help feed and dress people on the waiting list, and also provide temporary protection.

“We made all of these new tents available and the community bought these on the Radical Aid Jax Instagram,” she said.

City officials say the Pathway to Home program participants will be assessed individually with the aim of customizing a solution to help them find a home.

There are several ways you can help end homelessness in our community with this mission by purchasing a move-in kit or donating items such as blankets or toiletries to the Trinity Rescue Mission.

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