A nonprofit agency is stepping up its efforts to help what it says is a growing homeless population in the Apopka area. 

Officials with Matthew’s Hope Ministries say that in the last year, more than 400 new names have been added to its registry of people who have no permanent home, and need help.

The ministry assists the homeless with food, clothing and in some cases, housing.

“I’d love to try to save every single person and help every single person that I can — I understand that’s not possible — but if I can help the ones I see and help them help themselves, it keeps me coming back every day,” said Sharlene Dewitz, a director with Matthew’s Hope Ministries.

Dewitz said that before raising two children, she worked several jobs in purchasing departments working for several companies. But after volunteering for Matthew’s Hope, she ditched corporate America for good after she realized how much more she was fulfilled by helping other people in need.  

“I just think this is my purpose,” she said.

Since she began driving Matthew’s Hope mobile van around Apopka about a year ago, she says the bins carrying the bags of items for the homeless are getting fuller.

“They’re getting heavier and the reason why they’re getting heavier is because we’re bringing more bags out because we’re seeing more people,” said Dewitz.

“You do worry about them, you do — it’s not just a job,” she added. “You come out here and build the relationships. When they’re not here or sometimes they move, you do, you worry about them.”

Jeffrey Elliott says law enforcement has asked him and his wife to move off private property where they’ve been staying for nearly two years. The veteran said they didn’t feel safe staying at shelters.

“I went to six different places and, you know, drug addicts, drunks carrying on all night so I kept moving,” said Elliott.

Like many of the people along Dewitz’s morning route, Elliott said the high cost of rent is one of the main reasons why he remains homeless.

“The rent is more than my retirement, so where am I going to go?” he asked.

Dewitz said in many cases, new development is taking away wooded spaces where many homeless camp out. 

“The more development that happens, we are then reducing the woods where they can live and we’re seeing more and more people behind buildings, behind places of employment and businesses out on the streets,” she said.

Apopka Mayor Bryan Nelson said the city is working on a plan to streamline access to services for the homeless. 

He said the city is also working on a plan to build a housing complex that would include about 100 affordable homes, some specifically for seniors.

 “A really nice mix of homes for people — first-time home buyers or for people who are obviously in need of something that they can afford,” said Nelson.

Nelson said the affordable housing complex would be located on land just east of the Gillium Training Center off East Cleveland Street in Apopka. 

The city is also planning to make some Community Reinvestment funds available for property tax breaks to help people buy homes.