ORLANDO, Fla. — In a significant boost to ongoing efforts to keep people off the streets, leaders for the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida announced they have been awarded a grant that will further their mission in helping the homeless.

What You Need To Know

  • The Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida has been awarded $900,000 to help the homeless

  • Officials say the money will be used to get the homeless off the streets and a place of their own

  • Funds will also be used to help the homeless individuals find jobs and employment in the area

Orange county has allocated $900,000 to the group to create a pilot program for those who are homeless.

Officials say the money will be used to get people off the streets and into places of their own with funds also being used to assist homeless in obtaining jobs.

Staff is being hired to manage the pilot program, which will begin operations once the staff is in place.

Allision Krall, president and CEO of the coalition. said her organization serves about 800 homeless guests daily.

“Folks that have been on the street and homeless, living in their cars or however they found their way to our shelter," she said. "They are now in our services and that immediately qualifies them for this program."

She said the coalition currently provides assistance to thousands each year, which includes providing food, shelter, clothing, and other related services to those that find themselves in need.

“We provide for our single woman, woman with children, men with children two parent families, in our center for woman and families," Krall said. "And for our unaccompanied men in our service center."

Benjamin Morales, once homeless on the streets of Orlando with his wife and three children, said he is thankful for the help the Coalition gave his family in their time of need.

“We were living in the car from corner to corner, block to block, sitting in the car hot,” said Morales.

He and his wife are both now working and say they hope to take advantage of the new pilot program.

Morales watches the children while his wife works during the day and they reverse the process when he goes to work at night.

“We found this place the coalition — they are amazing," he said. "They helped us out a lot, and they still helping us out."

Morales said he is staying positive and is hopeful about his family's future thanks to the Coalition for Homeless of Central Florida.

“They always say a minor setback for a major comeback," he said. "That’s my theory and that’s what I think is happening to me and my family.”