4 days ago
Florida seniors shouldn't have to deal with homelessness. They need our support.
When most people hear the name 'Goodwill,' they picture the retail stores. But Gulfstream Goodwill Industries (GGI) is much more than that. We are the largest provider of homeless services across five counties—Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee.
In Palm Beach County alone, we operate four shelters and provide over 150 units of temporary and permanent housing. Each year, nearly 100,000 nights of safe shelter are offered to individuals and families in crisis. Most recently, we've also taken on the responsibility of feeding every person in our shelters.
But now, a heartbreaking trend is emerging.
Over the past year, we've seen a troubling increase in seniors — men and women in their 70s, 80s and even 90s —seeking emergency shelter. These are not strangers. They are our parents, grandparents, former teachers, veterans and neighbors. They have worked, raised families, contributed to their communities—and now, in the final chapters of their lives, they find themselves on the street, without safe shelter, without food and nowhere to lay their heads at night.
This is not just sad—it's unacceptable.
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From 2017 to 2022, the number of seniors experiencing homelessness grew by a staggering 65%. There are several interconnected challenges are fueling this crisis, starting with a shortage of affordable housing. A 36.7% increase in one-bedroom apartment rents in 2021 has priced out many seniors living on fixed incomes.
Inadequate financial support is also a problem. Florida's maximum Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit is $637 per month — far below what is needed to afford even basic housing. Many seniors also face chronic health conditions and lack access to affordable care and transportation, making it nearly impossible to maintain stable housing.
In response, Palm Beach County has implemented several important initiatives, including the Division of Senior and Veteran Services providing over $106,000 in aid to 22 older adults at risk of losing their homes. The county also developed a new 74-bed housing center and 17 cottage homes to offer more permanent housing solutions, and it expanded medical respite care and eviction prevention services that are helping address critical needs.
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While these are important steps, they are not enough. To address this growing crisis, Gulfstream Goodwill has launched Out and About, a mobile outreach initiative that brings essential resources directly to where seniors live. The program offers emergency food, hosts mobile farmers markets and connects seniors with vital financial, health, and wellness services to help them stay safely housed and independent. We are also actively working to expand our affordable housing efforts, because aging should come with dignity, not despair.
No one deserves to age into homelessness. Every senior deserves a safe, stable place to call home.
Devorah Kermisch is director of Community Relations with Gulfstream Goodwill Industries.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Many FL seniors are homeless. They deserve community support | Opinion
