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• ' I tRescue MissionSurvey resultsOf the 200 mission clients surveyed:• 80 percent are homeless• 75 percent are white• 75 percent are male .• 57 percent or more are high school graduates or have had some college• 50 percent are unemployed• 22 percent have drug or alcohol problemsBy Valerie LovettNews Herald Writer747-5078 / vlovett @ pcnh.comPANAMA CITY4' . V S’ » ,The Panama City Rescue Mission is streamlining its operations in the wake of controversy over the increasing population of homeless and indigent people downtown.The reforms come after a survey By the Panama City Downtown Improvement Board found that 87 percent of downtown merchants,employees and business patrons believe the shelter contributes to the presence of vagrants downtown.The survey also gauged public opinion in several other areas. Among them, a majority of respondents said downtown indigents contribute to crime, and affect future redevelopment or investment. A majority of respondents said they would support construction of a new Mission, depending on its location.The mission this week released a survey of its own, evaluating theafter■ • * * needs of the homeless population.In a press release, mission officials oudined “major changes,” in policies and image, including new staff members, a logo, Web site and client programs.A program, dubbed the “Individual Advocate Ministry” will assign a case manager—a position yet to be filled—to interview each client andI % • .track whether he’s attempting to progress, Executive Director Thurman Chambers said.“If not, we would consider cutting services to him,” he said. “We’dibe more comfortable doing that after we made sure the individual building his case had the opportunity to turn it around in whatever timeframe. It could be 30 or 60 days.”He said the shelter has tradition-4 •ally been lenient toward its overnight clients.The new approach, Chambers said, will deal with clients individually, based on their case histgry with the shelter. He said the shelterSee MISSION 3Bs u r veyif we all work together, we can . come up with a plan that will benefit the community and maybe save some lives.’Thurman ChambersPanama City Rescue Missionexecutive director
Newspaper Details
Panama City News Herald
Panama City, Florida, US
Thu, Mar 11, 2004
Page 24
Full Page
Clipped by
Chastity W.
AL, USA 22 Mar 2022
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