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MISSIONFrom page 1Bwants to try to help eliminate addiction problems or other issues that cause people to live on the streets.“I don’t think the majority or a great number of people enjoy that lifestyle,” Chambers said.Ibughening up on those resistant to change could cause some of the more troublesome homeless population to relocate, he saidThe controversial relocation of the mission itself is an option some downtown business owners support, but the Downtown Improvement Board takes no official position on that suggestion, Chairman John Darrah said.“Our perception is that probably problems can be reduced if the mission is located elsewhere,” he said.The board’s report also yielded a suggestion to create two committees, one comprised of the mission’s board of directors and the other facilitated by city officials and led by Darrah.The groups were asked to report their findings and suggestions to the City Commission.Darrah’s committee met for the second time Wednesday morning to continue hammering out a course of action.“My belief is that if we’re going to be effective, we’re going to have to figure out how to provide something for these folks,” Darrah said.He said the mission is not configured to add space or amenities at its current location.Short of saying the facility willbe relocated, Darrah said the groups would weigh their options to determine a suitable direction.Chambers said the mission’s committee would later begin designing a campus with a facility sufficient in size to fit the mission’s needs.* At that time then what I need to know is where’s the funding; where’s the acreage?” he said.He said the 75-bed facility is not big enough, and the mission is applying for grants to implement a new building specifically for women and children.“We’ve got to get the women and children out of here,” he said. “Here, we haven’t been able to put together a 12-step program for women. We have a men’s recovery program, but we can’t do both in the same facility.”The annual operating budget for a new facility for women would run around $90,000, Chambers said.Last year’s total budget for the mission was about $530,000. The faith-based nonprofit relies solely on charitable donations and profits from its bargain center.Once both groups have completed their studies, they will compare notes and report to the Panama City Commission, Darrah said.“One thing I have not done since all this started is get into a debate with anybody,” Chambers said. “It’s not us and them, it’s all of us. The mission is not going to solve it, the DIB is not going to solve it and the City Commission is not going to solve it.“But if we all work together, we can come up with a plan that will benefit the community and maybe save some lives.”
Newspaper Details
Panama City News Herald
Panama City, Florida, US
Thu, Mar 11, 2004
Page 25
Full Page
Clipped by
Chastity W.
AL, USA 22 Mar 2022
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