Helen's House: A Sanctuary for the Disadvantaged in Melbourne

Are you ready to witness true community impact and the power of compassion in action? Join us as we welcome our inspiring guest, Buddy of the CITA Mission, who's spearheading the transformative initiative called Helen's House. This incredible project aims to provide more than just a warm bed to Melbourne's homeless women and children; it's about offering them a genuine shot at a brighter future. 

In our conversation, we navigate the hallways of Helen's House, shedding light on the remarkable facilities and initiatives designed to uplift those in need. From around-the-clock security measures to culinary arts training, this is an endeavor that offers hope and healing. Expect to gain a deeper understanding of the mental health struggles, addiction, and the job crisis faced by those who have been overlooked by the system. We also delve into the significant community support necessary to bring this mission to fruition. Every volunteer, every donation counts.

As we wrap up our discussion, the incredible statistics of CITA's impact are not just numbers but a testament to the power of compassion. We talk about meaningful stories of change and the opportunities that emerge when society lends a hand to its most vulnerable. We also explore the practical aspects of the project, like the need for volunteers and the financial challenges due to inclement weather. But more importantly, we leave you with a reaffirmation of the power of giving back and the potential it holds to change lives. Don't miss this heartwarming journey of transformation, hope, and community spirit.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

happy Thursday, melbourne. This is the Melbourne Mayor podcast. I am your cohost, jesse Hall, with Space Coast podcast here in beautiful sunny sometimes not lately right well, every 15 minutes minutes of changes.

Speaker 2: 0:20

You know that, jesse. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 0:21

I know right. Well, welcome mayor. How are you today? I'm doing good. How are you doing, jesse? things are great. Things could be better. Yeah, and we're almost at the weekend.

Speaker 2: 0:28

You know we we have. You know it's tomorrow's Friday, then we're going to have a great weekend and we're going to see. It looks like that little well, i don't I'm not going to call it a hurricane, but a little tropical storm, it doesn't. It looks kind of like it's fizzing out so little the servants off the coast yeah, well, you know it's going to make the news in June.

Speaker 2: 0:45

Can you imagine that we don't need hurricanes in June? we don't need any at all right now. No, no, no, we don't. So they can stay away. No, they stay away. So. But no, everything else is going really well. But had a great week. We'll do a little bit update.

Speaker 2: 1:00

I have little margaritaville update perfect yeah, i've that, got to tour the new police department that being built. But you know, today was actually a very, very special day. It's something that we've been, that's been worked on for a while and I'm going to have a good friend, buddy, a moral here. Jump on here in a second talk about the project. And you know, as mayor, a part of every city, not just Melbourne, but you know we're grappling with homelessness and you know whether it be affordable housing, homelessness and addiction, drugs, all that comes into play and, and really, mayor at mayor, it's tough sometime but when you see a great organization step in and really work toward, you know, faith based solutions. You know you, you got to say thankful and we're going to, we're going to talk about Helen's house, which we did the groundbreaking today, and I want to introduce my special guest here, buddy. Hello, buddy. Hey, mayor, how you doing?

Speaker 3: 1:57

I'm doing good sir, how are you? I'm doing well. We had a great sunny day to do our groundbreaking though today.

Speaker 2: 2:02

Yeah, yeah, what too hot you were smart enough to do it like a 1030 in the morning. We didn't get rain either. I tell you it was a wonderful day. Well, it was almost like divine intervention. Like somebody said hey up upstairs, and you know what would make sure at the great day.

Speaker 3: 2:16

Right we were doing a lot of praying really war and we thank you for your presence there.

Speaker 2: 2:22

Oh no, we have a lot of work to do. I mean, today was just the groundbreaking and, and you know, i like for real, real quick. You're, of course, with the CEDA and and tell us a little bit about the project. Really, you know, i will tell you it's been kind of low-key and, and I don't know, maybe that's by design in a way, but but then again, the impact to the community is going to be really wonderful.

Speaker 3: 2:49

Well, we wanted to get started when the pandemic really, you know, began to kick in and everything, and so it set us back a little bit and we have kept it a little bit low-key. We've been blessed, though. Lord gave us the money to build this a little short because of the increase in costs from right, everything going up after the pandemic, things like that and everything but we're out there now. Everybody knows about it and you be in there today helped helped us get that out. It really did, and we appreciate that.

Speaker 2: 3:18

So well before. Well, do me a favor real quick, tell us what the project is and remember, think about, just to start from the beginning well, several years ago the home CEDA had a women's shelter.

Speaker 3: 3:32

You know what all happened to it. I don't know something that we have some great ministries here that do take care of women with children. We started this with a desire to try to fill a void. There they were. There were women with children that were sort of slipping through the cracks because the criteria set by some of these great ministries that do it and we wanted to be able to fulfill that for those women and we actually turn away two or three women with children almost weekly that are looking for a place, want to get out of a car, have no other place to go, and so we started this project.

Speaker 3: 4:06

We call it Helen's house because Johnny and Helen Ellison started CEDA mission back in 1969 and always it seems like in ministry and things like this, the man gets all the accolades. You know, the key to the city road named after him, things like that and we just miss Helen was a was hard to back bone, the backbone, backbone backbone and we just wanted to make sure that she was recognized for all the hard work that she put in the ministry.

Speaker 3: 4:33

So we called it Helen's house and gonna build it in three phases. Our first phase we kicked off and I guess you would sort of call it a ground breaking after the groundbreaking, because the day that we were awarded our permit, the next day we had equipment there started started.

Speaker 3: 4:48

The building is so greatly needed and but you know, the first phase will be able to take up to 36 women and children in there as total and then, when all the phases get through, will be at about 82 about 82, 82 women and children and tell and correct me if I'm wrong, but it's more than just taking them in.

Speaker 2: 5:09

Oh yes, it's more than just tell us like what, what you got, because part of part of, i believe, part of government responsibility is to have a kind of a safety net to help people get back on their feet, and so tell us kind of what, how you're doing that and what you're offering.

Speaker 3: 5:27

We're going to follow a little bit like our men's shelter. They're at Cedar downtown. We have our programs for addiction. We have our programs for life skills. As a matter of fact, we're putting in a counseling center to where we'll have some mental health counseling here in the next few months coming up. We've already prepared that building there. But we have the help in getting GEDs. We work some things out with some of the local colleges to help these ladies in.

Speaker 3: 5:52

We'll have day care. That's provided so we can do the training for these ladies and help them find that job placement training that we can't do, Get the education that they may need to move on out And hopefully we'll be able to we're putting in a first class kitchen there and be able to do a culinary art type situation there to where they can go in and get a job and don't have to start down right at the very bottom. We believe in accountability.

Speaker 2: 6:20

Oh, and there's no doubt about that And what I think of, what I really like about this process. Besides, you're going to have that bringing the women and children in is the fact only really accountability, but it's the fact that they have the ability. You'll be doing finance training. You teach them how to. You know a lot of people. You know look, i'm a big proponent in high schools right now, in schools, and we need to really focus on getting back to the basics Kids when they graduate, or even adults. You know you got to be able to. You know read and write and balance the checkbook and understand finance. And you know the only way you're going to beat you know this housing crisis is ability by your house and understand. And it's tough, but you got to have the basics And that's what you're really offering as well, so that you know that's just not just putting someone in there to live. It's the fact of helping them get on them on their feet so they can move forward in life.

Speaker 3: 7:13

And one of the things people think. this may be a little foolish to them, but when a person comes into our shelters, we give them $4 credits. I mean, it's not $4 cash, but we give them $4, which is considered to be credits. We have what we call our shack. there has some sodas and, you know, snacks, things like that. They can spend money in our thrift stores. We give them all the clothes they need when they come in, Right, And then they see those little items that may want. but we give them a checkbook ledger and they have to start keeping up with that. Nice. And if they, they get that every day. four bucks And yes, And if they overdraw guess what? They're penalized.

Speaker 2: 7:51

Really They're penalized. That's neat.

Speaker 3: 7:54

So we want to start that financial upcoming as fast as we can. And then when a when a young lady, just as a mentor, when they get to the point of where they start work, they're automatically put on a budget and they meet with a financial person other than the classes that we teach there. They're put with a financial person and that budget is checked every week. They're accountable And, you know, just like all of us do, at time to time we may mess up a little bit, but there's not a whole lot of mess ups or you're penalized for it There you go.

Speaker 2: 8:25

You know I will tell you some of the some. some of the numbers are pretty staggering And you know I look at numbers all day long. but seeing the women that you'll be bringing in with in children, you know, with part of addressing homelessness but it's also the majority of the women have been in domestic violence situations, just about probably 98% of the women that we deal with come from some type of domestic violence situation. So wow, that is absolute. That's off the charts.

Speaker 3: 8:56

It really is.

Speaker 2: 8:57

And so just think about a woman with children. they have nowhere to take their child and that. you know that's terrible, and to see that kind of number it really breaks my heart, it really does. And you know, as a mayor, what do I do about that? I can't do it alone. Government can't even do that.

Speaker 3: 9:15

No government can't And I was just in a national rescue mission meeting just a few weeks ago and speaking with the people from Washington that about 80% of the monies that they give out to help homelessness goes to organizations. But you turn around and the Christian organization, the faith based organizations, does about 68 to 70% of taking care of the homeless that are that are in our country.

Speaker 2: 9:42

Well, and I'm going to call it what it is It's more effective as well.

Speaker 1: 9:45

I would agree with that. No, it's definitely more with more effective.

Speaker 2: 9:48

And I'll tell you from personal and past experiences of being a police officer. You know, with the sedum, a lot of people at times said I don't want to go to see them because there's rules. I mean I have to, i have to be accountable. You know I'm not allowed to stay out all night and I've got to go to work and you know we hope that someone gets to that point, that that you know that that they, they understand it and they want to help. But then again you're helping the people that definitely need to help and want to help. So you're more successful overall.

Speaker 3: 10:17

That's the biggest thing. You really can't help someone in the homeless situation or addiction problem until they really won't help.

Speaker 2: 10:26

Yeah.

Speaker 3: 10:27

And we still have few that come through. They don't make the program, they don't really care to be there. But our numbers are best. Still stay full at the men's shelter and we expect to fill up very quickly. They're the women's shelter We really do.

Speaker 2: 10:38

You know, and I always, always felt this way. You know some, some people that when they think about they think about the religion and stuff they, you know it may kind of concern them, but the fact is, if you were to look at the commandments and you look, we should live by those rules anyway. And you know, thou shall not steal, thou shall not kill. That makes it a better society. It makes us, you know. You know thou shall love your neighbor, and that makes us better people.

Speaker 3: 11:05

And we do have all the programs there that you know for whatever it may be life skills, ged you know everything that they need to get their lives back on track. We don't have anything new under the sun, but we do have the Lord, jesus Christ, and he makes a difference in their lives. He really does, and that's one of the reasons that we don't really take the government money is because we want to keep Christ Sure Number one in our ministry. We're going to do that And I don't even know whether the people the last numbers that we've been able to find goes back, goes back to 2014. And you know it costs the taxpayers of Bavard County a little over $20,000 of homeless person back then And overall about $30,000. I just agree with that. I think it's more.

Speaker 2: 11:51

Well, i think it's a lot more now. I think it's a lot more, and I'll tell you why. That doesn't really, in my opinion, doesn't take an account for, you know, and that's for services and such, but it doesn't take care, you know, a third of our police and fire calls, or quality of life issues and stuff. So it's very taxing on the government and so I think it's a lot more than that. But those are, you know. Again, that's just that from being inside, seeing experience. So those are just raw numbers and I think it's much higher.

Speaker 3: 12:17

Those are raw numbers going back to 2014, i couldn't even imagine what it is today. And of course, you know, with you down at City Hall and our City Council members having to deal with this, and it's some going problem. I don't care where you're at and until we're, you know affordable housing is a problem everywhere you go, i don't care what the name of the city or the state is, affordable housing is a problem, and so this gives them an opportunity to come in. We have men. We have about eight or nine men that are ready to move out of the mission, that have saved enough money to get that first month's rent, the security deposit, last month's rent have, you know, gotten their driver's license back, purchased a car and so?

Speaker 3: 12:56

you know when we put them on that budget, we expect them to be able to when they move out, to be able to live on their own and not have to seek anything from the government whatsoever.

Speaker 2: 13:04

And you know, your annual impact report even shows some of the, some of the stories from the people coming out that their success and where they say I really know where to go or what to do, and now that they're really self-sufficient.

Speaker 3: 13:19

They really are and you know we give the Lord credit around there. Like I said, we've got all the programs but he's the one that really does the transformation in someone's life and helps them to get to that point. And we've got gentlemen that are on our staff now that are some of the best counselors for addiction and homelessness that you can ever have.

Speaker 2: 13:37

Yeah, yeah, and unfortunately, you know, addiction is something that really touched everyone's family, including mine. I mean, no one's immune to that. It's not and they're not.

Speaker 3: 13:47

Every family has had that problem in it somewhere and we've had everyone from a doctor, lawyers, just about any kind of profession you can think of that have been in our men's program.

Speaker 2: 14:00

So you have, of course, the Helens House thrift store that's an aurora and the new Helens House it's right there behind it, pretty much, pretty much so. And Jesse, can you show up, put up a little bit of the construction pictures? so we're looking at three phases of a build, so go ahead and tell us about the first phase, and then second phase and third phase.

Speaker 3: 14:23

Well, the first phase. We didn't want these to be apartments at the time because you know our desires do not get too comfortable and not plan on it being your apartment forever. But so we have a full kitchen and one of the reasons for that kitchen in I mentioned earlier about putting in culinary arts training there. But we have a full kitchen. Our offices will be in this building and then we'll have eight bedrooms that can hold up to four people in a bedroom and if we do have a larger family, some of these bedrooms have the dividing doors where we can open the doors and put a larger family in there if we need to. So that phase and then the other two phases will just be bedrooms. They have one office in it. In a bedroom Will be 24 hour security, because a lot of these women, like we said, are domestic violence and have been through real trauma and sometimes these husbands, boyfriends, are still looking for them so we have to be very careful with that.

Speaker 2: 15:16

Yeah, and definitely you want. You've got to have security and you know this kind of goes hand in hand. I know about a week ago a little more or a week ago, you know I did a take aim with the mayor and it really helped benefit a great organization that works on the trafficking issue around here and you know you really don't realize that it's so. There's so much that goes on in this county and this state and it's crazy.

Speaker 3: 15:47

Really it's been going on for a long time. I helped on some of the legislation first trafficking legislation and Tallahassee when I was working with children's homes and it's just really in the past several years come to the forefront and people see the number of you know sex trafficking victims that we have there and it's something that we may look at down the road. Of course we're, you know we're willing to help anybody that comes and knocks on our door almost to just about any point, and so you know we would be there to help that person too. But, like I said, one of the things that I think we really have to look at in the future. I love I'm always looking into the future, and mental health is a big problem around here. We're dealing with that. More addiction a lot of times brings that on. But you know, i think maybe that might be our next project down the road. We get all this done or get this first phase done. We'll start working on that while we're on the other side.

Speaker 2: 16:40

Well, and it's actually like to me I feel like the system kicks. Once it kicks somebody out, very tough for the person to get back in the system and get a job. I mean because a lot of you know a lot of people or you know they don't, they lose the confidence or they may not be able to get a job because of their background or you know, or their criminal history and you know really they're stuck and I think that you know having a base program like this and a place to go, you know you can get with employers, that you know employers are looking for good employees.

Speaker 3: 17:14

They are. They are, and I guess if we saw one good thing in the pandemic was that it opened up some of these fellows that have felonies are able to get work easier than they were before, which that's a blessing. And then we work with a lot of employers around here, you know, finding those jobs that are available for them, and we get calls every week of people wanting folks to work, because you know we train our guys there. It's one of the things if, until you get a job, until you get that point in our program, you're required to work around there and that's one of the things, too, we talk about.

Speaker 3: 17:46

People don't want to come. A lot of folks this time, especially our younger generation. They haven't done a lot of work in their lives.

Speaker 2: 17:55

No, but you know they will. They'll have no choice. You know, i think at the end of the day it's you know I tell any of the younger people look, i mean learn a trade. I mean it's getting hotter and you know, get into AC, get. You know, find a good AC company you could learn from. And you know I actually started out. I went to the Bavard Electrical Apprentice Program and I learned to be an electrician. That was my first thing before I went off in the service and worked for Bavard County Road and Bridge. And you know I'm very good electrical work. I can pretty much. You know I could go into that trade if I wanted to. But to have that kind of life skill, you know you can, i can do anything.

Speaker 3: 18:35

Air Conditioner Frideration is something that they're looking for. You know mechanics to do that right there.

Speaker 1: 18:39

I know quite a few.

Speaker 2: 18:39

Something good to get into.

Speaker 3: 18:41

I used to be part of a business there in Mississippi before the Lord called me in the ministry. We have an appliance. We teach appliance repair at the men's mission. Right now we have a full time instructor that works for these guys. And of course we have our two thrift stores when you were speaking about Helen's house on a road and then our campus store, and so you know we survive on about sixty five percent our thrift store revenue and so these appliances come in, we're able to repair them, we teach our guys and we've had two or three gone out and gone to work for appliance businesses.

Speaker 2: 19:12

So tell everybody where your original, your main campus is.

Speaker 3: 19:15

Our main campus is right there, 2330 Johnny Ellison Drive, which is right on Harbor City Boulevard, almost downtown in the South of the Bridge there and you know we actually started in Malibar, though a lot of people don't realize that. I didn't know that really. Johnny and Helen Ellison started in their home and remodeled that home to start taking in guys who are alcoholics.

Speaker 3: 19:36

Johnny had a drinking problem at one time and that's really how the mission got started had a burden for people that were alcoholics, had problems, and they started bringing people in their home 1969.

Speaker 2: 19:47

So, so let me ask you and actually I just had a Sharon Sharon, have their hello Sharon and got a question how do you volunteer?

Speaker 3: 19:58

How do you volunteer? That's a great question. Yes, it is Call three, two, one, seven, five, two, two, nine, zero, zero and ask for Heather Branham and she'll. She'll get you volunteer and I promise you that.

Speaker 2: 20:10

Okay, we're going to put that up here in a little bit and, like I said, we're we're actually going to follow up on this later too, because when it's time and we're building these, I'm you know and I know kind of I'm not trying to go off the rail here, but you know, when we started building the city dog parks, we worked on, we worked with volunteers and we had hundreds of volunteers.

Speaker 2: 20:29

So that's what we need to do here. When we you know, when it's time to paint, you know you get all the paint you want at the Bavar landfill for free and you know we need to get paint and we need to get a call for volunteers, because you know there might be a lot of people out there that really can't give the money but they can donate old items they have or something they can donate it. That's one way that you can really help the CEDA and Helen's house is donate any old clothes, anything that you got that's worth some value. Come on, I look at, look, look in your closet. You know there's a lot of stuff that you know you don't need in there, but if you have old furniture they'll take their donation and you know the it goes to the strip store and all that money goes to Helen's house and the CEDA mission. You know the rescue, So that's one way.

Speaker 3: 21:15

Yeah, i always say, you know, gently use furniture. We love that gently used furniture because that keeps the doors open. Yeah, and a lot of people don't realize how much we are involved in the community and we do survive with a lot of volunteers. But even in our thrift stores we get out vouchers almost daily for clothing, for furniture, things like that that are needed, bedding that's needed for people that are, you know, need a hand up. I like to say a hand up, not a hand out. And then I was sharing just a little while ago, during the pandemic, we were given out. We could not individually give out food to people, right, but we're in conjunction, working with the food bank and we were doing anywhere from sixty, eight hundred eight thousand pounds of food a week that we we had churches and food banks that are already operating, got some churches to start food banks and we're able to get it to them and they were able to have their food pantries.

Speaker 3: 22:09

And we're still doing about thirty. We're doing about thirty two hundred thirty five hundred pounds a week that we give out to these food pantries.

Speaker 2: 22:15

So actually, this is the impact in twenty twenty one. Yes, sir, are you sure these numbers are right? Yes, sir, they are You swear, i'm not making you do that I swear. I don't mean to make you swear. We use HMIS. Okay, all right, the your impact in twenty twenty one. This is the. That's the CEDA's impact and that's local. That's local. There's no way. Yes sir, i mean, i'm not so impact in twenty twenty one, fifty three thousand three hundred and fifty five nutritious meals served.

Speaker 3: 22:47

Yes sir, one year, one year.

Speaker 2: 22:50

One or seventeen thousand eight hundred and twenty nights of shelter for people? Yes, sir.

Speaker 3: 22:55

Right.

Speaker 2: 22:55

Yes, sir, five thousand five hundred and sixty four loads of laundry done for people.

Speaker 3: 23:01

And I believe that's probably short, because we wanted to make sure we were short on those numbers We didn't keep up with those, oh yeah. And I don't know I'd go somewhere just to get my laundry done for you.

Speaker 2: 23:11

And then you figure ten thousand two hundred and eighty. Spiritual counseling small group chapel service hours.

Speaker 3: 23:19

Right, yes, sir.

Speaker 2: 23:21

So that's our. So volunteer hours provided eleven thousand five hundred and twenty four thousand eight hundred and forty hours of career counseling and budgeting. So you almost have five thousand hours of career counseling and budgeting. Wow, that is, that is just. That's crazy.

Speaker 3: 23:39

Well, you know, part of being in our program is that we require, you know, these men to be involved in this stuff And you know they have to stay involved in it if they're going to stay in our program. People say how long do you? how long does the gentleman stay there? We talk to him and try to get him to check in for six months if we can, but really we would like to have someone a year at a minimum.

Speaker 3: 24:04

The, the, especially in addiction, the relapse rate on someone that's in a thirty, sixty, ninety day program is just I mean them, not every relapse is almost impossible. So you know, getting them there in that long jibdy period you have the opportunity to work with them. A lot of these guys because of Mr Mainers, even the felonies, things like that they've lost their driver's license. It takes a while to work through that process to get them their driver's license back and then to save that money up to where they can move out. If they don't, if they're not ready to move out, they're going to there's a great chance of failing. So we want them to make sure they have that bank account, everything it takes to move out, and we still help along the way, we're trying to do a better job of after care. Sure, we're trying to do a better job of after care.

Speaker 2: 24:52

Well, and this impact that we just discussed is what you did in twenty twenty one. The impact that you will have even more with the Helens House will be astronomical. And I can tell you, as a mayor, i can't imagine saying you know, we're going to take off the books in one year, almost eighteen thousand nights of shelter for people. I just can't imagine that. I mean, that would that would really that'd be tough on our community.

Speaker 3: 25:19

Well, with the numbers that we have in homeless right now there's only about thirty six or thirty eight percent, i believe from the last point of account. You know contact that we had there that are, that are sheltered. The rest of those are on the street somewhere. And if we had all three phases built now, i believe that we could load that up in about thirty days.

Speaker 2: 25:39

And we could make a dent in that. And again, it's not, and it's also getting people in the right direction to again getting job, getting back on their feet. You know, and that's like you said, women with children, i mean to have the ability for them to go to work and know that their child or children being taken care of and they have somewhere to go home. And you know, and actually structure, because you know we got to look at the future. What about these kids that they don't? they need to have that structure. They got to you know, and you'll be able to provide that with the mother being at work to you know that that could save a child.

Speaker 3: 26:16

Well, our greatest problem. I think each and every one of us needs structure in our life And that's gone a way down in society this day and time, and really the burden for the women and children together, came to me probably about ten years ago. You know I ran children's homes, started here in Melbourne at Florida Children's Home and ran children's homes And we took in these five children. Mother had married her high school sweetheart, never had worked, never had really any training, made it through high school And work got slow in the Tampa Bay area where we were at at the time And this father went over to Miami area and worked with relatives and construction and all that Became addicted. Then so much trouble Walked off and left mom and the kids And she had a grandmother, was only relatives that she really had left and she was unable to take care of the children. We took the children in and could not find a place to where they could go and be together as a family as a family And that's what's needed.

Speaker 3: 27:21

You know, we got to get back to that family market and get it done. So that's really what put a burden on my heart, because this mother, we should have been able to keep those kids and have a place where that mother comes home and she's there with her kids and nurturing her kids and loving her kids, and so that's where it came about And that's what we're going to do a Hellas house. And you know we broke ground today.

Speaker 2: 27:40

Broke ground today, man.

Speaker 3: 27:41

Broke ground.

Speaker 2: 27:42

You know, and you know I have to commend you, the volunteers. You have a lot of great volunteers. You know the Williams is for donating the property. This is just kind of talk about your staff and kind of give the kudos, because this is such a big project. This is definitely a great team.

Speaker 3: 28:04

You know we've got a great team. Lord's put together a great team there. Usually in the ministry we're not paid a lot of money but they come and they do it because they love the Lord and they're really burdened for those that are homeless. And the situation, like I said, some of our best counselors there, two of our best counselors there, come from that situation. They actually came through our program and years later back working with us. But volunteers too, we couldn't do it without the volunteers and the Lord's put that team together. Man, they were out there. I didn't have to ask anybody to do anything. They were out there at seven o'clock this morning putting tents up and that kind of stuff and they wanna serve and they wanna serve others And we're so blessed to have that in this area and we couldn't do it. This is not seed of mission, this is community. This is the church working. It really is.

Speaker 2: 28:56

You know, i kind of said today during the groundbreaking about my experience and I was young. I remember growing up in Sherwood Park, which is North Melbourne. I remember it was in the late 70s. I had to be probably nine or 10 years old, i think it was like around 1979, 1980. And I remember because my father worked for GDC in Palm Bay and GDC was building and they went bankrupt and a lot of people lost their jobs, but he was a roofing contractor also and it was different back there. Everything was hand nailed. But I remember when my dad got laid off remember interest rates were very high. I mean we didn't have money. I remember being hungry and I remember my dad sitting there at the kitchen in little dining area with just his hands covering his face.

Speaker 2: 29:46

He didn't you know, no food And the church that we weren't even a member of brought food bags and bags of food for our family And I remember it lasted. But I'll never forget the joy on my parents' face knowing that they can feed their kid.

Speaker 3: 30:04

Unfortunately, we've never been in that situation, but I see these moms, i see these families that come in and you see these little kids and sometimes they're dirty, you know they're not wearing the really nice clothes at all and to give them some food and see them sit down and see a little kid eat more food than I do because they're so hungry it breaks your heart.

Speaker 3: 30:31

It really does. I listened to your story today and actually brought two years to my house because I think about some of those little kids I thought about during Father's Day. I wrote in one of our newsletters that we had a mom and her son came up and was looking for some help, and it was almost Father's Day And as we were talking and they were doing the paperwork for her to get some food and some clothes, the little boy asked me if I would pray for him to be able to see his dad, and so I prayed with him there and then when he was off playing with something over there a little toy his mom looked at me and said he hasn't seen his dad about three times in his life.

Speaker 2: 31:10

Well.

Speaker 3: 31:11

And so you know, our goal at the men's mission is to get these guys plugged back in their dad. Matter of fact, when they go to work, the first thing we do is we look do they owe child support? And that is the first thing on our financial budget list. Is child support so they can start that child. Well, we had this year. A gentleman didn't think he would ever see his children again and they spent Father's Day together.

Speaker 2: 31:35

Wow, really, this year. Yeah, man, it's great, really is. Yeah, there's nothing better than that. And you know what my story? I don't like really telling my story like that because, you know, really, i kind of focus on the future And but at the end of the day, that kind of that makes me, you know, really, it makes me realize the power someone has, the ability to make your life better.

Speaker 2: 31:56

You know, and I, as mayor, i look at now and only do we need great, you know great community, a community structure like what you have and what your volunteers and you offer. But you know, you gotta have great jobs for people. You have to have the ability for people to, you know, do better in life and to provide for their family, and so it's really a balancing act. But really, as mayor, and I said today, my job is to represent everybody and everybody. And there's people that's less fortunate, that doesn't have a voice like we do.

Speaker 2: 32:29

And people said to me, you know, and they've called me and said you know I have this problem, that problem, mayor, i didn't think you would really even care about what I had to say. And you know, hey, i've been there also myself, you know. You know you're just as important as I am. You know I'm a regular person like everybody else. The only difference between me is, you know I've been blessed by the Lord to. You know, serve our city, and you know, until I'm done. And you know I'll go serve in some other capacity, whatever. Maybe I'll go cut lawn. I'll go cut people's lawn for them? I don't know, you know.

Speaker 3: 33:01

You know I grew up in a politician's home, And so I feel for you, brother, because I know how it goes Well there is.

Speaker 2: 33:07

I'm not a politician, I know people say Well, not a politician?

Speaker 3: 33:09

Yeah, I'm not.

Speaker 1: 33:10

I think people that know me.

Speaker 2: 33:12

I mean you know I'm going after this to play basketball. I'm probably the biggest Mac talker there is, you know. You know I tell people I drop more dimes than a botched armored car robbery. You know I have fun. you know I'm a regular person. I grew up here. I mean you know I went to O'galley. I'm proud to be a Commodore and love Mel High. I give them a ride. but I love Palm Bay It's because it's in Melbourne. But all together we're a family And we just hope we have to. we try to make it better for our community and make our community better.

Speaker 3: 33:41

And you can see you working hard at that real can. We have a great city here? We have a great city. To me, this is the greatest city in the nation And we have problems and we do, and every city has problems, But we're working hard.

Speaker 2: 33:52

I mean we're working hard. You know we're working hard And you know a lot of people and Jesse, i'm going to bring you in this one. You're not going to like this one, but you know, one of the biggest complaints I get is, you know, the walkability and you know room for bicycles And I mean the driving around here and motorcycles. I mean it's dangerous. We're like the fourth dangerous in the nation for pedestrian safety. And you know, poor Jesse got hit by a car or a ball back, didn't you?

Speaker 1: 34:17

Yeah, coming up on the year anniversary next month.

Speaker 2: 34:20

Yeah, You know someone, I told that to somebody. They're like not Jesse, he looks great. I'm like I don't think he looks great, But you know, I'll never be as good as I was before I got hit. Isn't that a country song? Yeah, probably.

Speaker 1: 34:34

You know, a little great, i'm sure, but I've been blessed. You know, thankfully, the fine folks at Holmes, you know, they put me all together like Humpty Dumpty, you know, and you know, fracture vertebrae, broken pelvis, but no, i'm good. I'm not 100%, but you're here, i am walking, i'm upright And you know I'm not drooling, you know.

Speaker 2: 34:58

I think it's going to be a lot worse. You know, i think it's going to be much, much worse. Well, so we're going to do phase one, we're going to get phase one done and what we're doing, and with the price increases and stuff like that, how much are you short for the other phases?

Speaker 3: 35:16

We're short right now. Just even building this first phase We're short. We're short about $600,000. That's a good amount of it And when we started this project about three years ago, had our first engineering done, we were at 1.8 in building. Now we're at three And Lord's Bless us. Mr Williams and the crew over there at MH Williams has cut their pricing back greatly, got subs that are doing some of the stuff free Talking about a roof just a little while ago, possibly getting some help there, and so where we come in at there it's just it's so greatly needed And our board had enough faith in the Lord and the project to go ahead and say let's build it And the Lord will supply it. And so we've not put that out really till today. Maybe once or twice said a little something to somebody, but we really haven't put that out. And I think now that people see that we're finally at that building stage and we're going forward, i'm not really worried about it.

Speaker 2: 36:16

Now and you know what we'll do is we'll keep working on getting the volunteers out there for painting and whatever we got to do and doing things that can be done to really get this done, Because the overall it would be nice to get all three. I mean, look, you had the land donated by the Williams. They donated the property, That picture that we put up, the form boards are up And they're getting ready to do the plumbing and stuff.

Speaker 3: 36:43

Yeah, they got COed on the drainage sewage part of it. Putting the water in started that. today We're running about a week behind because of all the bad weather we had.

Speaker 2: 36:51

Well, what bad weather.

Speaker 3: 36:52

What bad weather We've been the rain, the rain, every day.

Speaker 2: 36:56

I got up this morning and looked at the first thing.

Speaker 3: 36:58

I did was turn on TV, looked at the weather But anyway got a little bit behind. We had hoped to have a slab poured about a day, but you can see, last night they dropped the metal and got everything ready And they'll start get that inspection on the other part And they'll start pouring slab, probably next week sometime.

Speaker 2: 37:14

Good, they're doing next week. So each building, how many square feet? Each building is about 10,000 square feet, about 10,000 square feet per building.

Speaker 1: 37:23

That's generous.

Speaker 2: 37:24

That's pretty nice, isn't it?

Speaker 3: 37:26

Well, we want it to be comfortable for our families. We don't want them to be in a shoebox, we want them to be able to enjoy it. We want kids to be able to grow up, have a little space. We have a playroom there, we're going to have a great outside play area for them, and it's a concept that's a little bit different when some people are doing. But, like I said, we just we don't want people to move in, get comfortable, and this is my apartment, and so all the mills will be fixed there, will. We'll do the same thing there. We may feed out a little bit out of that kitchen also, but we don't do a lot of that because I believe somebody doesn't need to just stay in the situation they're in if they can help.

Speaker 2: 38:06

Well, and I understand, but the way you're designed, that's not going to happen. The fact is, your job, training and that's the biggest thing You don't stop it, just bringing somebody in. You're moving forward. You're moving forward The success stories that you've had. You've learned what works and what doesn't. And you're bringing in a woman and her children 98% domestic violence situation possibly and then get them off the street And a lot of these ladies want to work, but what do I do with my kids? And they'll be able to work and the next thing, you know, they keep moving forward.

Speaker 3: 38:45

There you go, and right now we have two of our guys that are in college and two more that will be starting. They've put their facets in and getting all that taken care of and accepted, so we'll have four men doing correspondence college while they're working the job to get their education. Nice, okay.

Speaker 2: 39:03

So you know, we have a lot of employers coming online. Here at the Melbourne Orlando or Melbourne Orlando International Airport, we got the Salt Falcon, which was a project that's coming online A lot of great paying jobs that we're bringing in and they need good employees.

Speaker 3: 39:19

I push trading a lot because you can always go find a job in a trade And I think we're seeing a little bit of a trend to turn in our schools. I think our high schools really missed it when they took the trade training out, Those classes out.

Speaker 2: 39:33

Well, i will give Brevard kudos because you know O'Galley. O'galley has one of the only you know aeronautical programs And each school you know you can go. They have a great culinary at Palm Bay High. I mean there's different. You know Each different schools have different. You know subs and different work. But we're doing better. We have to.

Speaker 2: 39:59

I mean you know a lot of kids. They're not meant for college And college doesn't guarantee you, you know, a six-figure job. It doesn't. No, you know you come out of college after four years and you got a, you know big debt where you know you get on with a good. You know an AC company. Or you know some company, some construction company or something, and you, you know and you work to better yourself Because sooner or later that construction company is going to involve you know it would be time for them to shut their doors. You're going to have that opportunity to move forward and be a, be your own business owner, be your own boss, and you have that. Or you can tag on and be a part of something, that, something big.

Speaker 3: 40:40

Yeah, and when I graduated from high school, you know it was pretty well. They were pushing college real hard. You're not going to mount too much if you don't. You know, get your college education, things like that And I think even my parents sort of tried to kick me with that. I didn't go to college until after I was in my.

Speaker 3: 40:55

I was in my late 20s when I started college back And because I was a business owner, i could afford to go when I wanted to and take that time off and everything. But you know, i started my own business when I was 20 years old in fast food restaurant business And I looked around. So statistics really didn't mean a whole lot to me until I began to get into the children. You know, working with children that were finding themselves and need a place to live, parents and situations where they couldn't handle the children or unable to take care of the children, and then being in the mission.

Speaker 3: 41:29

And the numbers are there. You know when they say there's a 1.6, 1.8 relapse rate of somebody's been in a 30 day program, those numbers are true, they really are. I had to learn how to take care of those and really get into those numbers and believe in them, and so probably I don't know whether we'll have as many shelter nights because we're a little bit smaller over there starting up. But once we get that second one going, those numbers and the way it is with the women, i'm sure they'll even be up from those numbers there.

Speaker 2: 41:58

Good And you know what you know. I'm very, i'm very glad and very proud of what you all are accomplishing. And you know, as mayor, you know you have my support And we're going to move forward. We're going to, we're going to. people want to volunteer. We're going to give them that opportunity, aren't we?

Speaker 3: 42:13

And we appreciate it. We really do, And we thank you for letting that be known. But we do survive because of some of the volunteers. We couldn't get it done with just the staff that we have, And they're yeah even today they were.

Speaker 2: 42:24

They were very proud of the mission. You could tell that they were. They're very happy It was. You know I could see even you because you've been, you've been coming to my office. I was telling them quicky will get the grease and and buddy's quick and he's been squeaking for a while And you can see the look on your face. You're like finally, finally, we're, finally we get to throw a shovel with dirt. You know if we got a long, long way to go, you know it's going to. You know we're going to look back and we're going to laugh when we, when we, when we cut the ribbon to the. You know it's funny because when I called you, i'm like we're doing a ribbon cutting right, and you're like no, i was and I was actually messing with you because I'm like, because I know you've been stressing, like we're doing this. I figured I was going to mess with you, but I'm like maybe today's not the day to mess with buddy. You just he's like I got so much going on, it always starts.

Speaker 3: 43:08

when you try to put something on, it always starts. man, i have a terrible sense of humor sometimes you know, it didn't bother me, yeah.

Speaker 2: 43:15

I figured you'd be like who are you? But anyway, again, give that number out if people want to volunteer 321-725-5160.

Speaker 3: 43:24

That's the main number at the mission.

Speaker 2: 43:28

Could you add this? Can we add this in the comments of somebody wants to see? And if somebody wants to donate toward the construction or something, even five bucks or something, what could they?

Speaker 3: 43:38

do? They can call that number, they can drop it in the mail to 2330 Johnny Ellison Drive and that's in Melbourne 329012330 Johnny Ellison Drive, melbourne, 32901. Do you have a PayPal account?

Speaker 2: 43:52

or anything like that.

Speaker 3: 43:54

We have the ability to give on our website, and that is, of course, wwwcetamissionorg. You can get right there on the website If you need a pickup of some furniture or items like that. You can call that same number I just gave out and the phone will direct you in that path and we'll see about picking you up. We're running about two weeks behind on pickups right now, so that's what keeps us going.

Speaker 2: 44:20

Pays the bills. Man, Yeah, pays the bills. Well listen, Jesse, Jesse, just put it on. That's good You're. Wake over there, You're not drollin'.

Speaker 1: 44:29

No, i'm very much awake and aware. Good, good, one more time with the number 321-725-5160.

Speaker 3: 44:37

5161. And that is the main number coming in and if you'll listen to the spill, you can get to just about anywhere you need to. If you need some help, that number will get you to where you can talk to someone about getting into the mission Volunteer. It's all on there and you can find that right number to press and talk to the person that could help you. And one of the things I didn't mention that I'll mention real quick, mayor, is and I was going to talk to you about it today and we just didn't have time with all that was going on But we have a little brochure that we want to put out and I want to get the blessings of our city before we do it and have a card, especially by the time we get the ladies' women's shelter going over here is.

Speaker 3: 45:25

It has our number on there And we're willing to have them call us and we'll come pick them up middle night, whenever it is. And we want to start giving this out to the churches and the people because really a lot of people and you know this better than anybody they're panhandling out there. They're not homeless the number of them. And so we want to encourage people. Don't give them money, give them a card and tell them you can get some help here. You can change your life around here. You can get off the streets. You don't have to sleep another night under a tent or under a someone's porch or something like that around the business and you can get off the street.

Speaker 2: 46:00

Yeah, and what we've been working on also at the city is putting up signs and stuff. Instead of giving a dollar out the window, donate to a non-profit, and that's great, because that's a message I've been pushing out that you have to get the people into. Just standing there doesn't really do anything, it doesn't. I mean, you're just basically just wasting time.

Speaker 3: 46:25

Wasting time and some people get upset when I say you're wasting your money, yeah, well. no, i say people get mad at me all the time.

Speaker 2: 46:33

People get mad at me all the time, saying that. I say it all the time. If you're just handing money out the window, believe me, i would, almost I would challenge you to just get out of your car. Watch for a while and you'll see where I'm talking about, you know I mean? Oh yeah, we watch the corners, we go and we invite people to come.

Speaker 3: 46:49

It amazes me when I step out and I see a man that's there panhandling or sitting there with him.

Speaker 2: 46:54

Great, better shape than we're in.

Speaker 3: 46:56

And what do they say? And I say, hey, man. I said why don't you come see the mission? you know, get a warm bed, food we'll help you out, and all that kind of stuff. I said, oh, that guy that runs that place. He told me I could never come there. And I said really, who was that? He said the guy that runs it. I said I don't remember seeing you before. I've never said that to anyone.

Speaker 2: 47:13

Oh, i get told that more than you'd believe.

Speaker 3: 47:16

Yeah, really I know oh no, but they don't want accountability. They really don't want accountability in their life, and that's what it takes If they're going to get it together. they've got to learn how to become accountable to someone.

Speaker 2: 47:27

Yep, yep, i agree, And you know what. We'll continue on, but we'll listen, thank you everyone, and listen. Really. I would ask you, as the mayor you know, support the great mission here for Helen's house and CEDA. It really helps our community. I know everybody out there and we get a lot of people listening and following and, you know, if you have the ability to get some clothes got anything well gently use, i'm going to correct my gently used furniture.

Speaker 2: 47:56

You know, i learned the hard way because John Casey and I and Tim Thomas and a few others we did the Bahamas relief and we had over a hundred thousand pounds shipped over the Bahamas and people were bringing like old fur coats. I'm like no, no, no, no, don't bring old fur coats. We're not taking that to the Bahamas. If you have water or generators, but people, they are doing it out of their heart, but they're they are, but fur coats aren't going well in Florida right now.

Speaker 3: 48:21

Maybe an umbrella You bring a dresser in doesn't have two drawers with it. It's in great shape, separate. Doesn't have two drawers.

Speaker 2: 48:28

I'm sure y'all can build something to go in there. Oh, no, no, no, that's firewood, that's it, that's it.

Speaker 3: 48:33

Well, it costs to go to the dump. It does. We have to pay to go to the dump, and we do. We do quite a bit of that.

Speaker 2: 48:38

You really do Yep, and unfortunately, yep, unfortunately, but all right, well, do we have any questions real quick? Do we have? let's see if we have any questions, jesse, for you know.

Speaker 1: 48:48

No, just a lot of praise. So thank you for all tuning in, but yeah, it looks like everybody's just a lot, a lot of people, a lot of comments.

Speaker 3: 48:56

That's wonderful. Praise the Lord, and I thank you, mayor, for giving us the privilege to come on and thank you for the job that you're doing here in our city.

Speaker 2: 49:04

Well, you know, like I said, we're putting it all together and you are a very important part and I want to thank you and the volunteers and you know the volunteers what they do every day because they, you know, i kind of look over and I say, look, i care about people and you know, and you know, anybody could be in a tough situation tomorrow.

Speaker 3: 49:24

Certainly.

Speaker 2: 49:25

But the fact is, through, you know, through this program and Helen's house and Sita, and it's just, it's great for me, it's great for the city, it's great for our community, it's great. And again, i was that little boy at one time. You know, see it through at in tough times and I don't want to see any kid go through that.

Speaker 3: 49:46

Breaks my heart.

Speaker 2: 49:47

Breaks my heart, yeah.

Speaker 3: 49:49

Made me tear up today and I don't do that whole lot. I don't know about meant to do that, but I say broken hearted around the miss, i know.

Speaker 2: 49:56

Well, listen well, thank you everyone and thank you buddy. I appreciate you coming on and anything else left to say.

Speaker 3: 50:02

No, i just thank you for this great privilege and we think our community because if it wasn't for our community we would not get this done and our church partners and things like that We're able to do it because of, because of them, we really are.

Speaker 2: 50:15

Yeah, and thank you everybody that's also donated before. Oh yeah, keep it coming, right, man keep it coming.

Speaker 1: 50:22

Anything else, jesse? No, this has been great, thank you. Thank you so much for joining us tonight.

Speaker 2: 50:26

Thank you, Jesse. We'll do an update.

Speaker 1: 50:28

All right, we'll be doing updates.

Speaker 3: 50:30

Oh yeah, Okay. Well, you're not getting out of it that easy.

Speaker 2: 50:32

It's my first one, all right, we'll be your last, all right. Well, thank you everybody. Have a great night, and tomorrow's Friday. I see it bud. All right, thanks for the update.