In March 2021, Carlinys Rodriguez and her two sons, ages 7 and 8, were kicked out of their home by a family member and she thought they had nowhere to go. But she found her way to the Salvation Army’s George W. Jenkins Community of Hope neighborhood off Kathleen Road, a 49-acre, family-friendly neighborhood that helps struggling families overcome their circumstances and rebuild their lives. More
It is move-in weekend for the Lakeland Public Library’s main branch along the east shore of Lake Morton. The 56-year-old facility has been undergoing a massive $1.89 million renovation for the last 18 months, including a new HVAC system, ceilings, lighting, flooring, paint, furniture, a new collection layout — and the addition of the Exhibit Room for the History and Culture Center. More
Polk County’s school system is participating in a statewide Summer Breakspot program to offer free breakfasts and lunches to all children up to 18 years old. Nearly three dozen schools, businesses, and city recreation centers are taking part in the program in Lakeland, with more than 70 schools participating throughout Polk County. More
The GiveWell Community Foundation has selected Callie Neslund of Lakeland to be its chief operating officer. Neslund, 37, will assume the role in August, primarily focusing on “future initiatives stemming from the United Community Needs Assessment currently underway, strategic planning, and day-to-day operations,” according to a news release. More
Skyrocketing home values and rental rates are issues across Central Florida but rising housing costs in Lakeland are particularly acute because it is “5,000 residences short” for a city its size, Mayor Bill Mutz said at a forum on housing and homelessness. More
Here are photos and partial video from “Humanity, Housing and Homelessness,” a forum held Thursday evening at Catapult Lakeland. An article about the forum will be added later today. More
Solutions for the 3,700-plus Polk County public school students classified as homeless — living in shelters, budget motels, dangerously compromised dwellings or sofa-surfing with friends and family — will be among the topics discussed Thursday at a Lakeland forum on homelessness and affordable housing.
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The United Way of Central Florida and the GiveWell Community Foundation are partnering to offer a comprehensive, “first-of-its-kind” community needs assessment survey. The non-profits are hoping people will take the time to fill it out, as the responses will help the organizations and others make decisions on how to prioritize funding. More
The Breast Cancer Foundation of Central Florida is seeing an increase in demand for assistance from breast cancer patients, with its client base nearly doubling during the pandemic. More
The city of Lakeland will advance a languishing request by Talbot House Ministries to help pay for two new boilers the nonprofit had to install last year when its existing system failed by using money from a $50,000 U.S. Housing & Urban Development block grant. More
