HUD's Jacksonville Field Office Director J. Nicholas Shelley, joined Florida Lt. Governor Toni Jennings, Florida Housing Finance Corporation's Executive Director, Steve Auger, and Florida Department of Children & Families (DCF) Secretary Lucy D. Hadi, at HUD's announcement of a $65 million in grant funding to support homeless programs in Florida.

(L to R) Florida DCF Secretary Luci Hadi, Florida Lt. Governor Toni Jennings and HUD's Jacksonville Field Office Director J. Nicholas Shelley.

HUD presented Lt. Governor Jennings and DCF Secretary Hadi with the ceremonial check at a ceremony at Tallahassee-based Big Bend Housing Coalition's Housing Opportunities and Personal Empowerment (HOPE) Community (bigbendhc.org/hopeCommunity.html).

The $65 million in grants will allow continuum of care and emergency shelter organizations to continue services to thousands of homeless individuals and families in Florida.

HUD's funding helps continuum of care programs provide permanent and transitional housing to homeless persons as well as important services including job training, health care, mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment and child care. The emergency shelter grants convert buildings into homeless shelters, assist in the operation of local shelters and fund related social service and homeless prevention programs.