Page 16 - Southern Exposure - May '24

Page 16, Southern Exposure

Fundraising from page 15

tuning into the virtual program, all participants dedicated
the night to ending homelessness.
Recognized as “the great equalizer,” this signature
annual event unites people from diverse backgrounds,
economics, cultures and circumstances to stand in
solidarity with the thousands of men, women, and children
in Palm Beach County who sleep out every night – not
by choice but by circumstance.
CEO of The Lord’s Place Diana Stanley echoed the
same clear message that has been repeated for the last
17 years, “Supportive housing is the key to ending Pamela McIver with Micah, Jamie and Aria Breitfeld-
homelessness. We pledge to continue advocating for Crosby, Anne, Ford and J.T. Noble Futoran
systemic reform, ensuring that housing is not a privilege,
but a fundamental human right.” While living at the William H. Mann Place for men
Various clients told their stories of how the agency in Boynton Beach, Phillips took advantage of all of the
empowered them to reimagine their lives beyond the programs and services offered. Today, he is eight years clean
streets, by equipping them with the tools for change, and sober, works full-time at Publix, lives in The Lord’s
including: street engagement, job training, clinical Place graduate housing, and gives back and helps others.
services, reentry support and housing. Phillips added, “My family is proud of me … my sisters
57-year-old Richard Phillips disclosed his family history have found strength in my journey. I’m the first person in
of addiction, alcoholism and incarceration. With 33 felony my family to break the mold. And I’m never going back
convictions and a total of 17 years behind bars, Phillips cycled to that life.”
between incarceration and homelessness until he finally found The reimagined program stayed true to The Lord’s
long-term care and housing through The Lord’s Place. Place mission and commitment to their clients. While
“I needed to unhomelessness myself, once and for all. attendees did not spend the night at the actual event, all
The pain of staying the same became greater than the were encouraged to step outside their comfort zone by
pain of changing. And all of a sudden, the people of The sleeping out somewhere other than their bed. Some chose
Lord’s Place were there for me. And yes, they saved my setting up a sleeping bag on the living room floor and
life,” shared Phillips. Bill Proctor, Kerry Diaz, Michael Stevens others slept in a tent in the backyard or on their porch.
SleepOut is a symbolic effort to raise awareness of the
estimated 3,000 men, women, and children without a home
on any given night in Palm Beach County.
Since 1979, The Lord’s Place has been finding solutions
and providing services to take more people off the streets
and into homes. For more information on The Lord’s Place
or to make a donation to support the transformation of
lives of the most vulnerable and neglected in Palm Beach
County, visit: thelordsplace.org.
Top sponsors who made SleepOut possible include:
The Honorable Ann Brown, Laraine and Michael Stevens,
Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, PA, Carol
and Will Browne, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office,
Graduate client Richard Phillips, Chief Human Resources Officer Jan Phillips, CEO Diana Stanley, Cornelia and Richard Thornburgh, Sally and Bob Gilbane
graduate client Michelle Longarzo Danaluk, during the candlelight ceremony and OSCWebco.

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