Legislative bills aim to address homelessness; FGCU program to add social workers to libraries

An FGCU Professor wants to create a program to put social workers in libraries.

Through his research, he has found that libraries are a place where homeless people often congregate. Air conditioning, computer access, and shelter make the library a safe haven, and having a social worker there would provide a resource that could help them with their situation.

Dr. Thomas Felke, Chair of the Department of Social Work at FGCU, wants the program to start with FGCU interns in the social work program and eventually expand to hiring social workers.

A set of Florida bills (HB 163 and SB 68) would provide funding for innovative programs to combat homelessness would help with that.

Dr. Felke said, “There’s a lot of different pieces of the bill but the main piece is it would increase the amount of dollars that would go into challenge grants by $250,000 so effectively raising the current amount from $500,000 to $750,000.”

Jonathan Fernandez used to be homeless and is now an employee at St. Matthew’s House. He said, “There was a time in my life where I was struggling desperately … When I was about 17 is when I kind of broke ties from home and I didn’t have a place to call home. That was about 10 years ago”

Sometimes the move in the right direction all starts with a conversation. “That’s what it took for me,” Fernandez said. “It was just one conversation I had with someone so I think it’s a great idea”

The pilot program would tailor resources to specific branches throughout Lee County.