CHAPMAN PARTNERSHIP WILL CUT RIBBON ON 44-BED DORM FOR FAMILIES LOSING THEIR HOMES

MIAMI, FL – Tuesday, October 9th, 2012 – Who: Chapman Partnership and Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust

When: 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012

Where: Chapman North center, 1550 North Miami Ave., Miami, Fla. 33136

What: Grand opening of 44-bed family dorm and Family Resource Center.

Why: The demand to care for people who have lost their homes continues to grow. More families than ever before are homeless since the worse recession in the history of our country.

Residents who be at the event and available for interview:

Heidi and Reiner Gonzalez: The family of three came to the homeless center a month ago after Reiner, 29, lost his job then their home. He travels by bus to a new job at a Miami Beach hotel kitchen, where he cleans from 11 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Heidi, 23, is 8 months pregnant, and the couple has a 2-year-old daughter. They have no family support system here to fall back on.

Jessica: The 43-year-old Miami resident lost her job in the spring. The mother of two minor children lost her apartment after she couldn’t pay the rent and has lived at Chapman Partnership ever since with her 6-year-old son. Her other son, 16, attends Miami Beach High School, where he plays football. He lives with his older sister who is 25, because the homeless center requires all student residents to return by 7 p.m. each day. Jessica is excited to have been accepted by the “Volunteers of America” job training program, which starts soon to help her build her skills before she begins another job hunt.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information contact:
Contact: Patricia Vila, Marketing Director

305-329-3003 / pvila@chapmanpartnerships.org