Creating a Local Pathway
From Outreach to Shelter
Next Step Foundation partnered with Sharity to design a plan for a daytime resource center and low-barrier shelter in Apopka, Florida.
The work focused on assessing local needs, defining program models, and building operational and financial frameworks that could support implementation, partnership development, and future funding conversations.
The Outcome
Sharity developed a detailed implementation plan for both a daytime resource center and a low-barrier shelter, including staffing models, budgets, and funding strategies. Next Step Foundation is using the plan to pursue partnerships and site opportunities as it moves toward launch.
Meet the Organization
Next Step Foundation is a faith-based nonprofit serving individuals experiencing homelessness in Apopka and Northwest Orange County.
The organization grew from a local church-based outreach effort and has focused particular attention on populations with higher vulnerability, including seniors, women with children, and individuals with disabilities.
As need increased across the region, leadership recognized an opportunity to move from informal outreach toward a more structured local system of care.
Setting the Stage
Building Services Closer to the People Who Need Them
Homelessness in Apopka and Northwest Orange County was increasing, while access to nearby services remained limited.
Between 2023 and 2024, Apopka’s unsheltered population increased by 69%. Many services required travel to other cities, creating real barriers for individuals without consistent transportation. Seniors represented a significant portion of the local homeless population, bringing specific care and access needs.
Upcoming local ordinances related to outdoor sleeping also made the need for accessible shelter and resource pathways more visible.
Several priorities shaped the engagement:
- Designing local services that reduced transportation barriers
- Creating a low-barrier model for vulnerable populations
- Defining staffing and operations for both daytime and overnight support
- Building budgets that could support funding conversations
- Identifying partnerships and site opportunities for implementation
The question was how to turn a local outreach effort into a structured and fundable service model.
Program Design & Phasing
Building a Continuum of Care
Sharity developed a phased approach to help Next Step Foundation move toward implementation.
Phase 1: Resource Center
A daytime drop-in center designed to provide meals, hygiene services, laundry access, case management, mental health support, and vocational resources.
Phase 2: Low-Barrier Shelter
A 10 to 20 bed non-congregate shelter designed with minimal entry requirements, including accommodation for pets and couples.
The model also included strategic consideration of focused populations, such as seniors ages 55 and older or women with children, to respond to unmet needs in the region.
This phasing allowed the organization to think practically about scale, cost, partnerships, and sequencing.
Operational & Staffing Models
Designing Around Real Service Requirements
Sharity created detailed staffing structures for both the resource center and shelter.
The shelter model included approximately 7 full-time equivalent staff to support 24/7 operations, including case management, support staff, and security.
The daytime resource center included a separate staffing model designed around meals, hygiene access, case coordination, partner services, and daily operations.
These models helped align staffing levels with service intensity, safety, and client needs.
The goal was to define what the work would actually require so implementation decisions could be grounded in operational reality.
Financial Modeling
Building a Fundable Plan
Preliminary budgets were developed to support planning, funding, and partnership discussions.
The financial model included:
- Approximately $627,750 annually for a resource center serving 75 individuals per day
- Approximately $775,950 annually for a 20-bed shelter
- Estimated per-night shelter cost of $111.89 per resident
Funding sources were also identified, including:
- U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grants
- U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Emergency Solutions Grants
- Medicaid
- Local foundation funding
- State and city funding
- Individual and campaign-based fundraising
This gave Next Step Foundation a clearer basis for conversations with county officials, funders, churches, nonprofit partners, and civic stakeholders.
Partnership & Site Strategy
Moving From Plan to Implementation
The plan also included guidance on securing physical space and coordinating implementation partners.
This included:
- Strategies for identifying buildings, land, and construction partners
- Recommendations for building a partner network around service delivery
- Guidance for presenting the plan to Orange County and local funders
- Site planning considerations tied to access, operations, and community fit
These pieces helped position the project for the next stage: securing the right location, confirming partners, and moving toward launch.
Real-World Outcomes
A Clearer Path Toward Local Services
The engagement helped Next Step Foundation move from community outreach toward a structured system of care.
Key outcomes included:
- Development of a full operational and financial plan for a resource center and shelter
- Creation of staffing models for daytime and 24/7 service delivery
- Identification of funding strategies to support implementation
- Use of the plan to engage Orange County and local partners
- Ongoing efforts to secure a site and move toward launch
- Clearer positioning for serving seniors, women with children, and individuals with disabilities
IMPACT SINCE IMPLEMENTATION
Comprehensive operational and financial plan for a future resource center and shelter
Staffing plans developed for both daytime and around-the-clock care
Planning framework used to engage Orange County and local implementation partners
What We Learned
Local service gaps are rarely solved by goodwill alone.
They require a structure that connects need, access, staffing, funding, and partnership.
For communities addressing homelessness, low-barrier models become more viable when program design and financial planning are developed together. This gives leaders, funders, and public partners a clearer path from outreach to sustained service delivery.