Highlands County Cares

Social Services day was filled with a bunch of hidden treasures that I have drove past many times. I never once realized what any of the places we visited on this day actually were. Our first stop was New Concepts, which was such a unique experience. Everyone there was extremely nice and everyone had a good time making Christmas crafts and getting to know each other. After New Concepts we went to Hope Haven Transitional Housing. The director of Hope Haven pours her entire life into her organization. She helps out people that are homeless, but she does not only provide them with a place to stay. She helps them find jobs, makes sure that they have food to eat, and help them get their own place to live. It is amazing to see how strong her beliefs are and to see her future plans. One thing that I learned here was that there are many more people without homes in Highlands County than you would think. The director does not only help Hope Haven, but she also helps out homeless that are living in the woods in 2 different locations. Our next stop was New Testament Mission which really exposes me to the idea that there are many more homeless and needy in Highlands County, which we learned at Hope Haven. We served a meal to the homeless and toured their dormitory. It was amazing to hear about how much community support they get for food. They receive donations from numerous restaurants all the time. Not only do they provide them with a meal, but they also provide with supplies they need. For example, the day we went they were passing out toilet paper. Our next stop was Samaritan’s Touch Care Center, which is a doctor’s office for people in poverty without insurance. The most unique part about this was the variety of services they have (dentist, pharmacy, eyes). Our last stop was Nu Hope Elder Care where we got to learn about the problems that older people develop with vision. Overall, social services day changed my view on Highlands County, and it also showed me many people doing good for our community.