People Living in The Ocala National Forest

[Schaumburger]

I am very familiar with the issue of homelessness in the Chicago area. Even the Chicago suburbs have a homeless problem (I have volunteered at a homeless shelter located in a Lutheran church in the northwest suburbs for many years).

But in the online version of the Daily Sun, there was an article published on 7/29/2017 about Villagers helping disadvantaged children with school supplies and back-to-school clothes.

There was a quote in the online article "An estimated 45,000 people are believed to be living in the Ocala forest, which covers more than 350,000 acres." That figure really shocked me. Are these people living in shacks or in tents?

[graciegirl]

I am very familiar with the issue of homelessness in the Chicago area. Even the Chicago suburbs have a homeless problem (I have volunteered at a homeless shelter located in a Lutheran church in the northwest suburbs for many years).

But in the online version of the Daily Sun, there was an article published on 7/29/2017 about Villagers helping disadvantaged children with school supplies and back-to-school clothes.

There was a quote in the online article "An estimated 45,000 people are believed to be living in the Ocala forest, which covers more than 350,000 acres." That figure really shocked me. Are these people living in shacks or in tents?

I don't know, but many different groups of Villagers contribute school supplies and P.J.s and bedding to them all of the time and toys at Christmas too. I guess the very fact that the climate is tolerable to be outdoors if you have to year around draws people with no homes. Many people who live here in The Villages have kind and generous hearts.

Another sad situation that I don't have any answers to. It would be a nightmare for me as a young mother not to have a safe place for my child to sleep. As I get older, I have far fewer answers than questions.

[Taltarzac725]

I am very familiar with the issue of homelessness in the Chicago area. Even the Chicago suburbs have a homeless problem (I have volunteered at a homeless shelter located in a Lutheran church in the northwest suburbs for many years).

But in the online version of the Daily Sun, there was an article published on 7/29/2017 about Villagers helping disadvantaged children with school supplies and back-to-school clothes.

There was a quote in the online article "An estimated 45,000 people are believed to be living in the Ocala forest, which covers more than 350,000 acres." That figure really shocked me. Are these people living in shacks or in tents?


You might be interested in this, Schaumburger.

sozo kids - Welcome (http://www.sozokids.org/)

SoZo Kids - sozo kids (http://www.sozokids.org/sozo-kids.html)

[l2ridehd]

There are several small towns and living areas in the forest. Altonna and Alexander Springs are a couple examples. Lots of trailer parks and places around the lakes. There are even a couple good restaurants out there. I would believe the population living there is at least 45,000 but the true homeless people living there is a very small % of that.

Take a drive out there and see for yourself. Some very pretty areas, lots of lakes and some interesting places. Katzs Crazy Eights is a good local bar to stop at and see some local color. There is a really good seafood place just off 42 in a campground just before Altonna. Several good roadside produce stands. Yes there are many very proud poor people who live there, but very few true homeless folks.

[mtdjed]

While I am sure there are those who have better info than I do, I would offer the following. I do a lot of GEOCACHING in the area including the ONF. I have seen old trailers and shacks that show evidence of habitation. I have also run across vehicles that are homes to some unfortunate persons. My observations into what I consider the ONF is that I have run across several tent cities. What is truly the forest is not the towns mentioned previously. While they may harbor a lot of poverty, these shacks and trailers are not likely to be truly in the forest. The tent cities I have seen were groups of ten to 20 tents with lawn chairs fire pits etc. When I passed nearby , I did not notice any persons, but you could tell they were being used. The several that I passed were not deep in the forest and I am imagining that they served as shelter at night but that the owners emerged during daylight hours for school, work etc. I have also seen evidence of tents in some local towns on public land and even not far off of Hiway 441 close to Tavares behind some businesses.
What is clear, is that there are a lot if folks needing our help.

[NotGolfer]

While I am sure there are those who have better info than I do, I would offer the following. I do a lot of GEOCACHING in the area including the ONF. I have seen old trailers and shacks that show evidence of habitation. I have also run across vehicles that are homes to some unfortunate persons. My observations into what I consider the ONF is that I have run across several tent cities. What is truly the forest is not the towns mentioned previously. While they may harbor a lot of poverty, these shacks and trailers are not likely to be truly in the forest. The tent cities I have seen were groups of ten to 20 tents with lawn chairs fire pits etc. When I passed nearby , I did not notice any persons, but you could tell they were being used. The several that I passed were not deep in the forest and I am imagining that they served as shelter at night but that the owners emerged during daylight hours for school, work etc. I have also seen evidence of tents in some local towns on public land and even not far off of Hiway 441 close to Tavares behind some businesses.
What is clear, is that there are a lot if folks needing our help.


You are correct. Folks who know...say not to venture deep into the forest. They also are "sectioned" off with "regular" homes to more primitive living. Some of these are dangerous to well-meaning people. The population there is also generational....Churches in our area have ministries helping the folks so it's best to work through these if folks want to help out.

[dewilson58]

I wonder how much migration there is (if they can) of homeless from the North (ie: Chicago, NYC, etc.) to the South just because of the weather.

Homeless is terrible, homeless in cold winters has to be deadly.

[duffysmom]

Once you enter the ONF there is no cell phone service and my GPS does not work. We travel through the forest frequently on the way to Mayo Hospital and it feels alien.
Also we have seen bears and indeed there is multi generational poverty. SOZO does amazing work.

[Taltarzac725]

I wonder how much migration there is (if they can) of homeless from the North (ie: Chicago, NYC, etc.) to the South just because of the weather.

Homeless is terrible, homeless in cold winters has to be deadly.

When I worked as a Urban Corps Intern at the downtown branch of the Minneapolis Public Library in the History and Travel Department-- under the very nice Ms. Reed-- the homeless would come in as soon as the library opened and sleep on the various benches or at the tables.

I noticed the same influx at times when using the downtown Clearwater Library here in Florida but they had clamped down on sleeping homeless inside the library. You would see them in the shade on the library grounds. They would seek shelter in the rain and also out of the intense heat.

The homeless did not seem at all prevalent at any of the other Tampa Bay area libraries I visited. My guess is that the local police moved them off to somewhere else in these other communities.

[CFrance]

The head of SOZO gives a presentation in TV every once in a while. SOZO Kids helps kids living in the ONF. There are ways to get involved if you're interested. sozo kids - Welcome (http://www.sozokids.org/) Their financials appear to be good for a charity.

[Toymeister]

A quick google search reveals that there have been articles about this since 1996 and it included references to 1966..

[rubicon]

My wife and i have a high school friend who lives Ocala national forest area. Our high school group meet every six months at a restaurant in Wesley Chapel. Our friend does a great deal of work helping the homeless in the area. We donate to the charities in Ocala National

[Schaumburger]

You might be interested in this, Schaumburger.

sozo kids - Welcome (http://www.sozokids.org/)

SoZo Kids - sozo kids (http://www.sozokids.org/sozo-kids.html)

Tal, Thank you for posting those links. So hard to be a child living in those circumstances. Bless the folks trying to help these kids.

[Schaumburger]

I don't know, but many different groups of Villagers contribute school supplies and P.J.s and bedding to them all of the time and toys at Christmas too. I guess the very fact that the climate is tolerable to be outdoors if you have to year around draws people with no homes. Many people who live here in The Villages have kind and generous hearts.

Another sad situation that I don't have any answers to. It would be a nightmare for me as a young mother not to have a safe place for my child to sleep. As I get older, I have far fewer answers than questions.

When I volunteer at PADS (that is the name of the homeless shelter program) the hardest thing to see is kids who are homeless. Fortunately we don't see a lot of homeless kids, but we do get some families every season (October through April) who are homeless. Imagine taking your child or children to a different church each night of the week for food and overnight shelter, then having to leave the shelter at 7:00 a.m. (those are the rules in this program). Not a good situation at all.

[Schaumburger]

I wonder how much migration there is (if they can) of homeless from the North (ie: Chicago, NYC, etc.) to the South just because of the weather.

Homeless is terrible, homeless in cold winters has to be deadly.

I have wondered that myself about the homeless from the Midwest and Northeast heading south because of the winter weather.

The City of Chicago has many homeless shelters, but there is always a percentage of the homeless who will not go into the shelters for various reasons regardless of how cold or snowy it is. Lower Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago houses some homeless in the winter because it offers some shelter from the elements.

The suburban shelter I volunteer at will not turn anyone way (even if we are at capacity) when the temps. drop below about 10 degrees, unless the person has an outstanding warrant (new guests do get vetted by the local police before they can stay the night at the shelter).

[larbud]

Once you enter the ONF there is no cell phone service and my GPS does not work. We travel through the forest frequently on the way to Mayo Hospital and it feels alien.
Also we have seen bears and indeed there is multi generational poverty. SOZO does amazing work.

You do not have a true gps, you have a phone app.. A true Gps works anywhere there is a sky!!