DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — The Delray Beach Police Department is working to fight homelessness in the city.
Leaders with the department announced a $300,000 grant from the Virginia and Harvey Kimmel Family Foundation Tuesday. The grant will be dispersed over three years, allowing them to create a new position on their community outreach team.
Chief Javaro Sims said the person they bring on will advocate and assist people struggling with homelessness.
"It's not every day we get the opportunity to see something that we worked so hard for come to reality," Sims said. "Because of so many caring people that's been willing to give of their time efforts and money, we're here today."
The community outreach team connects people struggling with homelessness to the resources they need to change their circumstances.
In 2021, the community outreach team successfully placed 70 people in shelters and 15 in permanent homes. Sims credits the outreach team for the decreasing number of people struggling with homelessness in Delray Beach.
