Since 2019, Escambia and Santa Rosa counties have experienced a 48% increase in homelessness (“2023 Point in Time (PIT) Count Statistics”, Opening Doors Northwest Florida, Inc.). In 2020, Dr. Tarlanda Dempsey and a team of volunteers conducted a needs assessment of our homeless populations. The team took to the streets and shelters to conduct one-on-one interviews with a plethora of these individuals. Common issues we came across were substance use and addiction (SUD), mental health issues, lack of work or transportation to work, lack of affordable and safe housing, and/or exorbitant financial woes. Their current living arrangements were on the streets or in homeless shelters where they are exposed to higher rates of violence, sicknesses, mental health issues, and for those with children, loss of custody. Because of this growing community challenge, Grace and Mercy Community Outreach (GMCO) was birthed. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides outreach and sober-living transitional housing programming that addresses homelessness and its side effects–specifically SUD and/or mental health crises, those with crimial histories, and veterans that have been lost in the system. We developed trusty relationships which allowed the community to understand our mission and ability to meet our clients where they are in life. We educate people in the community about the options they have as a resolution to the issues at hand. Our work has led us to partner with the Department of Corrections to help decrease the recidivism rate and with local homeless coalitions in the community in an attempt to decrease homelessness. Our transitional homes offer an affordable, sober, safe, and crime-free living space. From intake to the transition back to society, our clients are being molded into productive citizens; by learning and developing work skills, and being properly mentally evaluated and medicated. GMCO has partnered with other organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Veteran Affairs (VA), medical institutions, and other local non-profits to sponsor to assist our clients on their journey to sober independence. We know that we our work is necessary because within one week of our initial grassroots researchefforts, GMCO was able to attain its’ first facility and house four veterans, two released prisoners, and two recovered addicts. We were able to get them assigned to caseworkers within the facility and provide them with an abundance of wraparound services to help them gain their independence. We can proudly say that, to date, 72.8% of our 122 clients have transitioned into better, more independent and hopeful lives.