Shelton Carmen-Owens had long wanted to relocate to Florida from his home state of Wisconsin.
In November 2020, after a series of conflicts with his estranged wife, the 35-year-old and his 3-year-old son made the move to Jacksonville. They arrived in the early morning hours and drove to the beach to see the sunrise.
Then Carmen-Owens, who was once homeless as a child, used Google to find assistance. He had left his life behind and needed a place to live, a place to work and a place to care for his son. I knew I needed help, he said.
Right away he found Family Promise of Jacksonville, a nonprofit that helps homeless families become self-sufficient, and headed to their downtown office. Six months later after a joint effort by Family Promise and other nonprofit partners he has a job at VyStar Credit Union, a two-bedroom apartment and nearby child care.