Yesterday marked the start of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week formally, from November 14th through the 20th. The National Coalition for the Homeless’s awareness page has the rundown of what ‘they’ think.

While Jacksonville still has a long row to hoe, it has made substantial gains in dealing with homelessness as opposed to the past…including better awareness through bridging the Digital Divide.  But is it enough?

Non-profits throughout Northeast Florida regularly fail to think ‘outside the box’ when it comes to collaboration, networking, and transparency due to each agency fighting for it’s own slice of the pie of funding sources available.  In the last six years many additional agencies have either ‘popped’ up on the scene or increased exponentially in staff and maintenance overhead cost.

Should funding sources take closer looks at input and output amounts when it comes to supporting agencies?  Do ten people at one agency individually provide equal or more support than two people in smaller ones…and should this be considered during a time when the entire country is trimming fat?