Through the Little Black Dress Initiative the Junior League of Greater Orlando is focusing on raising awareness about poverty in our local community. Currently the poverty threshold for a family of four is $29,678, with 12.6% of Orange County and 15.% of Orlando living within poverty. In Florida 16.8% of children under the age of 18 live below the poverty line, and 10% of them will experience hunger due to lack of money or resources this year. On average FL only has 23 affordable and available rental units for every 100 household with incomes less then 30% of the area’s median income. Homeless families with children account for 24% of FL’s homeless population, and children under the age of 18 years accounts for 15%. Persons fleeing from domestic violence situations comprised 8.2%, and America’s Veterans made up another 8.13%. On any given night, 51% of FLs homeless population is unsheltered, meaning they live outside, in a car, park, or other place not meant for human habitation. The Department of Education counted 78,277 students over the 2021-2022 academic year who did not have a fixed regular nighttime residence; this type of housing insecurity has proven to cause disruption to academic pursuits, and disparities in testing scores and graduation rates.

If you have learned more about how poverty and homeless is affecting your community and would like to help please donate or join the JLGO today. The JLGO partners with the Coalition for the Homeless, Harbor House Domestic Violence Center, Second Harvest Food Bank, and many other nonprofit organizations within central Florida to create meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration, and training.