DKAC Honors Help Now of Osceola with January/February Downtown Beautification Award

The Downtown Kissimmee Area Council recently awarded the January/February Downtown Beautification Award to Help Now of Osceola, Osceola’s premiere domestic abuse prevention program, for their brand new outreach center located at 108 Church St.  Those familiar with Downtown will recognize this location as the former offices of the Osceola News Gazette.

Two years ago Help Now’s board made the decision to purchase the property and made plans to remodel and revitalize it with Help Now’s use of trauma-informed care in mind.  They spent the last two years creating a beautiful space both inside and out. The transformative paint and landscaping on the exterior is thanks in part to a Community Betterment Grant from Commissioner Cheryl Grieb.  As Downtown Beautification Award winners, Help Now received a letter of recognition from DKAC Chair Keith Ronan and the Beautification Award sign will sit in front of their property throughout January and February.  The award presentation was also shared live on Positively Osceola.

Help Now’s outreach center provides  free counseling and support services to those in a potentially dangerous relationship. In addition to providing this safe space and resources for victims of domestic abuse, the new outreach center also houses a food pantry for survivors who may need a little extra assistance as they get back on their feet. In just the first 24 hours of opening the outreach center a few months ago, Help Now was able to assist over 40 families. The outreach center offers walk-in service between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, and the organization also operates a safe shelter and 24-hour crisis hotline that allow victims and survivors to access their services for safety and support.

If you need to connect with Help Now, call their hotline at 407-847-8562 or visit their website at www.helpnowshelter.org.  They are also on Facebook.