Dignity Bus ® – A Way To The Village

When our Team was researching how he could help people on the street, he kept coming back to the same thing. Not Enough Beds! So the team set about creating an immediate, first stop, cost effective solution for our society’s most vulnerable people; catching them early until they can get back on their feet.

Why Sleep?
Because Sleep Can Change Everything.

“On a single night in 2019, roughly 568,000 people were experiencing homelessness in the United States. Nearly two-thirds (63%) were staying in sheltered locations—emergency shelters or transitional housing programs—and more than one-third (37%) were in unsheltered locations such as on the street, in abandoned buildings, or in other places not suitable for human habitation.”
Source; 2019 Housing Urban Development report.

Let’s be honest, no one on the street gets a good night’s sleep. Even us, with a roof over our head, sleeping in a queen size bed with an en-suite struggle. Can you just imagine how quickly things can spiral out of control without sleep? Access to a safe, comfortable place to sleep means better mental and physical health and ultimately, a chance to take a breath to work on a pathway out of homelessness.

Sleep plays a vital role in good health and wellbeing; and getting enough quality sleep can help protect a person’s mental and, physical health, and ultimately their safety. For those sleeping rough, getting a good night’s sleep is virtually impossible and can contribute to long-term homelessness and more.

Sleep deficiency can harm a person’s mental health over time; Low self-esteem, social isolation, and the exacerbation or development of specific mental health disorders including schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Sleep deficiency can harm a person’s physical health over time. For example, ongoing sleep deficiency can raise the risk for some chronic health problems such as, Diabetes, Heart Health, Breathing Problems and Breast Cancer.

Many sleeping on the street are subjected to terrible weather, harassment, bullying, being robbed and worse. Those sleeping on the street also run a high risk of drug and alcohol abuse, further affecting their safety and wellbeing.

At Dignity Bus we have a simple focus; provide safe, temporary overnight accommodation to those sleeping rough in Indian River County. Our aim is to get people off the street and keep them safe and healthy until they can get back on their feet. Our accommodation is not a long term solution, but what we do provide is a safe ,
temporary and comfortable place to sleep for the night.

Dignity Bus is distinct, unique, and only exists from members of our blessed community. Dignity Bus is supporting our local homeless population experiencing, or at risk of homelessness. Our work aims to fill a ‘gap’ rather than overlapping or replicating activities that support the urgent needs of people in Indian River County.