When someone is down on their luck and must turn to a charitable organization for help, the process can be overwhelming. Just the pages and pages of paperwork can be enough to deter an applicant. Add to that the fact that there are so many different groups with the mission to help. Yet, which one is the correct one to handle specific concerns such as:
- Food assistance
- Emergency utility or rent payments
- Clothing for children
- Where to get help with sub- stance abuse when you have no insurance
- Help filing a tax return
These are all excellent questions. Chasing down the answer to them often takes up precious time when someone is in an emergency.
Enter the staff and work of Flagler Cares, a non-profit formed in 2015.
That is the question that Flagler Cares strives to answer for Flagler County residents in need of assistance.
The agency’s website describes its mission as, “Flagler Cares exists to bring new health, wellness and social welfare infrastructure to Flagler County to reduce disparity and improve the lives of our residents.” Social issues the agency and its staff are focusing on in 2022 include improving youth and adult behavioral health opportunities, creating greater housing stability including prevention of homelessness and an increase in affordable housing and better access to affordable insurance for those living in Flagler County.
In January, Flagler Cares showed off its new office digs in the Flagler County Village where several other key partners — the Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia, Healthy Start Coalition of Flagler and Volusia Counties and The House Next Door — are also housed.
County commissioners and representatives of other charity organizations had the opportunity to tour the new location on the third floor of the Palm Coast City Marketplace where the City of Palm Coast offices were previously located.
For those interested in learning more about Flagler Cares or volunteering for one of the organization’s projects, the next coalition meeting is being held on Monday, May 9, 2022, from 3 to 4 PM An online link as well as phone-in instructions are available on the Flagler Cares website under the “Get Involved” tab.
Online donations can be made by clicking on the “Donate” section under the “Get Involved” tab. Donations to Flagler Cares are processed via Paypal, according to its website and are used to “help sustain the safety net of services and support for Flagler’s most vulnerable residents.” Flagler Cares is located at 160 Cypress Point Parkway in Suite 302B in the Palm Coast City Marketplace complex on the third floor above Dominic’s Restaurant. They can be reached at 386-319-9483 and their website is www.flaglercares.