OCALA, Fla. – A new 60-bed shelter is expected to arrive in Ocala by next summer.
Wear Gloves, a nonprofit in Ocala, is working to provide more resources for those who are experiencing homelessness.
The group helps people out of poverty and break the cycles of trauma through it’s “dignity not dependency” approach by providing job opportunities and life skills training.
“At Wear Gloves, we do three things,” said Wear Gloves Executive Director and CoFounder Wendy Kebrdle. “We have our Dignity Center, We have Dignity Roasters coffee, and we now have the Dignity House Shelter. So Wear Gloves is the name of the nonprofit, but we’re primarily a job training and workforce readiness training program for homeless and distressed folks in our community.”
Wear gloves has been helping people since 2009. The organization’s latest addition will be Dignity House shelter: A 60-bed shelter open to both men and women.
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“We knew that this was a service that we needed to add here so that we can really see people moving forward,” Kebrdle said.
According to Marion County’s Point In Time count for 2024, there were 154 unsheltered men compared to 47 unsheltered women.
“We have a lot of service providers for for women and domestic violence survivors and children, but for our single men in our community, we’re hoping to kind of fill that gap,” Kebrdle said.
Melissa Abney will be the manager of the Dignity House Shelter. As a former client herself, this mission is personal.
“For the last 15 years, I was homeless, addicted to drugs, and living out on the street,” Abney said. “Three-and-a-half years ago, I was living in a crack house. I’m a convicted violent felon. Then on September 27 of 2020, I’m coming up on my four years date, I went into a 72 hour detox, and when I came out, by the grace of God, I found Wear Gloves. I was asked not long ago – two weeks ago – if I would take my daughter and my grandchildren up from the airport. I used to be the last person called home first, and that’s the change it’s made for me.”
Abney said she hopes to be the change for someone else.
“I want to be there for the clients and help them through,” Abney said. “They’re going to have bad days. They’re going to have great days. I want to be there for both and help them get through those bad days and whatever it is that they need.”
Wear Gloves Dignity House Shelter is expected to open summer 2025 once renovations are complete. IT is expected to welcome 12 residents in its first year.