Anchorage Children’s Home receives federal grant

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG) -

The Anchorage Children’s home received a $450,000 from a federal grant that will go towards programs to reach out to kids in the community in difficult home situations.

Many will tell you Anchorage is more important now than ever in Bay County.

“Homelessness is on the rise in our community. It was an issue before the hurricane, back in 2018, and then since the hurricane homelessness for families and youth that are registered in our school system have just tripled,” said Brooke Bullard, development director for Anchorage Children’s Home.

In 2012, Anchorage lost its federal funding creating a greater need for support from outside organizations.

The new federal grant will help Anchorage reach out to more kids in the community who need the help.

“We’re going to be able to expand our team, put more people out on the street, prepare and plan more strategically - planned activities where youth congregate and have access to our shelter and really get the word out and let kids know that there is a safe place in Bay County for homeless youth," said Bullard.

Pastor Steve Taylor said they see a lot of the children who go through Anchorage at Emerald Coast Fellowship church and says they have a huge impact on the kids.

“When we were able to have Wednesday night suppers, we would have 350 - 400 people to eat dinner here on a Wednesday night before we started our programming, and to see children that are a part of that program, talking to adults and others that go to their schools in a very functional way when most of the time the people across the table weren’t even aware of where they were from and why they were here, that was a really big deal,” said Taylor.

Taylor adds that supporting anchorage with individual donations is important.

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