Why did you change your name from the Community Coalition on Homelessness?

Our organization has evolved in response to the changing needs of our community. When we first opened our doors in 1995 and even as recently as five years ago, it was mostly men who were homeless. Today, about half of our clients are women and many with children. Our population has changed so dramatically – today we serve almost as many men, women and children on the verge of homelessness as those who are homeless – and our services have adapted to meet these needs. In the process of evolving, we have outgrown our name.

Why the name Turning Points?

Our name Turning Points refers not only to the multiple support services we provide under one roof at The Bill Galvano One Stop Center Building, but also the people who reach out to help and become turning points in the lives of others. Our organization is working to ensure there is support for everyone who needs help with the critical turning points in their lives. Every day is an important turning point for all parties involved: the organization, the staff and volunteers, the management and volunteer board, the clients and the community. We hope our new name suggests the multiple and integrated turning points it takes to address the critical issues of low income and homelessness.

Is the Bill Galvano One Stop Center now called Turning Points?

No. Turning Points is the organization and the Bill Galvano One Stop Center is the building. The building name will remain the same.

I read in the paper that you have a new partnership now with Manatee Memorial Hospital.

Last July (2012) we formed a new partnership with Manatee Memorial Hospital. We’ll be able to increase capacity to better meet the medical needs of the low income and the homeless while helping physicians complete their residency requirements.

Turning Points is remodeling a large storage area on the west side of the building and transforming it into clinic space. While the current clinic has two exam rooms, the completed clinic will have eight exam rooms with the potential to treat 4-5 times more patients. Physicians will have regularly assigned hours at the new clinic throughout their 3-year residency as part of their family medicine training. Construction is expected to begin in March; the project is expected to be completed by June; the new residency rotation begins in July.

Having the larger medical clinic will provide multiple benefits to the community as well as the population served. This increased capacity permits Turning Points to treat more people seeking assistance for primary care, which ultimately reduces the number of people in the emergency room. This frees up physicians to treat people more efficiently in the emergency room and reduces the amount of county funds required for indigent care.

Quick background to the new clinic: The development of the One Stop Center Building included a small medical and dental clinic to provide primary care to clients. Lake Erie College of Medicine partnered with Turning Points to start the medical program in November of 2009 utilizing supervising physicians and medical students. The clinic was and is open five days a week in the mornings employing the LECOM volunteers. LECOM will continue their partnership with us.

Are there any other changes?

Yes, with the help of a loan, we recently (Dec. 2012) purchased the property next door to increase parking capacity at The Bill Galvano One Stop Center Building. At present, with more than 30 volunteers a day, there aren’t enough parking spaces for clients, staff and volunteers.

How do I find you?

We have a new website address – www.TPManatee.org but our offices are still in the Bill Galvano One Stop Center Building near the McKechnie Field. We’re at 701 17th Avenue West in Bradenton, Florida. Call us at Phone: (941) 747-1509 to set up a tour.

Who assisted you with the name change?

We had guidance and input from many organizations, community leaders and citizens in our community and we also conducted three focus groups. Last year our organization contracted with Lime Communications to assist us finalizing this process and launching our new name. The Lime Communications team included certified business analyst and branding expert Art Mahoney from the Small Business Development Center at the State College of Florida and designer Falyn Ernst, principal of Playground941. The Turning Points Launch Committee members

were: Adell Erozer, Joe Mercado, Becky Taylor, Nik Bergenske, and Sue Ladwig with instrumental board support from Sandy Kirkpatrick and Lee Martin. We are grateful to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County for providing funding support for the marketing.

What services do you provide?

We invite you to explore our website for the full response to your questions but in brief, the organization helps meet the daily basic needs of people with low to no income as well as the homeless by providing access to comprehensive and integrated services including Basic Personal Services (mail, showers, laundry, clothing); Employment Assistance (job readiness, training, placement); Financial Assistance (rent, utilities, emergencies); Health Services (medical clinic, dental clinic, pharmaceutical counseling) and Veteran’s Assistance (counseling, referrals, advocacy) and more.

Who are your partners?

Again, you will find more information in other areas of the website but in brief, partnering agencies brought together by Turning Points and providing services at this location include: Lake Erie College of Medicine; Manatee Glens; Suncoast Workforce Board; Goodwill Manasota; Florida Clinical Research; Manatee Children’s Services; Our Daily Bread; Manatee County Health Department; We Care; Department of Children and Families and the Manatee Memorial Hospital.