A New Day, A New Dawn for Families in Hillsborough County
Every child deserves a safe place to sleep. Every parent deserves the chance to rebuild.
But tonight in Hillsborough County, families like Jocelyn’s are sleeping in cars, motels, and unsafe places — with nowhere to turn.
Dawning Family Services is launching The Journey Home Starts Here Capital Campaign to build the Family Solutions Center, the first centralized, family‑focused entry point for families experiencing homelessness in our community.
This is our moment to rise to meet the need.
Families are in crisis — and the system isn’t built for them.
Every month, Dawning Family Services receives 600 requests for help from families with children. Many are working full‑time but still cannot afford housing. Others are living in cars, facing eviction, or navigating trauma with nowhere to go.
“Children experiencing homelessness face serious risks to their health, development, and emotional well‑being.”
There is no front door for families.
Right now, families must navigate multiple agencies, travel across the county, and coordinate services on their own — all while in crisis with children.
“Without a front door, families never make it inside.”
Our current space cannot meet the volume or complexity of need.
Demand has more than doubled. Our shelter is full. Prevention and rehousing programs are stretched to capacity. Families are falling through the cracks.
This campaign changes that.
A first‑of‑its‑kind, 9,000 sq. ft. facility designed exclusively for families
The Family Solutions Center will be the centralized hub where families can stabilize, access services, and begin their journey home — all under one roof.
What the Center Will Provide
For over 40 years, Dawning Family Services has walked alongside families in crisis.
We are one of the only organizations in Hillsborough County exclusively focused on families with children, offering:
“This is not just about housing — it’s about stabilizing the entire family unit.”
The Family Solutions Center is the next bold step in that mission.
“The need has never been greater and the cost of inaction has never been higher.”
This is a once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity to build the infrastructure families need to move from crisis to stability.
Jocelyn is six years old — bright, creative, and full of curiosity.
But when she arrived at Dawning with her mother and baby brother, they were sleeping in their car.
“She doesn’t have a kitchen to help in. She doesn’t have a table to eat at. She doesn’t even have a bed to sleep in.”
Dawning walked with them until housing became available — providing food, diapers, documentation support, and rental assistance.
There are hundreds of families like Jocelyn’s.
The Family Solutions Center ensures they never face this crisis alone.
Total Project Cost: $6.5 million
Leadership Gift Secured: $2.5 million from an anonymous donor (this might be best displayed in a thermometer or meter that shows all gifts raised to date including the leadership gift)
This transformational gift provides a strong foundation — but we need community partners to bring the vision to life.
Your investment will build the first facility in Hillsborough County designed specifically for families experiencing homelessness.
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Learn More:
Schedule a Tour
See firsthand how Dawning is transforming lives — and what the new Center will make possible.
Invite Others to Join You
Host a conversation, connect us with partners, or bring friends for a tour.
Become a Campaign Ambassador
Help champion the vision across the community
Your support helps families build brighter, more stable futures.
