2,700 Meals and Counting
Sodexo Live! and the Orange County Convention Center have partnered with the Orlando Union Rescue Mission, one of Central Florida's oldest and largest homeless service providers, since 2020. In addition to shelter, food, and clothing, O.U.R.M. provides education, training, addiction recovery counseling, and other assistance to help guests become independent and self-sufficient for the rest of their lives.
"We have a very structured program," explained President and CEO Fred Clayton. "People live with us for an extended period, from six months to two years, and during that period, they are never idle." In addition to having an adult-accredited high school, O.U.R. Mission has an arrangement with Valencia College. Guests can access 63 tuition-free vocational training programs, from welding to electronic board assembly or warehouse operations. "Our guests, because the Mission covers their living expenses, can take the time to develop a trade that can turn into a career."
With Orlando seeing a significant increase in unhoused residents, O.U.R. Mission has the largest population of guests they've ever had. "Right now, we have 151 guests living in our Family Home, including 81 children. We have 140 single men living on our men's campus," said Fred. "And we have a waiting list."
I want to express the gratitude of everybody here, both our team and our guests, to Sodexo Live! for helping transform lives and ensure that our guests have the chance to escape homelessness permanently. That's what you all do.
Providing three meals seven days a week is a significant undertaking. "We serve over 1,150 meals a day with a paid staff of just three people," explained Fred. "The generosity of Sodexo Live! and our other supporters enables us to maintain a very low-cost operation that feeds a substantial number of people every day."
After an event, the Center's culinary team stores leftover premade food for the Mission to pick up that same day. In the first three months of 2023, Orange County Convention Center provided over 3,300 pounds of food—more than 2,700 meals for Mission residents.
"It's been a gigantic blessing. As a practical matter, it's really, really good food," said Fred. "It's a treat for our guests and Sodexo Live! knows that the food that they prepared is being used to help the most vulnerable in our community."