Healing starts from within – and Project HEAL (Helping Everyone Align with Love) is helping regional care organizations learn what that can look like in action. Now entering its second cohort, this initiative equips local human services teams with trauma-informed tools and strategies that strengthen workplace culture, support staff well-being, and improve the care they provide to individuals experiencing homelessness. This important work continues to build momentum by investing not only in individuals experiencing homelessness, but also in the people and organizations dedicated to supporting them.
“We are excited to launch the second cohort of Project HEAL,” said Jennifer Johnston, Director of Community Engagement for Gulf Coast. “Participants from the first cohort shared how much they valued the learning, the peer connections they formed, and the chance to bring trauma-informed practices into every part of their work.”
Project HEAL was created to address the root causes of homelessness through a trauma-informed lens. Funded by a generous anonymous donor, the initiative reflects a belief that housing alone is not enough. Resilience, stability, and support are essential for individuals experiencing homelessness, and the same is true for the staff who walk alongside them every day. The donor trusted Gulf Coast’s leadership to carry forward a vision focused on long-term, system-level change.
The success of Project HEAL’s first cohort laid the groundwork for continued growth. Four inaugural participants – Community Assisted & Supported Living (CASL), Family Promise of South Sarasota County, Harvest House, and Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness – took part in a multi-year program centered on client-focused care and actionable organizational change. Each organization developed a Trauma-Informed Action Plan to guide real-time improvements for staff, participants, and overall organizational culture.
The outcomes of the pilot program revealed the transformative potential of this kind of focused training.
- CASL refocused their internal systems to better support their staff, focusing on enhanced trauma-informed training that has led to reduced staff turnover. The group also launched a Client Advisory Committee to elevate and value client voice and partnered with Operation Warrior Resolution to provide therapy services for those they serve.
- Family Promise of South Sarasota County shifted to a four-day workweek to create a more focused and flexible environment for employees. The change has increased satisfaction ratings, reduced staff turnover, and earned enthusiastic reviews from staff.
- Harvest House created a strategic plan that embedded trauma-informed care as a cultural expectation, including strengthened onboarding and team building efforts. The organization also improved participant safety with better lighting and signage while expanding class offerings for clients.
- Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness reshaped their organization’s focus and operations through significant staff investments. They began to provide professional development and team-building activities for employees and created a staff emergency fund to support frontline team members during personal crises.
To support implementation of these initiatives, $100,000 in grant funding was awarded to each agency to help translate their training into meaningful practice.
One powerful example of these practices in action is Harvest House’s Wellness Within Reach program, which provides free mental health therapy in supportive housing or at home. During its pilot, 126 participants maintained stable housing, and fewer returned to the justice system than average. Per the organization’s data, reincarceration rates for those who participated in therapy – men had a 14% average rate, while women had a 0% rate – were drastically lower than the statewide average of 60%.
Strong outcomes and participant feedback underscored the program’s impact and inspired the creation of a second cohort. This new group includes Project 180 and Salvation Army of Sarasota County, two organizations well aligned with the program’s mission. Project 180 focuses on reducing poverty, homelessness, unemployment, and recidivism among formerly incarcerated citizens. Salvation Army of Sarasota County meets human needs without discrimination and delivers hope, compassion, and strength through a wide range of programs and services.
Project HEAL will empower us to help ourselves to help others as best we can.”
Brenda Downing-Wiggins, Director of Operations at Salvation Army of Sarasota County, added, “I am looking forward to creating the time and space to intentionally understand trauma and its impacts, and to collaborating with partner agencies to better implement practices community-wide.”
Throughout the program, facilitators from Deming-Rivers Social Club and Resilient Retreat work alongside participant teams through reflection, action planning, and practical implementation. While the work can be challenging, past participants consistently reported stronger team morale, reduced conflict, improved retention, and increased resilience.
Thanks to the vision and generosity of Gulf Coast’s anonymous donor, Project HEAL continues to equip organizations with tools to build strong leaders, resilient teams, and workplace cultures where staff feel seen and valued. By investing in the people doing the work, the program strengthens the care they provide, helping individuals experiencing homelessness find stability, hope, and a path to thrive. True transformation starts from within and grows outward to strengthen entire communities.
Back to all articles
