"Lazarus House" is a single-family home used in a transitional housing program for homeless families while they are participating in benefit services designed to help them get back on their feet.    The Lazarus House is a much-needed temporary link between homeless shelters and restoring families into permanent housing.  It is run by Lazarus Restoration Ministries, Inc. 

In addition to providing food and clothing, Lazarus Restoration Ministries screens homeless families for participation in their housing program.  Families selected for the housing program are moved into the Lazarus House where they are allowed to stay for a maximum of 3 months.  During that 3-month period, the family is given whatever help they need to get back on their feet.  The goal is to restore the family into mainstream society on a self-sustaining, self-supporting basis.   Local shelters, churches, and group homes that house homeless citizens refer families that they feel have the potential to be successful in the program.  Only those homeless families who are deemed to have the greatest probability of success are accepted. Some of the services made available to them include the following:

Family Planning

Financial Planning

Education Assistance (school enrollment and transportation, tutoring, GED, ABE, etc.)

Job Skills Training

Employment Assistance (resume writing, completing applications, transportation, etc.)

Business Opportunities & Self-employment Information

Assistance Applying For Available Social Services

Assistance Obtaining Personal Documents (social security card; ID card; etc.)

Mentoring

Peer Counseling

Health Education Counseling

DONATIONS

Items donated to the Lazarus House are placed inside the home for the families to use.  This could be furniture, linen, toys, dishes, towels, wall hangings, plants, household cleaners, toiletries, clothing, food, etc.  The house is fully-furnished through donations.  The items do not have to be new, but should be clean and ready for use.  "Previously-owned" or "barely-used" items are very useful.

The larger items such as furniture become permanent inventory, meaning they remain at the house even after a family leaves so that the next family can use it.  Families are allowed to take other items with them if desired, such as linen, wash cloths, etc.  Once the family is back on their feet in their own home, the Lazarus House is then made ready for the next family.

Donations can either be delivered directly to the house in Hawthorne, or to the local LRM office.  Please call (352)514-6417 to set up a pick up or delivery time.

Lazarus Restoration Ministries, Inc. is also seeking to acquire two additional Lazarus Houses for use in the program.  The more homes available in the program, the more homeless families we can take off the streets and help provide them the services needed to get them back on their feet.  Anyone with a single-family dwelling in the Gainesville, Florida area that could possibly be used in this program is asked to contact us to provide information.