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Hudson homeless shelter faces eviction

Tribune photo by CHRIS URSO (2006)

Jean Timmons, the mother of Holy Ground Homeless Shelter founder Lisa Barabas-Henry, works in the shelter's office.

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By GEOFF FOX | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 5, 2009

HUDSON - Holy Ground Homeless Shelter has housed and fed Pasco County's poor for almost 20 years.
That will end if the shelter is unable to raise $5,800 by Tuesday.

Lisa Barabas-Henry, who runs the shelter, said she recently was released from the hospital to find a notice on the door that said the building will be closed if the money isn't paid.

That's devastating news for the 60 people, including 15 children ages 2 to 14, who call the shelter home.

"People are sad and crying, broken-hearted," she said this afternoon. "They're afraid their kids will be taken away. A lot of these people are trying hard to establish something, and there's no place else for them to go. Call another shelter, and they're all full. The economy is bad. People are having foreclosures."

The property at 8835 Denton Ave. is owned by Domenico Enterprises of Pasco Inc. The company's lawyer was unavailable for comment Friday.

"We have nowhere to put these people now," Barabas-Henry said. "I never thought I would get a notice. I've always initiated calls to [the owners] to let them know where we stand [financially]. We have been late a few times in the past, but I've never not paid. This is the only time we've ever had this issue."

Barabas-Henry said the shelter owes $7,900 for two months' rent. A couple of bail-bond companies have pitched in, as well as an anonymous donor, but she still owes $5,800.

Besides housing the homeless, the shelter serves breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, which is typically between 33,000 and 40,000 meals a year, Barabas-Henry said. The shelter also is known for turkey giveaways at Thanksgiving and toy drives at Christmas.

For Barabas-Henry, the timing of the notice couldn't have come at a worse time. Besides her own medical issues (she has pneumonia in one lung and a heart condition), her oldest son died recently.

"Without this place, this community will be devastated," she said. "We don't have loans or credit cards or anything. It's just been really hard. I've never asked around for money and called churches, or anything. We've always tried to be self-sufficient."

Lending A Hand

If you would like to donate money to help keep the Holy Ground Homeless Shelter open, call Lisa Barabas-Henry at (727) 946-0422 or the shelter at (727) 863-9123.

Reporter Geoff Fox can be reached at (813) 731-1239.

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