With a prayer and 11 shovels, members of the Pensacola-Tallahassee Catholic Diocese and others broke ground on a project that they hope will help put a dent in homelessness and give lower-income seniors a chance at stability.
The vacant plot of land at 820 W. Garden St. in Pensacola, across from the diocese’s main office on “B” St., is being cleared to make room for Trinity Village. The development includes nine “tiny” houses that will be available for rent to qualifying, low-income seniors.
“We thank you for the blessings of this place, for the opportunity to be your coworkers, to care for our brothers and sisters, especially those who are in great need in our community, so that this may be a community of love and peace and joy, and we can do your will in all things,” Bishop Bill Wack prayed over the project before the groundbreaking.
Trinity Village is an expansion of the diocese’s Trinity House program, a transitional housing program that opened in 2020 and now provides two communal homes for senior-aged men who are struggling to get back on their feet. For a small fee, the men are offered housing, resources and training to support themselves, including managing their finances.