HEP (Homeless Empowerment Program) - Founder Barbara Green

Barbara Green - Founder

Julie Scales, the Rotary Club’s Program Chair, introduced her long-time friend, Barbara Green, Founder of the Homeless Empowerment Program (HEP). Barbara delivered an informative and inspiring presentation highlighting HEP’s mission, growth, and lasting impact on the community.

About Homeless Empowerment Program (HEP)

Founded in 1986, HEP has served the community for nearly four decades. Today, the organization provides housing and supportive services to more than 1,500 individuals each year through a combination of emergency shelters, apartments, and transitional housing programs.

Barbara shared HEP’s journey from its early days operating out of a church to its current scale, managing multiple shelters, apartments, and houses, with plans for continued expansion. She emphasized that HEP’s success is rooted in strong community partnerships and volunteers' dedication.

Community Impact and Volunteer Support

A key example of this community support is HEP’s dental clinic, which relies on more than 30 volunteer dentists. Barbara noted that the clinic provided approximately $1.3 million worth of dental procedures in the past year alone, significantly improving health outcomes for HEP residents.

Barbara, along with the Green family, expressed deep appreciation for donors, volunteers, and partner organizations—including Rotary—for their continued generosity and involvement.

Support for Veterans

Barbara also highlighted HEP’s commitment to serving veterans, noting that the organization houses more than 500 veterans annually. She emphasized the high standard of care provided, encouraging potential supporters to tour the facilities to see the quality of housing and services firsthand.

Amenities available to veterans include a fitness center and access to VA-banked services, reinforcing HEP’s holistic approach to stability, wellness, and dignity.

Special Dedication

Barbara also recognized the dedication of a Little Free Library at HEP back on September 16, 2025, funded by our Rotary Club and presented by GFWC North Pinellas Women’s Club. The library has been warmly received, particularly by children, and serves as another meaningful way for the organization to support learning and community engagement.