Jacksonville's Arlington area to offer a place for homeless veterans

Center opens in Jacksonville's Arlington area to offer a place for homeless veterans
The former nursing home is turned into housing for ex-service members.
Posted: April 3, 2012

WILL DICKEY/The Times-Union 

Jerry Bass is the national commander of the Allied Veterans of the World and Affiliates, and has an office at the Allied Veterans Center, which is located in a former nursing home on Acme Street in Arlington.

By Beth Reese Cravey

Last year, Gale Patrick Lancaster was homeless and jobless.

He was living on the street in downtown Jacksonville and, because of his circumstances, had lost visitation with his young daughter. Now, the 41-year-old Marine veteran has a place to stay at the newly opened Allied Veterans Center for homeless veterans off Atlantic Boulevard in the Arlington area.

He is now doing construction and janitorial work and in May will begin studying logistics and transportation at Florida State College at Jacksonville, with hopes of getting a port-related job. And he recently had a reunion with his daughter, after center officials helped get his visitation rights restored. Lancaster, who served in the Gulf war, credits the center for turning his life around.

“It’s a place for vets to get back on their feet, become productive members of society,” he said. “It’s hard to get help … [that helps] you out of a situation, rather than shoving you here or there.”
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