Tables were set with coverings and small, bird-themed centerpieces as volunteers prepared a Hawaiian-themed meal inside Just Like Momma’s restaurant Sunday evening, while a line of people waited outside to be invited in. 

Inside, volunteers moved between tables, placing leis and arranging settings ahead of the monthly dinner hosted by Compassion in Apopka, a faith-based outreach group serving the city’s unhoused and underserved residents. 

The gathering, held the fourth Sunday every month, provides more than a hot meal. It also reflects a broader and ongoing challenge in Apopka: how to address homelessness beyond short-term assistance. 

“Today we have about 60,” said founder Virginia Street, noting attendance has reached as high as 90 in past months. “They like the feeling of coming into a restaurant. It makes them feel humanized.” 

Street, who launched Compassion in Apopka in March 2025, said the effort grew out of a long-standing desire to help those struggling to meet basic needs. 

“I just want to be a person that can point them in the right direction,” she said. “Sometimes it doesn’t take much – an encouraging word will help them want to do better.” 

In addition to monthly meals, Street said the organization provides clothing, hygiene items and one-on-one assistance, including help filling out job applications or preparing for interviews. Some attendees have found part-time work, she said, though income often remains insufficient to cover rising costs of living. 

“Just because they have a job doesn’t mean they have enough money for everything,” Street said. 

For Paul Poppell, attending the dinners offers a moment of stability. 

“It’s nice. It’s convenient,” said Poppell, who learned about the event through word of mouth. Asked about his biggest challenge, he pointed simply to “shelter … just homelessness.” 

Street said that while the dinners meet immediate needs, larger gaps remain – particularly access to centralized services. 

“They really need a resource center,” she said, describing a space where individuals could charge phones, escape extreme weather and connect with support services. She also pointed to a need for expanded mental health resources. 

Discussions around a potential resource center have surfaced in community-wide conversations. Earlier this month, the Apopka Community Redevelopment Agency approved the purchase of a vacant property at 205 E. Eighth St., a site long discussed as a possible location for expanded community services, including assistance for the unhoused. 

At the April 15 CRA meeting, board members voiced concern about proceeding with the purchase without a clear plan for its use or identified funding for future construction. 

“If we are going to use it as a resource center … I’d also like to see what we could actually do there long term, and then put a plan in place,” Commissioner Nick Nesta said at the meeting.   

According to Street, Nesta has also supported the monthly dinners by contributing food and other supplies to them. He provided meat for holiday meals and responded to requests for items such as pizza and necessities.  

With Nesta preparing to take office as the new mayor on Tuesday, Street believes his administration will assist people experiencing homelessness. 

“I am very encouraged with seeing what the new administration will be able to do,” Street said.  

Street said she also envisions longer-term solutions, such as a “tiny home” village or other transitional housing options. 

Valerie Sparkman, owner of Just Like Momma’s, said she partnered with Street not long after opening her business, sharing a similar desire to serve the community. 

“I see a lot of them,” Sparkman said of the area’s unhoused population. “But as far as them coming here, I’ve never had any problems with them.” 

At the same time, she acknowledged concerns from nearby residents. 

“It helps them,” she said of the dinners. “It doesn’t help me,” she added, explaining that some neighbors have expressed opposition to hosting the gatherings. 

Street acknowledged there are already some services and initiatives in place to support people experiencing homelessness, but she said major gaps remain, especially the lack of a central resource center and adequate mental health care. 

“It should be more resources to help them,” she said. 

Street said her organization works with local churches, volunteers and city contacts to sustain the monthly effort. 

“I can’t do it by myself,” she said. 

As Apopka continues to grapple with homelessness – balancing community concerns, business impacts and humanitarian needs – efforts like the monthly dinners offer a consistent, if limited, form of support. 

“I see this as part of a bigger solution,” she said.