About Us

Second Heart Homes is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing permanent housing to those with mental illness who have experienced or are at-risk of homelessness. Our goal is to provide long-term solutions that revive dignity and enhance quality of life through self-sufficiency.

We specialize in helping some of the most chronically homeless individuals of Sarasota. Many of our clients have historically fallen through the cracks. We look at them as people, analyze their specific circumstances and apply a plan that is sensitive to their needs and ultimately gets them off the streets and into the lives they deserve.

The 12th Judicial Court System refers to us as the “Special Op’s” of the mental health housing community.

For more information about our game-changing program and services, listen to the Sarasota Stories Podcast, “Facing the Sarasota Homeless Problem with SHH Founder Megan Howell.”

What We Do

We put mental health first. We meet people where they are at, love them for who they are, and find them the best quality of life given whatever circumstances are present. We provide affordable, supportive housing that integrates accountability and community integration. 

Our team works with clients to identify strengths, then develop and achieve goals towards their level self-sufficiency.

Some clients may use our program as a stepping-stone to their ultimate goal- possibly their own place or reunion with a loved one. Others may continue to need our support for the long term-and that’s okay too.

We collaborate with many wonderful services in the community to add extra layers of support.

What Makes Us Different?

Our services are robust, daily, client-driven and are based upon conflict resolution, community engagement and developing skill sets. We have workshops that identify problems and actively engage clients in developing and implementing their own solutions.

Being an active member in the community is imperative and a major difference is that we go above and beyond to reset dignity and integrate our clients back into society, sometimes for the first time.

Many of these individuals have no support system so we become their support system and that makes a true difference. We also give them the skills to live a purposeful life, which they carry with them whether they move into their own place or stay with us longer.

We rely on individual contributions and private sector funding to run our program.