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Saturday, June 13, 2026

The Gainesville Ledger

Gainesville resource fair connects homeless families with housing, job services

Families experiencing homelessness gathered at the United Way of North Central Florida on Friday for the Summer Family Homelessness Resource Fair, which aimed to connect attendees with shelter, employment, and other support services. Among those attending was a mother of five who had spent her first night homeless at a local park just the day before, having relocated to Gainesville from Louisiana after leaving an abusive relationship. The fair came as local shelter options remained limited, with the Saint Francis House closed and other shelters reportedly not accommodating families.

Sources: WCJB TV20

Gainesville family seeks help funding $40,000 wheelchair for teen with muscular dystrophy

A Gainesville family without health insurance is asking for community assistance to purchase an automatic wheelchair for their 15-year-old son Santi, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The family, originally from Chile, moved to Gainesville seeking treatment for Santi, who can no longer move his arms or legs independently and relies on a wheelchair to attend school and get around. The new chair is priced at approximately $40,000, which the family says is beyond their means.

Sources: WCJB TV20

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