In the fall of 2007, the Chief of Police in Saint Petersburg, Florida, ordered his officers to slash the tents of a community of homeless people.  The dramatic move was supposedly to protect the homeless people, as there had been recent injuries sustained after fires were lit in tents to provide warmth during cold nights on the streets.  But the result was scores of displaced homeless people and a community horrified at the insensitivity of the act.

The community sprang into action.   Bishop Robert N. Lynch, one of the co-founders of Pinellas Hope, facilitated the donation of 10 acres of land from the Dioceses of Saint Petersburg for the project.  He eloquently explained that Pinellas Hope was the perfect example of how sometimes it takes a hardship to create an opportunity for something beautiful. 

Catholic Charities, led by my dad, Frank Murphy, worked with the Diocese of Saint Petersburg, the City of Saint Petersburg, Pinellas County, and the private sector to create a haven for homeless people, a place to come for a second chance.  On December 1, 2007, Pinellas Hope opened. Click here to read the full story.