Chinese Language Teachers Association

For 30 years, The Lord's Place has been changing the lives of homeless families and individuals in Palm Beach County. The Lord's Place was incorporated in 1982, but the organization's charitable work began years before when the founder, Joe Ranieri, opened a soup kitchen to feed the homeless in 1979. In 1983, the organization expanded its services by opening the first shelter in Palm Beach County specifically for homeless families. Throughout the mid-1980's and into the 1990's, The Lord's Place grew in size and prominence becoming Palm Beach County's first real voice for homeless issues. Today, The Lord's Place continues to assist homeless families and individuals in restoring and securing economic stability. In October 2007, the agency put into place an internal continuum of care of innovative programming designed to break the cycle of homelessness through nourishment, targeted personalized support services, and housing. In January 2009, The Lord's Place introduces Caf Joshua Job Training and Placement Program filling the invisible void that is missing for the homeless with most employment programs. The program employs an educational model that teaches the hard and soft skills in a supportive environment as well as meets the participant where they are by not asking them to be something they are not. As a result, we believe the ongoing support and services provided by the program's staff and volunteers will instill behavioral changes in the participants and greater the probability for sustainable employment and ending the participants' homelessness. The agency serves the homeless through a variety of programs and services that includes interim housing, permanent housing, intensive case management, job training and numerous support services. Please go to the Programs page for more information on our programs and services. Finally, in an effort to be more self-sustaining, in 2008, the agency launched a Micro-Enterprise program to provide revenue for the agency and training opportunities for our clients. The program includes: Cafe Joshua Catering, Maintenance & Beyond and One More Time Thrift Shop. Cafe Joshua Catering offers affordable catered lunches to local nonprofit organizations and businesses. Maintenance & Beyond provides a low cost alternative property maintenance for local non-profits and the general public. Services include hurricane preparation and preventive maintenance. The Thrift Shop has two purposes: it is a free standing, revenue producing program, and it provides vouchers to clients, residents, and others in need of clothing and furniture.