Michael Blessing named as new director of Keys to Home Continuum of Care

Press release from Task Force Fore Ending Homelessness

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Keys to Home Continuum of Care (CoC) is proud to announce the selection of Michael Blessing as its new CoC Director. In his role, Michael will collaborate with community leaders, businesses, and resource providers to address homelessness through strategic partnerships and innovative solutions. 

Prior to joining Keys to Home, Michael was a Regional Director for the Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health at the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF). In this role, he oversaw various substance use and mental health programmatic initiatives that integrated supportive housing, care coordination, and system of care oversight. Before being appointed to his position at DCF, Michael was instrumental in founding and leading the Department of Housing at LSF Health Systems. During his tenure as Director of Housing at LSF, Michael served on the Keys to Home Governance Board and held the position of CoC Board Chairman. Michael is an alumnus of Oak Hall School in Gainesville. He earned both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Sociology from the University of Florida.  

“We are thrilled to welcome Michael to the TaskForce as we prepare to assume responsibility of the Keys to Home Continuum of Care,” said Jacob Torner, Vice President of Programs for the TaskForce Fore Ending Homelessness. “His dedication to data-driven approaches coupled with his comprehensive understanding of housing interventions and mental health challenges make him the perfect fit for this role. We are confident that Michael will advance our efforts to reduce and end homelessness in the North Central Florida community.”