Charlene Morris’ Heart for Helping

“I didn’t choose The Source; The Source chose me!” Charlene Morris exclaims, eyes bright as she talks about the steps that led her to becoming director of mental health services for the nonprofit Christian community outreach ministry that serves the homeless and less fortunate in Indian River County.

It all began five years ago when Morris, a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) and certified addiction professional (CAP) living and working in Cocoa, received a call from Anthony Zorbaugh, executive director of The Source.

“Tony, whom I had met previously, asked if I would consider coming down and doing some goal setting for staff members, who can experience trauma by dealing with someone else who is having trauma,” says Morris, recalling her slow but steady immersion. “For a year I came one day a week, then it turned into two days a week. During COVID I was doing Zoom calls and still coming when I could. That’s when Tony said, ‘I want you here full-time.’”

Zorbaugh’s “want” became a reality last April when The Source was awarded a $100,000 grant from Impact 100 and another for $12,000 from the Grand Harbor Community Outreach Program. This funding allowed the launch of Dignity Wellness, a full-service mental health program that provides counseling to the homeless, mental health first aid that identifies and assesses the need and responses, and community outreach programs that increase awareness and reduce the stigma attached to mental health issues.

In December, Dignity Wellness presented “Managing the Holiday Blues,” sponsored by Impact 100 and Indian River State College. Led by Morris and four well-known local mental health experts, the free seminar shed light on seasonal affective disorder and offered ways to achieve a renewed sense of well-being.

Upcoming programs include Health Fest, a family health and wellness fair that offers parents and children resources in the community to help maintain a healthy lifestyle. Next is “Suicide Awareness,” followed by “Parenting in the 21st Century,” then “Resilience and Mental Health,” which looks at how to endure tough situations and build skills that help one adapt to adversity.

It’s not easy, as Morris well knows.

“The individuals who come to The Source are generally considered the marginalized, shunned, and judged members of our society. They have lost community, families, friends, careers, housing. People don’t get into situations because they did something wrong; it’s usually due to circumstances beyond their control.

“The Source gives options, alternatives, new ways of thinking that help individuals get out of homelessness rather than perpetuating it. It’s about destroying the barriers that prevent them from receiving help so they can help themselves and live new, productive, healthy lives.”

Morris is excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and her role in making them possible. “For me this is a calling from God Almighty, to touch those individuals the world appears to have forgotten, instilling hope, resources for restoration, and kindness when they’re at their lowest.

“There is no greater joy than to witness a person get past, get over, to grow through their circumstances and begin to blossom into their divine purpose here on earth.”