On Friday, Dec. 19 at 3 p.m., the Key West community will gather in remembrance for Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day, an annual observance honoring individuals in Monroe County who died while experiencing homelessness this year.
Held each December in recognition of the winter solstice, the longest night of the year — and one of the coldest in many parts of the country — the memorial offers a moment of reflection on the lives lost and a renewed call to action around housing access, health equity and community care in the Florida Keys.
This year’s service will once again take place at the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition (FKOC) vault at the Key West Cemetery, where community members, advocates, service providers and loved ones will pay tribute. Enter at the cemetery’s main gate near the Sexton’s office. Ushers will guide attendees to the vault.
“As a community, we hold space each year to honor our neighbors who struggled without the protection of a home,” said Carolyn Woodhead of FKOC/AH Monroe Housing and Supportive Services. “Their lives mattered deeply. This memorial reminds us that every person deserves safety, dignity, compassionate care, and a place to call home.”
This year’s observance centers on the shared belief that housing, healthcare and safety are fundamental human rights. Local agencies encourage residents across the Keys to stand together in remembrance and solidarity, and to recommit to supporting efforts that prevent and end homelessness.
More information is at fkoc.org.
