In 2006, Founder, Stacia Glavas, witnessed firsthand the impact of homelessness. While Stacia and her husband Pete Glavas were walking, they saw a young mother experiencing an asthma attack while her young daughter was beside her. Pete and Stacia were prompted to help this mother and child back to their apartment so she could get her breathing treatment. Upon entry, they noticed the unfathomable conditions Julia and her daughter were living in.
After this encounter, Stacia was inspired to befriend, guide, and support Julia as she learned to live a healthy, self-sufficient life rather than approach their relationship with a “fix-it” attitude. Stacia fostered a loving friendship with Julia; they are still friends to this day. This experience fueled Stacia’s passion for breaking the cycle of homelessness in families permanently.
With a tremendous amount of community support, “Brevard Rescue Mission”, now New Life Mission, was officially founded in 2008. The first campus, “Casa Carol,” opened in 2009 with three retrofitted apartments. Since 2009, nine apartments have been repaired, furnished, and house our formerly homeless families. New Life Mission was able to purchase the “Casa Carol” campus in 2012, and after a hugely successful Capital Building Campaign, the mortgage was paid off in the summer of 2014.
In 2018, New Life Mission purchased a five-unit apartment complex debt-free. The new campus, “Joy’s Place,” was purchased just two blocks away from “Casa Carol”. The campus was named after Fred Sutton’s eldest daughter. “Joy’s Place” permits New Life Mission to assist five homeless mothers with up to twelve children additionally.
In 2019, we purchased the Life Transformation Center. Ideally located just south of the intersection of US1 and Eau Gallie Blvd, this property is only six minutes from our current facilities. With eight existing single-family homes and five commercial buildings facing US1, we will expand our program to serve not only eight additional families, but also open our services to non-resident families – with the goal to help prevent them from becoming homeless.
Located on 25 acres in Melbourne, FL is a gated and secure property that we purchased on May 10, 2021 and renamed New Life Village. Operated for the last 30+ years by Children’s Home Society (and previously Hacienda Girls Ranch), this property was a safe haven for children in state custody.
With God’s provision, our vision is to serve 100 families. With your help, New Life Mission is poised and ready to serve the Brevard County community for decades to come with the development of New Life Village.
