#projecthomelessconnect

[saltlakecitymission]

We had a great time last Friday volunteering at Project Homeless Connect. Thank you for all you do. #projecthomelessconnect #slc #slcmission #charity #homelessshelter #homeless #Jesus https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo9fAFglMjm/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=h538ufwrup21

[krillas]

#HomelessEntrepreneur #SEAhomeless #projecthomelessconnect (at Seattle, Washington) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn7tBvXBbYs/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=dqtjx9nb05j9

[hqelemints]

View this post on Instagram

#inAction #projecthomelessconnect... #HQ #123 #HQBI (at Seaside Park)

[mucommunity]

a little reflection...

When the temperature drops from a sunny day, to a cold, windy day where even wearing layers doesn’t keep you warm we tend to think how much we can’t wait to seek shelter, seek warmth. It makes me wonder, how about those who don’t have shelter? How do they survive cold days like these and the colder days to come?

This reminds me of the service event I participated in during Fall break, merely two weeks ago. It is called Project Homeless Connect and was hosted this year in Marquette’s Alumni Memorial Union. This was the fifth annual Project Homeless Connect, part of the Milwaukee Continuum of Care, as part of the 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness.  With the help of The Milwaukee Continuum of Care & volunteers and sponsors as well as supporters ranging from Marquette Campus Ministry, Milwaukee County- Housing Division, HMO, The Salvation Army, Cathedral Center, and many more made this event possible, in my opinion a success, but just a step in a huge fight to end homelessness

I can only offer the perspective coming from a volunteer and the community member that I served. As I volunteer, I was to serve as a host to the individual community member assigned to me. I was to make them feel welcomed and comfortable and was to make sure all the resources & help they wanted that was offered at the event was received. Resources and services available ranged from dental, legal advice, job fairs, housing resources, resume/interview building workshops, haircuts, hygiene goody bags, clothing and many more. Each community member also received a lunch.

The community member I was assigned was a lively man, in his early fifties, but as he joked with me and I nodded, agreeing he didn’t look “a day past thirty”.  He was very open and honest with me, and told me his story later that day at lunch about how he became homeless, the various shelters he has been in, and his goals for the future. I will not disclose much more but there was something he said to me that I would never forget. He said when he was injured at work lost his job and later lost his apartment he didn’t reach out for help because he let his “pride” get in the way. He said his pride was the reason he lost his apartment, and he says you can’t let that pride get in the way, because in the end we all need help.

I think about him, especially on these cold, windy days and think of how he is doing, and if he is getting to reach his goals. I love events like these that are available for community members who seek this service but I know its not enough. It’s only a step in the fight against homelessness and it is a fight that I think we should never lose hope in. 

[contracostacrisiscenter]

The Contra Costa County Homeless Program's mission is to ensure an integrated system of care from prevention through intervention for homeless adults, youth and families within our community.

Wednesday Aug. 6, 2014 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Richmond Memorial Auditorium 403 Civic Center Plaza Richmond, CA 94804

Contra Costa Crisis Center will be there! Come by the booth and say "Hi".

[audgen]

Project Homeless Connect helps the homeless get the care they need to move forward

[lavamae]

Project Homeless Connect

Team Lava Mae spent this morning at a Project Homeless Connect event at the Bill Graham Auditorium. PHC holds one-day events for the homeless population of San Francisco to provide tons of services they need all in one place, in addition to their daily drop-in services. If you live in the Bay Area, I strongly encourage you to volunteer at the next event. Besides getting some great warm fuzzies from spending a day giving back to your community, it’s such an incredible and necessary event for so many people living in our city. 

Today was my first PHC event and going into it, I really didn’t know what to expect. After some speeches and thanks from Mayor Ed Lee and other city officials, we got going. My colleague Leah and I volunteered in Child Care, where parents could drop off their kids before entering the venue to receive their services. We got to know all the kids in the few hours we were with them and had a blast playing, coloring, and giving out snacks. Afterwards we talked about how hard it was not to think about how rough their lives must be at such young ages and how moved we were by the siblings we met and watched how they took care of each other.

I was surprised by the amount of services that were provided in the auditorium. There were so many stations I would have never dreamed of, like a wheelchair repair station, acupuncture and massage, a book area, haircuts, foot washing, and many more. These services supplemented those you might expect from such an event like medical, dental, vision, employment services, and housing.

Even more overwhelming than the amount of services provided was the sheer amount of people who need them. The line to enter seemed never ending, which was definitely tough to see, but at the end of the day reminded us of Lava Mae's mission and why we are doing what we do.  

Check out more about Project Homeless Connect here.

by Laura Stoddard