Project Homeless Connect

Today Erika and volunteered at Project Homeless Connect. Here we are during the orientation before we were assigned a "guest."



We are now heading out to get paired up with a guest.

This event is a one-stop shop model for delivering services to people experiencing homelessness. Twice each year, Hennepin County and the City of Minneapolis will be partnering with service providers, businesses, citizens, and faith communities to bring multiple resources to one location where people can come and find the services they need. These services include: housing, employment, medical care, mental health care, benefits and legal assistance, eye doctors, haircuts, transportation assistance, food and clothing.

We spent most of the day with one guest. The two of us kept seeing each other in the hallways and many lines we had to wait it. In the afternoon it was very helpful to have the two of us working together to help both our guests. We all would take turns waiting in lines to get them all their needs met. My guest received a haircut, got some assistance for some mental health issues, made an appointment to work with a resource agency for employment and other needs and both of them got eye exams and will each receive new glasses, they also both are set up to get state ids - which are crucial in getting employment.

We both agreed that we will want to do it again next year. Of course I felt very guilty going home to my large home and knowing that I would be making a dinner from the vast sources of food in our fridge and/or freezer, and then shower in a warm clean shower and sleep on a clean bed WITH SHEETS! My guest has been homeless for two years and two days ago got into a transition house with a room that has a murphy bed and a half bath. There are no sheets on his bed, no covers, no pillows and no towels or other needs to shower. Luckily I was able to get him lined up with getting these needs met, but oh did I want to go get some of our extra sheets, etc to give to him. There is a very clear promise that you do not get personal with the folks you are helping, no sharing phone numbers or anything. It was painful to not do it anyway.

It was very rewarding and amazing how many folks I saw at the event that I knew from church or the school.

Graham has been at the Land School for two weeks now. He comes home for the weekend on Friday and we look forward to having him back with us.