Chattanooga will host its eighth Project Homeless Connect (PHC) on Thursday, Jan. 30, at the National Guard Armory, which is at 1801 South Holtzclaw Avenue, Chattanooga, Tn. 37404. Intake is open from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
This is a free event that is designed to meet various needs of neighbors who are either experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Project Homeless Connect is a nationwide grassroots program with the vision to provide guests access to services in one day that might take them a month to locate.
This year the event will also serve as a venue for the annual Point In Time Count, which is a census of homeless populations that is required by HUD for grant dollars to be awarded in the region.
Services available this day include, but are not limited to: Veterans services, healthcare, dental care, mammograms, haircuts, a hot lunch (thanks to the generosity of Big River Grille), massage therapy, photo IDs, employment resources, legal assistance, assistance with Medicare, Medicaid, and ACA/Obamacare, STD and HIV screenings, housing resources, mental health and substance abuse services, voter registration, and a myriad of social services.
There will be a special area dedicated to children, a meditation area, art projects, and local musician Robin Burke will provide instrumental music. Free giveaway items include clothing, footwear, snacks, toiletry items, and goodie bags.
Historically, each PHC event in Chattanooga has served a minimum of 500 guests and each guest avails themselves of dozens of services. This event is only possible thanks to the dedication, generosity, and good will of the National Guard Armory and the scores of providers, social service agencies, schools and colleges, businesses, government agencies, medical professionals, houses of faith, volunteers, and students who make it happen by donating time and goods to the Transportation will be provided from the Community Kitchen, Salvation Army, Eastgate (Career Center), and Northgate (Dallas Bay Conference Center).
If additional transportation services are donated, more locations may be added. The organizers of the event pledge that everyone will be returned to their pickup location.
Donations are needed of gently used clothing, sleeping bags, blankets, outerwear, rain gear, footwear, toiletries, and children’s toys. Please bring them to the Armory between 10 a.m. and 3p.m. on January 29 or to Metropolitan Ministries, at 1112 Mc Callie Avenue, Chattanooga, Tn. 37404 on Jan. 27 and 28. Monetary donations are always appreciated and can be made via Metropolitan Ministries (http://metropolitanministries.org/)
For more information about the event, volunteering, and donating goods or services, please contact Jennifer Martin at 423 424-4257 or jamartin@sedev.org To register go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2014PHC. For those on Facebook, go to: https://www.facebook.com/PHCChattanooga
For more transportation information, call the Community Kitchen’s Kathy Long at 423 756-4222 ext. 3102.