Dan Hammill, WVC Volunteer Program Director

It took over six months and thousands of hours to plan, but it finally happened. On January 29, over 600 people received critical human services at the first annual Bellingham/Whatcom Project Homeless Connect. People experiencing homelessness were able to access medical, vision, and mental health screenings as well as dental services at the event itself.

The number of people that sought services that day represented about half of the Point-in-Time Count that was conducted in January 2008. The Point-in-Time Count is a count of the people who experience homelessness in Whatcom County; of the 1,326 people counted, 40 percent are children.

“As members of the medical community, we believe it is important that all adults and children in need of ongoing care receive it,” says Elody Samuelson, Administrator for Northwest Eye Clinic, one of the service providers. “Programs like Project Homeless Connect provide a pathway to healthcare for those most vulnerable in our community.

Project Homeless Connect is a combined effort of over 40 nonprofit agencies including United Way of Whatcom County, Whatcom Volunteer Center, Catholic Community Services, and the Homeless Service Center as well as for-profit service providers like Northwest Eye Clinic. Local governmental departments such as Whatcom County Health Department and Bellingham Police Department also took a leadership role in planning and executing the event.

The Whatcom Transit Authority offered free bus rides community-wide to ensure that everyone had transportation the day before and the day of the event.

Project Homeless Connect was a volunteer-driven event. About 300 people volunteered, and almost as many volunteers were turned away when the positions filled up.

In an anonymous survey of volunteers, people were asked what they liked about the event. Here is some of what they had to say:

I was moved by the variety of people that I saw at lunch. I liked talking with the guest, making eye contact, getting smiles back. I was nervous about the event, but am not now and would gladly do it again!”

Meeting and learning about each individual—the stories were sobering, the people were inspiring.”

Obtaining a genuine sense of community, of getting together, something I haven’t felt for a long time.”

What I enjoyed most about the event was getting to meet people. I do not know many people who are homeless and I made connections that I will always remember.”

Seeing walls come down between the two sides.”

Personal interactions and friendly community spirit, also, the breaking down of stereotypes!”

The homeless Vets I was able to give information to about the many benefits they have available to them through the Vet Center.”

The community demonstration of caring, and the level of appreciation of the people served.”

I felt that it put a face to homelessness, and erased many stereotypes about who the homeless are and what they look like. I felt like we made a difference in people’s lives, and that we were able to provide them with a sense that there are people who care about them and want the best for them, despite their circumstances.”

For those interested in working on ending homelessness in our community, the Homeless Service Center is assembling what promises to be a large team to raise contributions to further this cause during the Human Race. For more information, contact Greg Winter at (360) 255-2091.