Kings, Tulare counties seek comunity support to help homeless

Organizers of the fifth annual Project Homeless Connect are in need of the community’s support to help the more than 1,000 people who are expected to attend the Nov. 1 event soliciting services.

Project Homeless is a one-day, one-stop center that provides the homeless, or those who are at risk of becoming homeless, with a broad range of services and basic needs such as housing, employment, and health and dental care.

Four of these events will take place simultaneously on Thursday, Nov. 1, at the following locations:

 Porterville, First Assembly of God, 105 E. Olive Ave. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

 Tulare, National Guard Armory, 649 E. Cross Ave. from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

 Visalia, Visalia Rescue Mission Community Center, 741 Northeast 1st Ave. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

 Hanford, Hanford Pentecostal Church of God, 323 E. Eleventh St. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Kings/Tulare Continuum of Care on Homelessness is the lead organizer of the event.

According to Sarah Scott, president of the Continuum, in 2011 the event served 1,031 people in one day across the four cities with the help of hundreds of community volunteers and local service providers — from doctors and nurses to hairdressers and bike mechanics.

Locally, the event served about 400 people, 42 of them children, said Lupe Diaz, event coordinator and City of Porterville employee.

Porterville organizers are working with a larger budget this year, allowing them to provide 10 people with full optometric services.

“We have about $2,000 in funds set aside so we can treat the 10 worst-off clients who need the services,” Diaz said, noting that such cases will be referred to a local optometrist.

Other services to be offered include mental health care, veterans’ and social service benefits, legal services, haircuts, hot meals and clothing.

Diaz said she is expecting a similar amount of people to attend this year’s event, and said locally, the organizers are still in need of backpacks, sleeping bags and adult bicycles.

Volunteers are also needed to fulfill various duties throughout the day at all four venues.

Volunteer positions include greeters, intake and check-in, hospitality, meal service, clothing monitors and set-up and break-down volunteers.

Those interested in volunteering can register at http://kingstularecoc.org/category/phc-volunteer-registration/.

Donations for the Porterville event can be dropped off from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday at City Hall, 291 N. Main St.

For questions or more information contact Lupe Diaz or Denise Marchant at 782-7460.