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Mercer Alliance to End Homelessness

Project Homeless Connect

As part of the Mercer Alliance’s Plan to End Homelessness – Project Homeless Connect gives people access to housing and services that can help to end their homelessness.

Winter 2009
Connecting Homeless to Housing

In January 28th, a snowy winter day, Mercer County’s Fourth Project Homelessness Connect was held at Samaritan Baptist Church.

Project Homeless Connect is a one-day event designed to provide housing, services, and hospitality in a convenient one-stop model for people experiencing homelessness.

At this event we were able to connect homeless to the Housing First project. Applications were accepted at the event. After the event the staff from Greater Trenton Behavioral Health Care followed up with individuals who signed up to be housed. PHC brings the neediest homeless together and gives us the opportunity to meet and start to build a relationship. This trust relationship is the beginning moving people out of homelessness into housing.

The success of Project Homeless Connect relies on community support—through the participation of local businesses, corporations, hospitals, doctors and a variety of other providers, this one-day event positively affect the lives of many individuals who are homeless in Mercer County.

“Bishop Joseph P. Ravenell made it possible for this important event to be held in his church. Samaritan Baptist Church has been a model in assisting Trenton’s Homeless.” said Executive Director Herb Levine.

Haircuts, massage and acupuncture was offered.

Over 30 volunteers assisted prior to the event to prep the giveaways.

 

Over 150 volunteers participated in this successful event.

A hot breakfast of egg/meat sandwiches, coffee and fruit was offered and a hot lunch of soup, fish, chicken, veggies, salad, and dessert was served at the Café Connect.

 

Over 300 individuals and families received food, shoes, hats, gloves, dental products new clothing, books, haircuts and an array of services.

Summer 2009
Piloting New ID Project

On Thursday, July 9th, a perfect summer day, Mercer/Trenton Continuum of Care held the second annual Summer Project Homeless Connect in Mercer County.

A highlight of this PHC event was a new ID project. In order for the homeless to get into housing they need photo identification. In many cases their identification documents have been lost or stolen. This new project worked with 50 individuals to assist them to get their NJ birth certificates, voter registration cards and the Mercer County Photo ID card. In the two weeks following the event, we were able to get 37 sets of ID for homeless individuals.

One person told us that it would help him get a job – all he was lacking was the photo ID. Our experience with housing individuals through Housing First taught us the lesson, the birth certificates and photo ids are needed for housing.

We are grateful to these organizations, agencies and agencies for making this project possible: Salvation Army Drop-in Center, Greater Trenton Behavioral

Health Care, Rescue Mission, Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, Registrar of Vital Statistics, Trenton, NJ Bureau of Vital Statistics, Superintendent of Elections, Mercer County, The Mercer County Clerk’s Office, and Freeholder Keith Hamilton.

 

Project Homeless Connect is a one-day event designed to provide information on housing and services in a convenient one-stop model for people experiencing homelessness.

 

A picnic cookout was served with hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers, fresh corn, salad, watermelon and Rita’s Water Ice.

 

Over 632 individuals and families received food, shoes, new clothing, towels, books, haircuts and an array of services.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over 205 volunteers participated in this successful event.

 

 

Mercer/Trenton Continuum of Care has held 5 Project Homeless Connects serving over 2,400 individuals and families. If you are interested in donating or volunteering contact Tarry Truitt @ttruitt@merceralliance.org

 

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