crowds gather at 118 Division Street for Homeless Connect service fair
On January 28, 2009 the Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless hosted our annual Homeless Connect service fair. The cold and rain did not deter 150 people from coming out to seek ways to improve their housing situations and get information on many related services. Eighteen local social service agencies hosted tables and were able to quickly give information on how to obtain assistance. At the same time, folks were able to get medical services such as eye exams from an optometrist, nursing assessments, diabetes checks and even posture checks from a chiropractor. Three women donated their time to give haircuts, and Hope Center gave out soup, bread and hot chocolate. Everyone received a backpack from the Salvation Army, filled with items including a personal care kit and clean, warm socks.
This year’s Homeless Connect Service Fair was held in conjunction with the bi-annual homeless count mandated by HUD (the federal Housing and Urban Development agency). Every other year, Union County organizes a street count of the homeless, providing each homeless person found with a night of shelter. Typically, between 1,500 and 1,800 homeless people are counted in Union County. While most of these people are located in Elizabeth or Plainfield, there have been no municipalities in Union County without homeless persons. The numbers for 2009 are not yet in, but we anticipate that this year will see more homelessness than ever.
Volunteers offering information and services at the Homeless Connect Service Fair
Take a look at the press coverage of our Homeless Connect Service Fair: