The United Way of Santa Cruz County is excited to bring Project Homeless Connect to Santa Cruz County.
In 2001, the United States government adopted a
national goal to end homelessness in ten years.It is now 2010 and while our nation and our county have made great
strides in reducing homelessness, the number of homeless individuals in our county
is astounding.It is estimated that
Santa Cruz County is home to at least 4,624 homeless individuals.Many of these individuals are homeless for
the first time.They are unfamiliar with
the services this community has to offer and they are ashamed of their
need.
Project Homeless Connect
originated in San Francisco California in 2004 to address the issue of
homelessness. Since that date, projects have been held in more than
220 communities across the nation.
Project Homeless Connect
changes the way homeless services are delivered to the community.It is a one day community-wide event that
provides housing, support, and quality of life resources to homeless
individuals in the community.The
project is centered on the consumer, immediately providing them with the services
they require and welcoming them back into the community.
Project Homeless Connect will be held March 30th
at the Civic Auditorium in downtown Santa Cruz. This project has been
extremely successful in other communities, including San Jose
and Salinas, and we look forward to introducing the project to Santa Cruz
County.
The goals of Project Homeless Connect:
Improve access to services and housing for people experiencing
homelessness in Santa Cruz County.
Engage with and maintain an active, involved volunteer base that
consists of local businesses, nonprofits, and individual community members
all working together to help end homelessness.
Improve the system of care through collaboration and the sharing of
best practices among Santa Cruz County’s homeless service provider
community.
You have the
opportunity to vastly impact the lives of homeless individuals living in Santa
Cruz County. By supporting Project
Homeless Connect, you can help to ensure homeless residents in Santa Cruz
County have access to the services they need today and ensure their access to
them in the future. Beyond providing basic services to our homeless community,
this year, Project Homeless Connect will be partnering with the U.S. Census to
ensure a more accurate count of individuals residing in Santa Cruz County.By supporting this partnership you can help
ensure that the services needed to promote community and respect will be available now and in the years to
come.
Click here to find out how you can get involved with this event.
