By Kerry Fehr-Snyder
The Republic | azcentral.com
Thu Dec 20, 2012 1:11 PM
Volunteers gathered in Tempe last week at the monthly Project Connect to help people and families who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes.
Employment help, wellness checks, free haircuts and other assistance were provided at Sun Valley Community Church. More than 300 veterans and other residents who are homeless or on the brink attended the daylong event.
Project Connect was organized by the Valley of the Sun United Way and operated by more than 200 volunteers, most of whom work for corporate sponsors such as AAA, Chase Bank, US Airways, Intel, Bank of America, Sprint, Beno Harris Bank, American Express and Sun Valley Community Church.
“There is a word-of-mouth system among the community of people who are experiencing homelessness,” said Amy Schwabenlender, vice president of community impact for the Valley of the Sun United Way.
The agency and Tempe started Project Connect in 2007, providing assistance quarterly. In 2009, the United Way began offering the program monthly.
Flu shots for uninsured residents are offered by Walgreens.
“It (attendance) definitely has increased with the numbers we see in chronic homelessness, first-time homelessness and people on the verge of homelessness,” Schwabenlender said.
The United Way has set a goal of reducing homelessness by 75 percent in the Valley by 2020. The goal was set in 2010.
“We’re building that whole continuum by investing in the shelter system and freeing up resources with Project Connect. The prevention piece is absolutely critical to ending homelessness,” Schwabenlender said.
“The myth is that everyone who is homeless has serious mental illness, but the Arizona Department of Security and Magellan (Health Services) are working to diagnose people with another disability (that precludes them from working).”
Schwabenlender credited Tempe with leveraging resources in the community to help homeless residents.
“United Way can’t do this alone,” Schwabenlender said. “It takes for-profits, non-profits, government and the faith community.”
