PORT ANGELES — Today’s Project Homeless Connect exposition is showcasing solutions to homelessness in Clallam County.
The event at the Vern Burton Community Center at Fourth and Peabody streets in Port Angeles will begin with a half-hour Community Volunteer Rally at 9 a.m.
Service booths will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
“Local people who have housing worries should come and connect with services, whether they’re homeless right now or have been recently or think they could be soon,” said Cindy Burdine, Serenity House of Clallam County deputy director for family services.
“For a free round trip, just tell any Clallam Transit bus driver you want to go to the expo at Vern Burton,” added Burdine’s event co-chair, Jill Dole, coordinator of Clallam County’s Homeless Task Force, which is sponsoring Project Homeless Connect.
“Many factors contribute to homelessness,” Burdine said, “so all kinds of service providers volunteered to help.”
Dole said that Social Security, the state Department of Licensing and the state Department of Social and Health Services will offer information.
“Josie Gilbeck and the Port Angeles Food Bank crew has a delicious buffet ready,” Dole added, “and Barbara Townsend and her St. Vincent de Paul volunteers are helping guests shop for free from an amazing inventory.”
Also at the expo are resources for housing, employment, legal counsel, medical and vision care, dental care, mental health, chemical dependency, wellness, personal care, parenting, education, identification, pet care and literacy assistance for youth, families, singles, veterans and seniors, they said.
“We even have child care here, so parents can concentrate on services,” Dole said.
Visitors will have an opportunity to participate in the annual Point In Time Count of homeless people, being held today, and to learn how to keep from being missed by the 2010 U.S. Census.
The morning rally features Paul Carlson, Northwest regional director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, who praises Clallam County as a leader in addressing homelessness in a rural community.
The public is invited to join Clallam County Commissioner Mike Chapman, Clallam County Sheriff Bill Benedict, Port Angeles City Council members Patrick Downie and Brad Collins, Port Angeles Police Chief Terry Gallagher and Port Angeles Fire Chief Dan McKeen at the rally to demonstrate local commitment to ending homelessness.
