PORT ANGELES — A rally of community volunteers next week will precede Clallam County’s first-ever exposition of resources to help homeless people find a safe place to live.
Thursday’s rally and expo will be at the Vern Burton Community Center at 308 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.
They coincide with the annual national Point In Time census of homeless people scheduled that day.
Organizers will count the homeless on Thursday to create a ‘snapshot” of the number of people without homes. The count is required for receiving federal homeless assistance funds.
Paul Carlson, Northwest Regional Director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, will headline the rally, planned from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., which is intended to engage business, nonprofit, faith, government and civic leaders in solutions to end homelessness.
Public is invited
The public is invited to the rally, which is sponsored by Clallam County’s Homelessness Task Force.
Volunteers working to help end homelessness, people who need help and concerned citizens are encouraged to join in to demonstrate local commitment to resolving housing crises, said organizers.
Immediately after the rally, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., will be the Clallam County Project Homeless Connect expo, which will fill the community center with resources to help people overcome homelessness.
Local people who are homeless, worried about losing their housing or in housing assistance programs may board any Clallam Transit System bus for free round-trip transportation to the expo, where they will have an opportunity to access multiple valuable services and connect with housing placements and referrals.
In addition to distributing information, Clallam County Housing Authority, Serenity House’s Housing Resource Centers and Olympic Community Action Programs also will make housing placements at the event.
Housing by end of day
“Some people who walk in homeless should have housing by the end of the day,” said Cindy Burdine, Serenity House of Clallam County deputy director for family services, who is co-chairwoman of the event with Jill Dole of the Clallam County Health and Human Services Homeless Task Force.
During the expo, service providers will offer:
• Employment, identification, education and literacy assistance.
• Medical, vision, dental, mental health, chemical dependency, wellness and personal care.
• Legal counsel as well as help for veterans, seniors, parents and families.
Expo volunteers will serve food and give away clothing and basic care items. Child care and pet sitting will be available.
Carlson will bring the most current information on federal stimulus dollars set aside to help end homelessness. A repeat visitor to Clallam County, he has helped the county to effectively implement its Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness.
Clallam County Commissioner Mike Chapman and Sheriff Bill Benedict, Port Angeles City Council members Patrick Downie and Brad Collins, Police Chief Terry Gallagher and Fire Chief Dan McKeen are among the government officials who will attend the rally.
Most officials attending the half-hour rally also have volunteered to help at the expo.
For more information, phone 360-565-2608 or 360-452-7224, or see Clallam County Project Homeless Connect’s Facebook page at http://tinyurl.com/yb3av2k.
