PORT ANGELES — Clallam County Homeless Outreach is once again holding its one-day event for the homeless or those at risk of becoming homeless at the Vern Burton Community Center, 308 E. Fourth St., from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today.
The sixth annual Project Homeless Connect will offer free medical, dental and social services; food; clothing; haircuts; hygiene items; and information on everything from health insurance to affordable housing.
Participants will be fed a hot breakfast and lunch organized by Reath Fullmer-Ellefson, with donations from the Port Angeles Food Bank, Salvation Army and Costco.
For the third year, the SmileMobile will provide pain-relief tooth-extraction dentistry for adults.
VIMO on site
Volunteers in Medicine of the Olympics will provide on-site medical services such as wound care; diabetes screening; influenza and vaccinations for measles, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis for uninsured adults; and information on screening for cervical, colon and breast cancer.
Vision screening will be available in the morning.
The state Department of Social and Health Services’ mobile office will be in the parking lot to process benefit claims.
Peninsula Behavioral Health will provide mental health services.
Clallam County Health and Human Services will address chemical dependency.
More than 40 non-medical services will be offered inside the center.
They will include haircuts, vocational education, giveaway items, state identity cards and other things that help people find employment and affordable housing.
Peninsula Housing Authority, Olympic Community Action Programs, WorkSource, six veteran service groups, parent and youth support services, and legal aid will be on hand.
Olympic Unitarian Universalist Fellowship will manage the clothing closet. Independent Bible Church will provide clean socks, many of them donated through a sock drive at Jim’s Pharmacy.
Child care available
Besides fielding housing inquiries, Serenity House will provide on-site child care.
Veterinary services will not be offered on site, but the Clallam County Humane Society will distribute free pet food and vouchers for pet vaccinations.
Volunteers will look after pets whose owners have no safe place to leave them while their owners access services.
Clallam Transit will provide free rides to and from the center.
Clallam County Homeless Outreach is an all-volunteer, tax-deductible nonprofit group that organizes Project Homeless Connect and other activities.
For more information, phone Mercy Luquetta-Cole, coordinator, at 360-452-4737 or email clallam
county.homelessoutreach@gmail.com.
