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One-day fair offers a range of services to homeless folks
Project Homeless Connect hopes to raise awareness.
By CRISTINA SILVA, Times Staff Writer
Published September 9, 2007
In an effort to address the needs of the county's growing homeless population, city officials will host a one-day multiservice fair that will offer free haircuts, lunch and a chance to get help from various government agencies. More than anything, Project Homeless Connect is an opportunity to raise awareness about the plight of local homeless people, said Rhonda Abbot, manager of social services planning, who has organized the event. "People need to realize that tourists come here and homeless people come here for the same reason," she said. "It's warm, and it's beautiful here." The event will be held at the Coliseum in St. Petersburg on Sept. 22 and will feature a host of service providers, including more than 100 medical officials such as doctors, dentists and nurses, as well as job assistance, legal aid, and housing assistance representatives. Several pickup locations throughout the county have been designated to provide potential clients transportation to the event. City officials expect to help up to 800 homeless people that day, Abbott said. Project Homeless Connect is based on a nationwide initiative of the same name. In recent years, similar one-day efforts have been held in cities such as San Francisco and Miami. The event will most likely become an annual opportunity for homeless people, Abbott said, especially since it doesn't appear that the population will decrease any time soon. "This is a widespread economical fallout," she said. "Homelessness is happening across our nation." FAST FACTS:
Project Homeless Connect When: Sept. 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Where: The Coliseum at 535 Fourth Ave. N in St. Petersburg. Those interested in volunteering should contact Betty Moran of the American Red Cross at 727 446-2358 or moranb@redcross.org.
[Last modified September 9, 2007, 01:58:13]
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by Someone who cares
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09/19/07 01:35 PM
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Good job Ellen! We all don't realize how lucky we are to have a roof over our heads, food to eat and jobs. If can't have compassion for the homelss least we can do is not redicule their situation.
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by Ellen
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09/16/07 04:56 PM
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Homelessness will not end without people who care; the mean spirited posts by others only proves the selfish nature of people. I hope that these posts are not an accurate reflection of our community. Look beyond your dollar and look in your heart.
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by Daryl
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09/11/07 04:51 PM
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The homeless population will never decrease as long as we make it easy and comfortable to be homeless - who wouldn't want to live on someone else's dime? Researve help for those who want to get back on their feet - and that's NOT all homeless.
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by Homeless drunk
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09/10/07 10:33 PM
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Wow free dental and all the fixings. Then I can catch that bus to Lakeland to eat steak and shrimp. Wow I just love florida free food free everything. Thank you tax payers for all the neat stuff. I'm calling all my friends back home to come move here
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by Mellie
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09/10/07 05:02 PM
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Why not teach them valuable job skills? Oh wait, you can't make someone want to work...Let's export them to Mexico to make up for the illegals, at least they are willing to work! I'd rather support an illegal than a bum.
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by Kevin
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09/10/07 01:17 PM
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Our homeless in St Pete should be famous. There are more activities for them than you can count. I am going to sell my home and become homeless to get in on all this good stuff. Then I will become an illegal alien and get other free benefits.
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by Raj
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09/10/07 11:40 AM
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You mention that "...similar one-day efforts have been held in cities such as San Francisco and Miami." I would like to clarify that San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom started Project Homeless Connect in my city in October 2004.
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by Lew
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09/09/07 09:41 AM
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great way to show off downtown st pete on a beautiful saturday, can't this bunch of rag tags do this on a weekday? why kill weekend biz,when any workday would do.oh!I forgot their homless,therefore work days don't mean anything to them.
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