Mayor Jackie Biskupski and Community Development Corporation of Utah announced volunteer opportunities for the 3rd annual Project Homeless Connect (PHC) which will take place in the Salt Palace on October 25th from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM (volunteer shifts run between 7:30 AM and 4:00 PM).
Project Homeless Connect is a one-day, one-stop event in Salt Lake City that brings together community volunteers to provide services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
Salt Lake City began Project Homeless Connect SLC in 2017 as part of the City’s efforts to address homelessness in Salt Lake City. During last year’s event, 844 individuals experiencing homelessness—up from 784 the year before—received services from 98 service providers, including haircuts, dental exams, flu shots, vision screenings, and housing assistance.
Last year’s event was staffed by 874 event volunteers, up from 525 in 2017. Project Homeless Connect coordinators are hoping to attract 1,000 volunteers this year, to assist with an anticipated increase of participants. Since 2017, popular services, like vision screenings, have been doubled to accommodate more people.
“Project Homeless Connect is more than simply a time to help those in need in our community, it is an opportunity for resident volunteers to make connections with those experiencing homelessness in the community,” said Mayor Jackie Biskupski. “Each year we see more and more volunteers participating, and more and more clients taking advantage of the offerings, which include convenient services for those who may not be in the shelter or on the street, but simply need access to healthcare or housing services.”
A survey of clients who received services during the 2018 event showed 86% of individuals reported having and extremely positive experience—rating the event an 8-10 on a scale of 10.
Volunteers with Project Homeless Connect will perform a variety of services, including being matched with a client to help “guide” them through the day.
Interested volunteers can learn more and register (by 10/5) at: https://www.phcslc.org/volunteer
Project Homeless Connect is a national movement with events taking place in San Francisco, Denver, Washington, D.C., and other cities.
