A day of pampering and connection
Friday, July 09, 2010

David Karas
STAFF WRITER

TRENTON -- "People don't look at you," said Herb Levine about the homeless population in Mercer County. "People look through you."
At least for a day, this normally invisible population was everything but overlooked. Dozens of government agencies and nonprofit organizations gathered for the third annual summer Project Homeless Connect, an event designed to connect people who are most in need with the resources to help get them back on their feet.

"We did it to give visibility to the issue of homelessness," said Levine, executive director of the Mercer Alliance to End Homelessness.
The alliance, in partnership with the United Way of Greater Mercer County, has been hosting these events in the winters and the summers for the past four years. Aside from providing a fresh meal and other services, it serves as an opportunity to take an official count of the homeless population, which is critical to maintain funding for programs and is mandated by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, Levine said.

From the Social Security Administration to the clerk's office, from a chiropractor to veteran services, it was hard to find an agency or need that was not represented at the fair. Patrons could have tests for blood pressure, diabetes and HIV. They could also get a haircut and a massage, courtesy of local businesses. There were giveaways aplenty, from shampoo to pill trays, reading glasses to dental supplies. Of course, there was also a hot lunch available.

"The importance of this is not just to count the people, I think," said Patrick Cacacie, vice president of resource investment for the United Way of Greater Mercer County, "but also to provide the essential services to them."

However, the semiannual event proves to be more than just a chance to learn about options available.

"It's as close to a street fair as you come with the homeless in Trenton," said Mara Connolly Taft, a volunteer who took the day off to be there. "They also come for fun." She described the event as "magnetic" for her, adding that she can't miss it, especially considering the tremendous need that exists in the county.

"There's nothing else for me to do," said William Richardson, 65, who heard about it from others.

In all, 425 people attended throughout the day, down from last year's count of 600. The Mercer Alliance will now compile the data collected through each survey, which each patron completed, including information about residency, family size, employment status, and other things.

"It's so important to have days like this to recognize the immediate need of the homeless," said Mary Gay Abbott-Young, chief executive of the Rescue Mission of Trenton. The event took place in a lot across from the Rescue Mission's building, mainly because just more than 100 homeless men and women spend their nights there year-round.

Several staff members were on hand from St. Francis Medical Center to provide information on the services they offer. Russ Hansel, vice president of mission and ministry, was happy to be part of the outreach initiative.

"Healing takes place not just within the four walls of the medical center," he said, "but also in the community."

Christine Stephenson, executive vice president of St. Francis Medical Center, agreed with this sentiment, adding that the medical center's goal is to locate gaps in services for the homeless and find ways to fill them.

For Jeffrey Henderson, 28, the day was a chance to realize that people do care about the homeless. He was enjoying a hot lunch and planned to gather information from some of the vendors before leaving.

"I think this helps many people," said Ted Suski, who also lives in Trenton. "This is good."

However, the event drew more than the chronically homeless. Sasha Ward, 26, came to find out about job opportunities, as well as to try to get a place of her own to live with her three children. Having served time in prison, she has found great difficulty in securing employment. "I cannot get a job," she said. "They all turn me down."

In all, some 200 volunteers worked together to make the event a possibility.

"Its a recognition that the community cares about their situation," said Levine. "It's an isolating life."

David Karas can be reached at (609) 989-5731, or dkaras@njtimes.com.