About 1,000 people received a variety of services that ranged from haircuts to help finding a home.

Well, the event has concluded and peeps on the street have had some time to think about the event.  

The general consensus I'm picking up so far seems to be that while the event itself was okay, folks didn't get much besides a haircut, a pair of shoes, a voucher and whole lots of referrals.

A number of problems were discussed, but perhaps the single biggest complaint about the event was that there was a whole lotta waiting in long long lines to be told about services at agencies most knew were available already. Many felt it was a waste of their time and felt that, "as usual, lots of people talking and hardly anybody actually doing anything to really help us."

While there was a pretty good turnout, lots of grumbling is coming from the true homeless folks that the event was also overrun by peeps coming in from the projects and hogging up what was available, leaving little behind for everyone else that really needed it.

Prior notification seemed to be another sore point for folks and many of the people I spoke with today were angry that they hadn't really even heard the event was being held until the day of or the day before it occurred.


I'll be talking to some folks via video over the next couple of days and hope to post their thoughts - good and bad - about the event.....

More Than 1,000 People Participate In Project Homeless Connect

Posted: Dec 2, 2008 07:33 PM

Video Gallery <1> More Than 1,000 People Participate In Project Homeless Connect 2:34

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Project Homeless Connect kicked off with an all-day event at Nashville's Municipal Auditorium Tuesday.


More than 40 service providers who assist homeless individuals and families participated in the one-day event.


Participants from Davidson County received medical care, job and housing assistance as well as other support.


About 1,000 people received a variety of services that ranged from haircuts to help finding a home.


The Metropolitan Homelessness Commission spearheaded the event. The commission plans a similar event in six months.


Nashville is one of 200 communities nationwide holding Homeless Connect events this week.


There will be a new walk for the homeless. The event called "Walk A Mile In My Shoes" takes place on Saturday, Dec. 13 at the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge near LP Field.

(Tennessean)

Event for homeless draws more than 1,000

By MICHAEL CASS • Staff Writer • December 2, 2008

More than 1,000 homeless people attended a downtown event and received services today, organizers said.
Project Homeless Connect, which Metro Nashville put on for the first time, drew 1,078 people to Municipal Auditorium, according to a news release. The event, held regularly in about 170 cities, brings together homeless people and service providers for medical exams, counseling, legal aid, haircuts and numerous other services.

"I’m so glad Nashville has joined the National Project Homeless Connect. What we know about Project Homeless Connect is: It works. It creates a trajectory away from homelessness,” said Philip Mangano, executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, who attended the event. “In many cities where people come in to Project Homeless Connect homeless, they go out with a place to live.”

Clifton Harris, Nashville’s homeless services coordinator, said city officials were "happy that we were able to provide help to so many people in need during one day in one place.”

Contact Michael Cass at 259-8838 or mcass@tennessean.com.