Recently moved into our new neighborhood welcomed wonderfully. Ware sharing with Saint Marks Lutheran Church and all trying to support people in need. That is right. Project homeless connect has been around for awhile. 15 years. Which one of you could tell us some of the history. Yes. We began in 2004 and we started really with a Community Wide effort led by then mayor gavin knew some and fellow Community Members to bring together a number of services and one day people experiencing homelessness could Access Services more easily. We started out with that big event and since then expands ha but you have thousands of volunteers. Yes. So what does your staff do and what do your volunteers do . We are a small mighty team of about 12 people and our wo main programs are hosting large scale expose Style Service days. We call them community taser vis events. The mod el was created because someone at risk for homelessness or experiencing homelessness was spending hours everyday just trying to access proper care and the system can become complicated so our team coordinates these events to bring hundreds of provideders together in one room in one day making surcan acce that care immediy d safely. That a big part of the team does. Then between the event we have a services team. They are providing direct services really building on the success of those. Success is in our time. It is a big part of what we do. Were making it easier for someone in need to be connected to exactly what care will help find them housing, employment, Mental Health and because 2,000 volunteers come and help us do this every year. Each event is about 500 volunteers. It is really big. It is Community Wade events. Yes. Most are at the bill graham auditorium and 500 volunteers come out and provide a service, helping in a number of ways. Then we do have what we refer to is a hospitality volunteers and out reach volunteers. They help everyday. They know our resources. They provide services as simple as a listening or a cup of coffee. Lets hear about some of the participants that utilize project homeless connect. A one story comes to mind. One of our big services,way bring our caravan to different neighborhoods to make sure were reaching people who might not otherwise coming into our building. We had one participant that we met through our building, but we were having a hard time engaging with him and we ran back to him in the neighborhood where we expanded services. By connecting with him in his neighborhood where he felt most comfortable we were better able to work with him to get hearing aids which he had been on the street and was really haveing a hard time staying safe and didnt move from his neighborhood. That was a successful connection and someone whnot ev feel comfortable going to you. Yes. You have a presence in the library. What do you offer there . What services do you offer . Yes. Way partner with the library. Were there days a month and we bring services such as reading dental and Hearing Program as well as basic needs and problem solving and the library is a Community Space where a lot of people already are so ware ouwi with people letting them know what services are available and handing out reading glasses and hygiene kits and socks and engaging with people that way. It starts the conversation of bigger goals. Well hear more in a moment. We will be right back. Welcome back to mosaic. With me this morning from project homeless connect, Service Providers in San Francisco the ceo megan with me and carla the co 0 with me. They are telling us about what project homeless connect does. Were going to hear more about the services, but you also provide education because youre going out into neighborhoods bringing those services and you want to be a Good Neighbor for those in the neighborhood but i imagine there might be some resist stance to your presence there. What is the education or the story that you share with neighbors . Of course. We really respect all of our neighbors, housed and unhoused. We want to hear their concerns and we want to understand where they are coming from. We knownsourselthatlessss is no affecting people without a home, but everyone. It is also going to take everyone to make a real difference and so what we really like to do, we do host presentations and learning so what can you actually do. What resources are available. If some win near your home is in need, what are the resources you can use, you can call, you can offer . We provide that information. Then, of courseway engage the neighbors as volunteers. Way go to a new district for example the richmond district,way go once a month. Way ask the residents to join us in the effort to walk the community with us, to inform us about what their needs are in the area so it is both listening and understanding and stigma reduction but also action and involvement. Yes. And the action then carla, the Actual Services that project homeless connect provides, walk us through that. Yes. We have services. Ov500 e oularge arr times a ar. Lunteers and we have over 100 providers from the dmv to vision and optical services. Then throughout the year, between those events we have or dropin services soway provide a safe space at our offices where people can come in as they are, get a cup of coffee, rest, get some reading glasses, hygiene kits and also talk to a Service Coordinator about where they are at right now and see wife can problem solve with them. I know it is help fill for people to have a case manager, right . Yes. Do you help make that happy men . Yes. We take an approach. We dont have a case manager, but what we do, we have learned that being available to people where they are when they need us is really helpful so people can drop in and we will work with them as they go. Then once they connect usually through one of or core senses or aides something tangible,way their larger goals once their basic needs are met. So youre developing a relationship. A building terrorist is a big part, yes. The mail delivery. I know that is a ular service. Why is that so important . It is such a basic need that you forget about. If you do not have an address to provide, or if you do not have identification, youre not going to be able to Access Services to sign up for benefits. So what project homeless connect is really doing, were understanding that thor are so Many Services available, but you need the pieces to connect to them. One of those is a mailing address. So it seems simple, but if you dont have a home, you dont have an address soway support people by being their address. Absolutely. Caacce warealt conntion it is e too. How do you work with the city . And all of the other agencies that also are trying to provide part of what we do. And collaboration. We believe very strongly that the only way San Francisco is going to be successful is ifway Work Together and we collaborate and we work to not duplicate services, but to emphasize one anothers services. What we try to d is understand who the experts are in that area. For example if someone is in need of Legal Services or evicts prevention, we want them to get the service immediately. If some win is a veteran, under and connect properly. The City Department has created a homeless out reach team which we also work closely with so if someone wants to get into a shelter bed or no more about the city opportunities, we connect them there, as well. So youre really helping your participants sift through the options for them and direct them the appropriate way. Absolutely. Yes. A few years ago we do really believe in evaluating for our success. One of the questionsway ask in our evaluations is did we provide you with a service you other ways couldnt easily receive. We track that and make sure they could get those. A were going to be right back with project homeless connect. C1 fo good morning. Welcome to mosaic. Or show is about how to provide Compassionate Service to those experiencing homelessness or the unhoused. With me is meghan and carla from project homeless connect. There have been a lot of stories an conversation as us bo the issues of homelessness, the frustration, the safety concerns, the news stories that were all aware of. Yes. What is your assessment . Is it getting worse in the region . Maybe it is more numbers are more accurate now . What is your assessment of this as a regional issue . Yes. Certainly, certainly regionally and ste le is increasing and you no every two years San Francisco does the point in time count and it has changed how they are doing that count of people staying in rvs and with friends so that does affect the numbers, but you over the have to talk to somebody living and working and staying in San Francisco this is an issue and people are frustrated. That even outside of the numbneed our support and need it now. Yes. So where are the gaps then . What still needs to be done, what do we need to do . Certainly homes. Housing. Affordable housing. Affordable housing is the answer to homelessness. It is the definition but also we need sustainable programs for people, Mental Health support, Substance Abuse support, employment programs that provide people with the skills for jobs that will pay enough for them to sustain their housing in the bay area. Of course we need everyone to be involved. Way foods the whole community. Mose of the time when people are frustrated with homelessness, they are often frustrated with the symptoms of homelessness and not the person experiencing homelessness themselves so it is two things we we need to address. That sums it up. New Affordable Housing and maintaining Affordable Housing and keeping up with we peopl and not enough shelter beds for people. Yes. I know project homeless connect is trying to be so relevant to this. How would you like to grow if you had more volunteers. Yes. And donations, yes. Efforts . Project homeless connect has a mission to connect people experiencing homelessness and at risk of experiencing homelessness with what they need. The city agoal is to make it a brief onetime circumstance and we really want to work with them to address that, so volunteers certainly give us more of a reach so that we can connect to people immediately and get them access to their needs much more quickly. Joining us in the outreach efforts, joining us in the connection. S, all of that is really integral to what we do. I would say that in where project homeless connect is looking to go, it is looking to continue doing our services with a taper impact, preventing people from becoming hopeless is incredibly important to these efforts so making sure we address those issues as well. Carla, can you tell us how youre funded . Where durham the . Through the department of homelessness to provide our services. We also have a number of private Foundation Grants and individual supporters so were a mix and we really rely on both city funding as well as the community to support our efforts. And the Community Day of Service Events are supported by corporate sponsorships so ware grateful to receive those both in volunteerism and the financial to cover the cost of the venue. The next will be in december, but the dates are not out yet. They can go to your website and ways to volunteer and donate. The website is a www. Project homeless connect. Org. And the location again is 1031 franklin straight. But youre not open five days a dicates when people can e are j not located at 1031 franklin all those days so visit our calendar if youre in need of services and you can find out where were located on that day. Very good. rgoing to hear about some of your wonderful volunteers and how people can use their gifts to support project homeless connect. We will be right back. Okay. And ways people volunteer. You know, getting ba think people want to help, but they dont know how. Yes. Or they dont feel train the. Absolutely. You can provide that. Carla, tell us about those volunteer opportunities. Absolutely. We have several volunteer opportunities. One is through our come commune ney day and that is a great opportunity for someone who has never, we have many return volunteers and some who have never done anything like that. You can come with a group or come on your own. We also do monthly outreach walks where again, you can just come, we will train you on how to talk with folks streete som chand there are a lot of ways to get involved. Other ways right at the site at 1031 franklin on your drop days. Yes, once a month you can sign up for on the website. What is great boarding, it is a first step to get connected to the volunteer roles and one of the most impact full is hoss spit stal ty, provide coffee, hygiene kits and you see why we refer to the people as participants. Were asking them to be a part of it with us. Youre not there just to receive care. Volunteers can be part of those achievements and it is a really impact full day. A. I. Met one of the volunteers recently and she admitted herself. She had done very well in the Tech Industry and she volunteered with you as a way to give back. Give back to the community. Yes. I think so many people want to help, to back. Want to be connectemight not have the opportunity or feel sigmas amongst your volunteers. Absolutely. Way like to get creative. If you have low mobility, or obscure hours, well try to find something you can do to still be involved and work with us. Yes. You emphasize youre not a shelter but, yeah are a resource and referral community, just tell us again about what you do. Absolutely. The goal at project homeless connect is to make accessing services efficient and swift and something that anyone is able to do because they are connected properly to the proper place that immediately meets their needs effort there are so Many Services in San Francisco but it takes too long to navigate them. We help save time and we help do this in a compassionate way so yall meet with ng andivu the proper refirm. Aershared withme, is imle to havethe prr so ga around the city or get to the resources or a proper hearing aid. Yes. Are some or your participants older, some younger . Who are they dem graphically . It reflects very much the people in homelessness, a lot of people over 65. Many of the people come to us, do come to us first to receive prescription or reading glasses which is a really big service we provide. Then we ask them what they are going to be able to do now and they say now i can actually see the housing application i am going to felt out. Be s ossinge stet. B and that basicneed is the wee nk e to fu yourworkin t city. You here today to learn more about project homeless connect and, of course Saint Marks Lutheran Church is happy to partner with you at your location. Thank you. 1031 franklin viet. Your website. Www. Project homeless connect. Org. Thank you for telling us about project homeless connect and i want to thank my cohost reverend ron swisher, recently retired, not from mosaic but his congregation. He will be back with us and our beloved producer the late hugh burrows. Burrows. It has been great to be with welcome to tni hey, shaq. Its a 30 second tour. No man its like. Now its 26. Welcome aboard. Ocean skyride. Mini golf. Relax relax relax you take this man to be your husband . I do. Married. No time for basketball. Pool. Carnival. Choose fun. This is kpix5 news. The family of an accused drunk driver that crashed into an officer speaks out. That offer ti s life ing. And e of anti brexi protrs took toalofthe it de. Whathe and her hter are into. It is 6 00 a. M. On this sunday, october 20th, 2019. Thanks for joins us. Im devin mccourty. The Highway Patrol is en zero gaiting ahead on traffic crash that injured two people. It happened at 8 30