Ozarks Healthcare will host Project Homeless Connect, a one-day event offering services from across the community for those experiencing homelessness or at risk. The event will be held at the West Plains Civic Center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on January 29.
Project Homeless Connect will bring together community services and resources to help those in need, including medical and mental health care, substance abuse services, housing assistance, dental and vision care, benefits enrollment, food, and clothing.
Sharon Cobb is the housing liaison for Ozarks Healthcare. She’s also the coordinated entry chair for region 8 of the Missouri Balance of State Continuum of Care, a multi-regional initiative to address homelessness. Cobb explained that the project was first implemented through the Missouri Housing Development Commission for the State of Missouri, before she started promoting it for region 8.
“My first project was in 2020, and we started with approximately 20 providers or vendors that were able to come and show up, and we had about 60 clients in our community that showed up,” she said.
Cobb said since then the project has grown more each year. This year, she said, they expect between 150 and 200 people, and 54 different organizations to participate.
Cobb explained that many different types of organizations participate, like Laundry Love, Veterans Affairs, Medicare and Medicaid, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. She said having so many different resources in one place at one time makes a big difference for those in need.
“There are so many people, citizens in our communities, that don’t have transportation, don’t know about these services that are available,” she said. “To have them all in one spot, even though it's only for a few hours a day, one day; it's such a resource.”
The event is available to those in Howell, Douglas, Ozark, Oregon, Texas and Shannon, as well as surrounding counties.
Cobb emphasized that, no matter what, the event will not be canceled.
