'Project Connect' resource fair returns to St. Joseph County
CENTREVILLE – St. Joseph County "Project Connect" and "Veteran Stand Down" return Oct. 7 at the St. Joseph County fairgrounds in Centreville. The event is slated for 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Henningsen Show Arena.
“We are excited to be back indoors at the fairgrounds after two COVID years of socially-distanced, drive-thru events,” said Stephanie Zann, director of the SJC Great Start Collaborative and member of Project Connect planning committee. “Guests will connect to the many resources in our community, receive a boxed lunch and receive fresh food and commodities boxes.”
Project Connect targets low-income families and the homeless people of the county, but according to Laura Brott, collaborative coordinator at St. Joseph County Human Services Commission and event chairperson, everyone is welcome to attend Project Connect and Veteran Stand Down to access information, health services and other amenities offered on-site.
“Often, people aren’t aware of resources that are available to them when they need them or how to access them,” Brott said. “At Project Connect, community members learn about available services whether their need exists now or potentially in the future and are immediately connected to providers.”
In its 17th year, SJC Project Connect has expanded outreach efforts to include a variety of services, including legal aid, health screening, employment, food and household needs.
Health screenings this year will include stroke screens, blood glucose, body mass index, blood pressure and osteoporosis screens. Walgreens of Sturgis will administer no-cost flu shots. COVID-19 shots and boosters are available through Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency. St. Joseph County United Way will serve lunch as part of an initiative to increase the COVID vaccination rate in St. Joseph County. Additional shots and immunizations from the health department will be available at no cost to most attendees. Call the health department, 269-273-2161, ext. 208, for screening.
Each person who attends Project Connect has a unique life situation, said Charles Asher, chief operations officer at Community Action of South Central Michigan.
“Project Connect places clients and agencies together in an environment where each situation can be looked at holistically,” he said.
Community Action and South Michigan Food Bank will provide food boxes and a fresh food distribution to attendees.
“SJC Project Connect is a well-run operation that provides many services in one convenient place, said Kathy Olsen, Michigan Works Southwest and 2022 chair of St. Joseph Countyuman Services Commission.
“This kind of event is easier to manage than visiting each agency individually throughout the county," Olsen said. "That can be overwhelming for clients to navigate on their own.”
According to Brott, about 330 households in St. Joseph County were served at the 2021 drive-thru "Project Connect."
St. Joseph County Project Connect will be held in conjunction with "Veteran Stand Down." Tiyanna Payne of Battle Creek VA said Stand Down provides services to veterans such as food, shelter, clothing, health screenings, VA and Social Security benefits, counseling and referrals to necessary services such as housing, employment and substance-abuse treatment.
Project Connect is a collaboration among St. Joseph County Human Services Commission and its task forces, led by the Housing Task Force, with the support of event sponsors, agencies and organizations providing free services on site.
Free rides to and from Project Connect are available through St. Joseph County Transportation Authority with at least 48 hours notice. Call 269-273-7808 to make a reservation.
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This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: 'Project Connect' returns to St. Joseph County
