Event offers help to local homeless community - WSMV Channel 4
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More than 1,500 of Nashville's homeless community came together Wednesday for an event that may end up helping them off the streets permanently.
Several non-profit and government agencies came together for the project called Homeless Connect, which gives people with very little hope and opportunity to get everything from a photo ID to a phone call with a member of their family.
Participants also received non-perishable food, drinks, feminine hygiene products and toiletries and had a chance for some pampering such as a foot massage.
"Think about how much homeless people walk in the course of a day. They have serious foot problems, diabetes and what have you," said organizer Clifton Harris.
And their new photo IDs may help them land a job.
"I've gone to a lot of the booths. I got some shoes, toiletries, checked out some housing and job opportunities. It's just a nice event for the community, the homeless, such as myself," Tamara Santee said.
Homeless Connect is organized by volunteers, and the goal is simple.
"We wanted to raise the awareness of homelessness to the general population, the general public," Harris said. "And also to give our homeless guests an opportunity to take advantage of all these services up under one roof in a six-hour period."
"I thank God for all his blessings and his people," Santee said.
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