Tempe's Project Connect serves over 100 unsheltered individuals, families

Nearly 120 unsheltered individuals and families received help at Project Connect, a one-day event designed to assist those in need with life-changing resources held on April 23.

The event drew guests old and young, including unsheltered seniors using walkers and wheelchairs, families with toddlers and a baby and a mother-daughter pair in need of housing, a city release explained.

Each person or family came with their own stories, like Trent, 39, who needed to connect to a sober living home, a job and some new clothes. According to the release, when visiting the city's Tempe Works table to discuss job help, he said, "I need housing and work. When I'm working I'm pretty steady."

Guests met with the city's Tempe Works jobs program and Tempe Municipal Court, as well as the city's workforce development partner Arizona@Work.

Roughly 20 service providers were on hand to help guests – and their pets – connect to resources such as housing support, healthcare screenings, job search and preparation, vital records and ID replacement and more.

About 50 volunteers took shifts throughout the day to help people navigate resources, get a hot meal, sort through free clothes, access showers and more. The most important job of the day was making guests feel welcome, the release stated.

Guests received lunch, fresh-baked loaves of bread and boxes of Girl Scout cookies. The city also supplied reusable water bottles with the CARE & HOPE Line phone number, 480-350-8004, which is available 24/7 to access resources.

Tempe was proud to once again serve as a host city in partnership with event organizer Keys to Change and site host University Presbyterian Church, the release stated.