Friday April 11, 2008 :: A Day to Connect
News

EVENT NEWS

  • Next Event!

  • Our next event is scheduled for Friday March 27, 2009 Time: 8:30AM – 3:30PM

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  • Denture Program Results

  • Thanks to the Creighton University School of Dentistry and The Charles Drew Clinic, of the 68 people in need of critical denture care, 12 have received dentures and 41 others are in process.

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About Us

Project Homeless Connect Omaha ("PHCO"), is a 501C(3) organization.

The first event launched on April 11, 2008 on the campus of Creighton University, hosted by Father John P Schlegel, S.J. President of Creighton University.

100% of all donations to PHCO are used for the homeless.

Project Homeless Connect Omaha Organizing Committee

  • Mike Saklar, Executive Director, Siena/Francis House
  • Pastor Harry Wallar, Executive Director, MOHM's Place
  • Cindy Goodin, Residential Services Director, Youth Emergency Services
  • Rod Bauer, Day Services Director, Siena/Francis House
  • Shelley K. Schrader, Catholic Charities, Senior Director for Community Services
  • Pat Christopher, Homeless Clinic Coordinator, Charles Drew Health Center
  • Joyce O'Neil, ServicePoint System Administrator
  • Elizabeth Haley, Sr. Manager - Organizational Development & Learning, ConAgra Foods, Inc.
  • Bailie Shada, Chief Administrative Officer, SilverStone Group, Inc.
  • Joyce Davis Bunger, Assistant Dean Creighton University School of Nursing
  • Ken Reed-Bouley, Creighton Center for Service and Justice, Creighton University
  • Bob Denney, Facility Director, Creighton University
  • Mary Ann Borgeson, Douglas County Commissioner
  • Ed Shada, Executive Director, Project Homeless Connect Omaha

Chairs of Project Homeless Connect Omaha

  • 2008 Father John P Schlegel, S.J. President of Creighton University
  • 2009 Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey and Douglas County Commissioner Mary Ann Borgeson

Demographics from 2008 (it was a cold and snowy day):

People served:

  • 223 Adult Males
  • 91 Adult Females
  • 4 Child; 3 Male 1 Female

Of those served:

  • 156 Caucasian
  • 109 African-American
  • 3 Asian
  • 11 American Indian
  • 17 multi-racial
  • 19 did not specify
  • 47 military veterans

Ages of those served:

  • 31-50 Approximately :: 50%
  • 18 to 30 :: 26%
  • 51 to 61 :: 16.6%
  • 62 or older :: 2.0%

Of those attending:

  • 37% had a disabling condition
  • 24% were first time homeless
  • 39% were homeless due to a loss of job, domestic abuse, told to leave, or underemployed

Services provided to guests/clients:

Shelters:

  • Approximately 60 people were provided with information on shelters

Shelters:

  • 158 people received housing information
    • 13 were able to move into housing immediately
    • 28 obtained counseling regarding house options
    • Over 50 have moved into housing

Medical/Healthcare/Dental:

  • 187 people received services in the medical area
    • 158 were directed toward providers for follow-up
      • 78% have received follow-up treatment
  • 123 people received an exam from a dental professional
    • 68 were determined to be in need of critical dental care
      • 12 have received dentures, 43 are in process
  • 81 people received a referral for a glaucoma follow-up
  • 78 Hepatitis A & B vaccines were given
  • 36 Tetanus Diphtheria shots were given

Counseling and Education:

  • 130 clients visited with professionals regarding counseling and/or education
  • 18 people stopped by the Literacy Center for the Midlands table for information about higher education, and access to literacy and English-as-a-second-language services

Legal:

  • 128 people received IDs (most were issued prior to the event)
  • 23 people spoke with Omaha court system representatives, and all 23 were able to get resolution to their legal issues
  • Marty Conboy helped 23 people with outstanding minor warrants take advantage of the day's services
  • Honorable Judge Charles L. Smith, Matt Wilbur, and Roberta Megel from Iowa did the same for 5 people with issues in Iowa

Employment:

  • 306 clients visited various employers' tables
  • One employer noted they spoke to several clients who would be "a positive addition to our workforce," but the biggest challenge is transportation

Employment:

  • More than 100 clients visited the Social Security and Disability agency tables; 50 completed applications for Social Security, Disability and/or state ID cards
  • 70 people stopped by the Dept. of Health and Human Services booth, and 48 completed applications for food stamps [NOTE: The DHHS indicated that because of this event, they will consider visiting local shelters to offer services.]

Haircuts by Xenon Academy:

  • Over 200 haircuts were given
  • Over 200 smiles were returned

Other:

  • Service providers learned about other service providers and began referring clients to one another
  • Service providers discovered the need to go to the shelters instead of waiting for the homeless to come to them
  • Volunteers called the event things like 'powerful', 'life changing', and 'better understanding of homelessness and its causes'
  • 20 new veterans met with VA staff
  • Each member of 4 families received laminated family pictures
  • A 9 year old girl discovered how to peel an orange
  • Many people called home on the phones provided by Bellevue University that day, many had not spoken with parents and siblings, there were a lot of tears shed

Your support would be greatly appreciated!