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!