More than 2,500 Central Oregonians Received Medical, Dental and Other Social Services at Project Connect Held Last Saturday at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds

The one-day, one stop event provided more than 150 services and assistance to those in need.

For the sixth straight year, more than 800 volunteers joined forces to provide free medical, dental and many other social services to more 2,500 citizens in need who came from around the region to attend last Saturday’s Central Oregon Project Connect held at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond. Since its inception, the one-day, one-stop event has helped to reach nearly 14,300 individuals in Central Oregon who are homeless, on a low income, or simply struggling to make ends meet.

This year’s event drew people who are homeless or underserved in counties throughout the region, including Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson, as well as the Warm Springs reservation. Cascades East Transit and several churches joined forces to provide free transportation to and from the event to make it possible for everyone to receive the free services.

In addition to medical care and mental health services, Project Connect provided urgent dental care (extractions), legal aid, birth certificate/identification services, housing and shelter information,financial counseling, children’s services, haircuts, addiction services, veteran’s education, first aid, immunizations and clothing at no cost.

A service project of Volunteer Connect, ProjectConnect is spearheaded by the many volunteers who support it each year, including 25 volunteer leaders and more than 150 service organizations and community business partners who made Project Connect possible.

“We are extremely satisfied with the outcome of this year’s event and appreciative of the many volunteers and organizations who worked so hard to make the event such a success,” said Shellie Campbell, Project Connect coordinator.

For more information about this year’s event, please contact Shellie Campbell at 541-385-8977 or Shellie@volunteerconnectnow.org.

Project Connect is a one-day, one-stop event serving guests who are low-income, underserved, or experiencing homelessness. The event isheld at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond. The event serves guests from Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties and the Warm Springs reservation. Project Connect works to connect volunteers with people in need to build stronger communities in Central Oregon. In 2012, Project Connect and Project Mobile Connect will engage more than 800 trained volunteers, including 25 volunteer leaders, and more than 150 service organizations andcommunity business partners in serving more than 3,500 guests experiencing homelessness or are underserved.

Volunteer Connect is a non-profit organization that serves as the Central Oregon Volunteer Center.Volunteer Connect works to bring volunteers together with local community organizations that need support.