The opportunity to spend an afternoon pampering himself is a luxury Edward Schippers can’t afford very often. But Thursday afternoon, he received a massage along with guidance on how to find housing and employment, two things he struggles with daily.
Schippers is one of approximately 700 people who attended Lansing’s Project Homeless Connect, which was held at the former National Guard Armory, 2500 S. Washington Ave., in Lansing. The event aimed to help the area’s homeless by offering free services as well as basic needs such as food and clothing.
The event also provided a chance for attendees to receive dental and medical screening.
The Greater Lansing Homeless Resolution Network has seen an increase in the number of homeless persons who receive assistance, according to a recent report.
In 2008, the network assisted 4,250 homeless persons, a 31 percent increase from 3,237 in 2007.
Psychology freshman Taylor Pattison volunteered at the event as part of MSU’s First Year Experience program. Pattison said he has volunteered in the past and always has felt a strong need to give back to the community.
“I feel … morally obligated to,” he said. “If there is something I could do to help people, then I should do it.”
The volunteers helping with the project ranged from professionals to students and community members. Larger stores such as Meijer and Wal-Mart sponsored the event, giving out free hygiene products and allowing project organizers to purchase basic items at low prices.
Wynette Hall, a resident of Lansing who formerly was homeless and attended the event this year and in 2008, said the project helped her last year.
And although she no longer is homeless, Hall said she still struggles with financial difficulties and still needs assistance.
“(They helped) my eyes … I went to an eye doctor. They said that I had cataracts,” she said. Hall eventually got the cataracts removed for free.
About 300 more people attended this year’s event compared to last year’s approximate 400 attendees. It was possible for so many people to be serviced this year because of the size of the location, said Joan Jackson Johnson, director of Human Relations and Community Services of Lansing.
“Being in this facility has been able to provide us with the space to enable helping more people,” she said. “The attitude of volunteers is absolutely awesome.”
In 2008, the event was held at Lansing Eastern High School’s Don Johnson Fieldhouse, 220 N. Pennsylvania Ave., in Lansing.
But some attendees felt the larger crowd hindered the event. Dorothy Akins, who is homeless, said there were too many people at the event for her to receive adequate help.
“(They couldn’t) send you directly where you (needed) to be. You have to wait,” she said. Akins said she would have to wait until a different day to receive the services she needed.
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