Helping area’s homeless, body and soul

Joyce A. Clanton came to the Greater Richmond Convention Center yesterday to get help restoring her Social Security benefits.

She left with a lot more.

Clanton was one of 575 area residents -- nearly 200 more than last year -- who visited the second Project Homeless Connect, a clearinghouse of services and information for the area's homeless.

Clanton got to talk to a benefits expert, but she also found other opportunities.

"And I got a nice haircut," she said proudly as she waited for a free vision screening.

"I've been off-and-on homeless for a number of years," Clanton said. Her path to homelessness began with an abusive relationship and has included several stints in jail, she said.

But Clanton was optimistic: "The Lord is giving me a second chance at living again."

Project Homeless Connect included medical and dental screenings, flu shots and HIV testing. Experts were on hand to help with applications for jobs, food stamps and Medicaid, information about Social Security benefits, and birth certificates.

On any given day, there are nearly 1,000 homeless men, women and children in the Richmond area, said Kelly King-Horne, executive director of Homeward, a homeless services planning and coordinating agency that sponsors the event.

The daylong program was designed to match homeless clients with one of about 500 area volunteers to move through more than three dozen services being offered.

One of the most popular stops was the station for free haircuts. "Last year we only had two barbers," said Tiffany Taylor-Minor, Homeward's director of community and corporate relations. "We tripled it this year."

Organizers said the troubled economy didn't directly affect most of those seen yesterday. But officials said many area service providers are seeing additional requests for aid.

Clients waited patiently in line for hours to get in the door.

Gerald Wynn said he got there at 7 a.m. and lined up behind 40 or 50 people. Doors opened at 9 a.m.

Before noon, organizers had to restock the supply of work boots they were giving out; size 11s already were gone.

"We're seeing even more than we anticipated," Taylor-Minor said.

The spirituality area, a space featuring comfortable chairs, was a respite from the bustling main floor.

"You can come in and sit, be listened to, pray if you want to, or just hear some encouraging words," said Veronica Blount, who was working with CARITAS shelters and Embrace Richmond, a faith-based organization. "Sometimes people just need to know that they're cared about."
Contact Lisa Crutchfield at (804) 649-6362 or .