Mr. Murphy remembers July 18, 2007 as the day that he found hope after more than 20 years of chronic homelessness. He attended Project Homeless Connect (PHC) a one-day event to provide shelter, services, and hospitality in a convenient, one-stop model directly to men, women and families experiencing homelessness. The warm welcome of the volunteers and the lure of getting a driver’s license and treatment for his medical needs overcame his fear and anxiety. Today, Mr. Murphy is living in an apartment, qualified for Social Security benefits, is working part-time and added twenty pounds to his formerly gaunt frame.

Annually in Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties, there are more than 3,000 chronically homeless individuals and families living in camps, on the streets, in vehicles and in abandoned buildings. It is this segment of the population – the invisible homeless -- that Project Homeless Connect serves by offering practical, compassionate services that encourage participants to re-engage with agencies that can help them back to shelter, self-sufficiency and a productive life.

On Friday, December 7 from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. more than 50 community agencies and businesses will offer showers, meals, shelter, employment opportunities, mental health and substance abuse services, ID cards and driver’s licenses, birth certificate applications, access to Social Security for claims and replacement cards, job training programs, job interviews, legal services and pet care.

More than 320 volunteers from faith groups, government agencies, businesses and the social services community will ensure the delivery of customized services to meet the needs of each participant.

The Health Care Center for the Homeless will debut its HOPE Mobile Medical Unit, a 37-foot medical clinic on wheels, which houses two exam rooms and is staffed by a Nurse Practitioner and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Seven volunteer physicians will offer medical care; TB testing, flu shots, and vision screening will also be available.

The first Orlando Project Homeless Connect in 2006 attracted 600 participants. Subsequent PHC events in Osceola, Seminole, East Orange and West Orange Counties attracted another 820 – just one of whom was Mr. Murphy.
 

SPONSORS:	Homeless Services Network of Central Florida, City of Orlando and Orange County
WHEN:	Friday, December 7, 2007 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
WHERE:	City of Orlando Downtown Recreation Center, 649 W. Livingston Street
SCHEDULE:	8:00 a.m. – Welcome by Orlando City Commissioner Robert Stuart 8:15 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Project Homeless Connect welcomes clients
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:	Please note: Cameras will not be allowed in the building in order to ensure the privacy and dignity of participants. However, event managers will make clients, case managers, partner agencies available for filming directly outside the entrance where intake, employment, meal service and DMV services are available. 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast meal service 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. Tour of the new HOPE Mobile Medical unit in action 8:30 – Noon Workforce Central Florida job search 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Chairman of the Regional Commission Tracy Schmidt doing client intake 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Regional Commission on Homelessness members providing “shepherding” services to individual clients All Day -- DMV ID Process, Hair Cuts and Medical Treatment