Project Homeless Connect Delivers a Collaborative Impact: A Day of Dignity, Connection, and Community
The 18th Annual Project Homeless Connect (PHC), held on January 29, transformed St. Joseph Catholic Church into a vibrant hub of compassion, collaboration, and care for our unhoused neighbors in Clark County. Hosted by Council for the Homeless and the dedicated PHC planning committee, the event reflected what makes Clark County extraordinary: neighbors showing up for neighbors, community helping community, and every person being seen, heard, and valued.
“Project Homeless Connect is where humanity meets action,” shared CEO Sesany Fennie-Jones. “It’s about removing barriers, restoring dignity, and reminding every person who walks through the doors that this community stands beside them.”
That spirit of humanity in action began early in the morning. Outreach teams visited encampments during Washington’s annual Point-in-Time Count, collecting data, delivering supplies, sharing information, and providing bus passes to ensure that those who needed transportation to St. Joseph’s could get there easily. The message to neighbors experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity was clear: This day was created with you in mind.
Through Project Homeless Connect, 340 guests were welcomed, including 103 who were experiencing unsheltered homelessness, 90 who were sheltered, and 147 who were unstably housed and at risk of losing their homes and falling into homelessness. Each person arrived with unique needs and left with stronger connections to resources and support. Inside St. Joseph’s Marion Hall, 50 service providers offered housing assistance, benefit enrollment, healthcare referrals, and essential supplies.
PHC is about more than services and supplies; it is about dignity.
Haircuts were offered to guests, including culturally specific hair care introduced this year to better reflect and serve our community’s diversity. Also among the offerings: vision screenings, foot baths and foot care, health checkups, pet care, and a hot lunch. Volunteers walked alongside guests, helping them navigate services while offering encouragement and compassion at every turn.
The energy in the room was a palpable result of collaboration in action. Service providers, faith leaders, nonprofits, businesses, and volunteers worked side by side. This year, the event was fueled by 75 volunteers — 10 organizations were represented within that number, who sent staff in support of the day’s mission. St. Joseph’s provided additional volunteers, including their chef who prepared her famous Sloppy Joes. Other church volunteers helped to prep food, serve guests, clean up after lunch, and direct traffic in the parking lot. All volunteers created a welcoming experience inside and outside of the event.
“We are grateful to be able to host Project Homeless Connect and partner with Council for the Homeless each year,” said Father Tim Ilgen, Pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church. “Events like this show what’s possible when a community leads with compassion and opens its doors to help our neighbors in need.”
PHC succeeds because Clark County works together. In the weeks leading up to the event, partners hosted supply drives and delivered donations to our Fourth Plain location. The planning committee, including representatives from CFTH, St. Joseph Catholic Church, Pacific Islander Community Association of Washington (PICAWA), Kaiser Permanente, and U.S. Bank, worked tirelessly to secure vendors, volunteers, sponsorships, and outreach.
This year’s event was made possible through generous sponsorships from Wellpoint and PeaceHealth, along with grant funding from the Clark County Realtors Foundation and the Washington State Department of Health. We are grateful for everyone who played a part in this special day of community action. The Columbian joined us for both the Point-In-Time Count and PHC; read their article here.
What’s next?
The 19th Annual Project Homeless Connect is already on the horizon; mark your calendar for Thursday, January 28, 2027, because it begins with you!
We invite service providers to secure table space early. Businesses and community partners, please consider sponsoring a service area, especially hair care, where early commitments from stylists help us thoughtfully meet growing demand. Email Maggie Bernetich at mbernetich@councilforthehomeless.org for sponsorship info. Host a supply drive or consider rallying your team to volunteer; email Autumn Connolly for more details at aconnolly@councilforthehomeless.org.
