‘I haven’t felt safe in years’ — Project Homeless Connect is a step in changing that

On a crisp January morning, dozens of volunteers and city, county and community representatives gathered in downtown Tacoma to bring much-needed resources to the city’s unhoused population.

At the check-in table for Project Homeless Connect, the first question visitors were asked — “Did you feel safe last night?” — was met with a range of answers.

“Yes, I finally got into a shelter.”

“Hah, no. I was on the street.”

“What does that even mean when you don’t have a place to stay?”

“Yes, I stayed on a friend’s couch.”

“I haven’t felt safe in years.”

For those with a safe, warm home to return to each night, the question may seem odd. But for event volunteers, it was an indicator about which resources to direct visitors to.

Project Homeless Connect is an event held three times a year by Associated Ministries to bring together as many resources as possible into one place — housing and shelter screening, free legal aid, child support services, the Pierce County Library, Pierce Transit and the Department of Licensing, among many others.

During the January 2025 event, more than 200 people visited, with at least 45 going through Associated Ministries’ Coordinated Entry screening process to establish a secure housing plan.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department was on-site to provide vaccines and infection screening, and the Department of Social and Health Services mobile unit helped register people for financial and food assistance benefits.

Visitors collected winter essentials like socks, blankets and gloves, as well as hygiene items, and searched through racks of donated clothing. Outside, Medical Teams International provided dental care in their mobile clinic, sponsored by MultiCare.

People visiting Project Homeless Connect also had access to on-site dental care.

“Having access to numerous essential service providers at a single location is invaluable for our unhoused community. Transportation is often a major barrier, and many individuals are hesitant to leave their ‘home’ for fear that their belongings — or their shelter — may not be there when they return,” explains Evan Shuster, Associated Ministries development associate. “By bringing services directly to them at one location, we eliminate these obstacles and ensure they can receive the support they need without stress or risk.”

Most people were finished in an hour, grabbing a free lunch or cup of hot coffee on their way out. Visitors left with bags full of items, but to the dismay of many, the vendor offering free mobile phones didn’t make it that day.

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Without a phone and Project Homeless Connect, many people would likely struggle to connect with the resources and agencies on-site for the event. That’s why Associated Ministries keeps it as low-barrier as possible.

No one is required to answer housing or demographic questions, provide identification, or sign anything if they don’t want to. All that’s asked of visitors is to wear a wristband so their presence can be accounted for. Inside, it’s their choice which vendors they work with and who they give their information to.

To keep everyone safe and the health care areas clean, everyone must check their belongings before entering the building. This can be a high-anxiety decision for those carrying all of their possessions. But volunteers working the bag check assured visitors their belongings would be safe and under constant supervision.

Point in Time interviewers were also on-site for Project Homeless Connect to collect information on the city’s unhoused community.

Pets also had to stay outside, but they didn’t lack any love waiting for their owners to return. One dog spent his time wrapped up tight in a volunteer’s arms, while another found her spot underneath a volunteer’s chair getting pets and ear scratches. An orange tabby cat meowed from the safety of his cozy enclosed stroller as he watched for his mom’s return. A staff member from St. Leo Food Connection next door ran across the parking lot to zip donated pet jackets onto any animal she saw walking up without one.

Regardless of what brought someone in that day, everyone who stopped by Project Homeless Connect had access to as few or as many resources as they wished. At check-in, some shared that they have an apartment but needed help finding health care, while others were sleeping on the street and struggling to find a shelter that worked for them.

“Everyone deserves the opportunity for equal access to essential services,” Shuster says. “By bringing these services together, many clients are able to take meaningful steps forward on their journey toward greater stability, improving their lives and the well-being of their families.”

With their arms full of clothing and donations, papers with next steps in their health care plan and flyers directing them to additional resources, visitors departed. Some only had to cross the parking lot to find their shelter bed, while others headed across town to their new tiny home — with their first working lock in years — and still others were off to find a warm spot in a park for the night.

Not every living situation can be solved in an hour, but Project Homeless Connect was a first step in the right direction.