I had to run out of town this weekend, so I asked staff member Molly Hahn to give us the report on a great event called Indy Homeless Connect. Here's her account:

Indy Homeless Connect served hundreds of individuals and families today. The concept is simple, yet ingenious: get all the services in one room that help the homeless. Held at the Indiana Convention Center once per year, folks come through for a variety of reasons. I met individuals who had just moved to Indy from out of state and didn't know where to go. I met a man from New Orleans who is still displaced by Hurrican Katrina. I met people looking for jobs or haircuts or dental work. It was all there, and more. For the most part, people were there for the first time, finding themselves in situations previously unimaginable. Each year, there are several good outcomes. 1) Some of the attendees are able to find a transitional or permanent housing solution 2) CHIP (the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention) keeps a database of all those who attended  3) volunteers within the community meet our homeless neighbors face to face and start to break the stereotypes in their minds. It was a really powerful experience.

For a little more information on the Homeless Connect, check out this Web site: http://www.endhomelessnessindy.org/blueprint.html