St. Cloud State University students spent the day on Oct. 24 giving back to the St. Cloud community and those experiencing homelessness during Project Homeless Connect held at the Rivers Edge Convention Center in downtown St. Cloud.
Project Homeless Connect is an annual event where over 65 area service providers and businesses come together to help people experiencing homelessness or poverty. The event provided individuals with assistance and information on housing, clothing, social services, medical check ups, basic needs supplies and more.
Social Work and Gerontology students assisted with intake and registration at the event while also handing out bags of supplies that included gift cards, toys for children, shampoo, deodorant, combs, soaps and other toiletries.
Earlier in October, SCSU students raised over $11,000 from donations received during a silent auction, through a GoFundMe page, via purchases of Project Connect shirts and more. Those proceeds were put towards the basic needs supplies handed out on Oct. 24 at the Rivers Edge Convention Center.
SCSU students’ efforts to raise awareness about homelessness dates back to 2013 when Lisa Heinrich’s public relations campaigns class worked with the United Way on an awareness effort to break down stereotypes related to hunger and homelessness. Since then, SCSU has annually participated in the Project Homeless Connect event while supporting those in the community experiencing homelessness or poverty.
