More than 70 organizations participate in annual Homeless Connect program

WASILLA — Lene Batt knows what it’s like to be homeless. Wednesday, Batt had the chance to help others in need.

More than 260 people attended the 2019 Homeless Connect, a program hosted by the Mat-Su Coalition on Housing and Homelessness, Jan. 24 at the Menard Sports Center in Wasilla. Those attending accessed a spectrum of free help, and received clothing, food, haircuts, showers and other resources provided by more than 70 organizations at their booths.

Batt, volunteering at the event for the fifth time, helped oversee the free clothing area during the event. She stood amid huge piles of clothes brought in by a myriad of sources, from churches to thrift stores. When the event was wrapping up, volunteers manning forklifts carried out huge troves of clothes left over.

“There’s a lot we get rid of but there’s still a lot,” Batt said.

Batt said that each year, she stays past the event to help out wherever she can. She also volunteers every week at Frontline Mission. She smiled and said that she continues to volunteer because she’s able bodied, she doesn’t work and it keeps her “out of trouble.”

“I am can because I’m healthy. I love it,” Batt said. “I just love talking to the people.”

She said that her family used to be homeless so she understands that feeling. She said that she loves this event and what it brings to the community.

“It helps everyone in it,” Batt said.

Kelly Marre volunteered at the event for the fourth time. She said that she continues to be taken aback by the all-in-one circle of resources provided by caring members of the community.

“It is a one-stop shop for needs,” Marre said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Marre said some homeless people and other people who can benefit from this event know about certain resources in the community. But having a plethora of face-to-face interactions under one roof can really give people a lot of hope with a lot of help.

United Way of Mat-Su is one of several organizations that partner with the Coalition each year for this event. Executive director Stephanie Allen was one of about 260 volunteers at the event. She said that about 265 people attended this year. She said that it was a great turn out this year.

Allen shared two success stories about people who benefitted from this event, a man and a woman on the brink of homelessness. She said that the man said his experience at the event was, “literally life changing,” after getting a hot shower, a fresh haircut and some clean clothes.

“He felt like a whole new man. Just the little things make a big difference in feeling human again,” Allen said.

The second anecdote was about a woman who came to the United Way office seeking assistance because she close to being evited from her domicile. Allen invited her to the Homeless Connect to go through the gauntlet of resources to improve her situation. Allen also ensured the woman had transportation to the event. She said the woman rejoiced after solving her financial dilemma after talking to several volunteers, shedding “tears of joy.”

“She was really able to get the services she needed. Sometimes it’s prevention, keeping people in their homes,” Allen said.

Allen said that her favorite part of the Homeless Connect is seeing all the smiles from volunteers and attendees.

“That’s something that I look forward to every year,” Allen said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com