Street Outreach Services at Project Homeless Connect #79

Our Street Outreach Services (SOS) Program Manager, Lara Cruz, attended Project Homeless Connect’s 79th Community Day of Service last month. Here, she shares a few takeaways from an impactful day.

In a world fraught with challenges, our Street Outreach Services (SOS) program was heartened to witness the transformative power of community and compassion in San Francisco when we came together with over 50 other service providers to lend a helping hand to residents experiencing homelessness, at risk of homelessness, or transitioning from homelessness to housing.

On September 27th SOS partner agency, Project Homeless Connect (PHC), hosted its 79th Community Day of Service at the Bill Graham Auditorium where our team had the privilege to serve once again. Our SOS team that day included Dr. Karen Weinbaum, Lara Cruz, Francisco Barrera, and Trevor Wong.

PHC’s Community Day of Service brings together multiple community organizations to ease connections to support services for those navigating the harsh realities of living without a home. Organizations offered resources for accessing medical care, dental care, shelter, housing, income, ID cards, mental health, and more. A meal was also served to all in attendance.

Every individual that SOS encountered carried a unique narrative, a complexity of life experiences that led them to their challenges with homelessness. Our team’s conversations with PHC participants were not just about providing essentials like hygiene kits, socks, naloxone, or connections to primary care, but also recognizing the inherent dignity and humanity in each person. Many of the people we served also needed care for their pets, which in some cases are their only family. Luckily, SOS was able to connect unhoused pet owners to our affiliated Veterinary Street Outreach Services (Vet SOS) program for assistance with their animals.

Working at PHC #79 was an immersion into the interconnectedness of humanity. Even in the face of homelessness, there are thousands of resilient spirits that can be kindled by simple acts of kindness. SOS is proud to offer our kindness and free mobile medical services to unhoused people in partnership with community.