Gastonia Times

County of Gaston issued the following announcement on June 8.

Are you or someone you know experiencing homelessness, or at risk of homelessness? Mark your calendar: on Thursday, June 30th, 2022, Hope Fest will convene health and public assistance agencies from all over Gaston County at First United Methodist Church on East Franklin Blvd, offering health, hope, and help to anyone who needs it.

Agencies will be offering information about services and connecting people to the help they need on-site. From 10 a.m.-2 p.m., the public will have the opportunity to talk to government, faith-based, and nonprofit agencies on the spot.

What to Expect at Hope Fest

Hope Fest visitors will have access to help right away. Free laundry, showers, and lunch will be available while supplies last. Healthcare agencies including Gaston County Health and Human Services, Kintegra, HealthNet Gaston, and Partners Behavioral Health will be offering health screenings, testing, vaccinations, and scheduling appointments for follow-up physical health, mental health, and dental care. The faith and philanthropy communities are coming together to create give-away bags filled with health and hygiene essentials.

Visitors will have the opportunity to connect with agencies who offer ongoing assistance, even after this one-time event is over. Agencies will offer eligibility screenings for Medicaid and food stamp/EBT enrollment. VoteRiders will also be on-site to assist visitors in securing identification, which is frequently required to access services. The Gaston-Lincoln-Cleveland Continuum of Care, Gateway Gaston, and other agencies will be available to offer referrals to other ongoing assistance. Visitors interested in education or job placement will be able to speak with Gaston College representatives.

There will also be services and activities for children through Keep Gastonia Beautiful and the Gaston County Public Library. Pets are also invited to join Hope Fest—there will opportunities to access low-cost pet care and learn about the services of the Gaston Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic and Gaston County Animal Care and Enforcement.

Homelessness Prevention Committee: an Ongoing Collaboration

The idea for Hope Fest began through the work of the Homelessness Prevention Committee (HPC). The Intergovernmental and Interagency Task Force on Homelessness, which convened last year at the direction of the Board of Gaston County Commissioners, recommended the creation of the HPC to follow up on the findings of their report, which was presented to the Board of County Commissioners and the public in February. The purpose of the HPC is to improve collaboration between governments and nonprofits in the County, working together to address homelessness on an ongoing basis.

Within the first few meetings of the HPC, one theme came to the surface as a major need: a “one-stop shop” that could connect homeless and underserved populations with needed services, all in one location. The committee decided that a pop-up event is a step toward this goal, which could be organized quickly and offer help immediately. The event highlights the good work of community agencies who are already working to address homelessness, but also demonstrates a step forward for inter-agency collaboration. This event will be an opportunity to understand how the “one-stop shop” approach could potentially work in our community, and further define the need for co-locating services for homeless and underserved populations.

Where: First United Methodist Church, West Parking Lot, 190 E. Franklin Blvd, Gastonia, NC 28052

When: Thursday, June 30, 2022, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

What: People who are currently homeless, at risk of homelessness, or otherwise underserved are invited to attend Hope Fest to access and enroll in healthcare and public assistance. Attendees should bring identification, if available, but will not be required to present identification to enter. Children and pets are welcome.

Contact: Gregory Grier, Ed.D, Special Projects Manager and HIPAA Compliance Officer for Gaston County Department of Social Services; 704-862-6735; Gregory.Grier@GastonGov.com. 

Original source can be found here.