Five-year-old Miranda Petrimoulx enjoys a ham and cheese sandwich and a chocolate chip cookie, provided by Walmart, during the 10th annual Project Connect. MyBayCity Photo by Pati LaLonde Project Connect celebrates its 10th anniversary
October 21, 2016
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When it comes to getting a lot of food into the hands of a lot of people who need it, Barb Streeter and her crew know their stuff.
Streeter, whose day job is food service manager at Good Samaritan Rescue Mission, is the driving force behind the food giveaway portion of Project Connect, an event that brings human service agencies and organizations together in one spot to lend a hand to those who need it. Even though the truck caring the chicken, hot dogs, baked goods, produce, rice oatmeal, and other types of food was late, Streeter and her crew were ready to go a little after 11 a.m. Wednesday, filling bags and setting up four pick-up stations by the ball fields at Veterans Memorial Park in 40 minutes.
Cars were lined up through the park and brought forward in fours while two volunteers loaded up each car.
"We are known as the best one," said Streeter of her set up. "We take pride in that. People from Midland have come over and told us how organized we are."
Organized is the byword for the entire event, considering 800 to 900 people not only pick up food, but head down to the Bay County Community Center to talk with people from various service agencies, get a new winter coat, have lunch, pick up bags of personal hygiene items and get a coupon for a haircut.
"This impacts quite a few people," said Chris Girard, president and CEO of Do All Inc. "It has an impact on quite a few people. We are able to educate people on the resources that are available and that could be life changing."
Joseph Petrimoulx of Bay City, who found up a warm denim coat for the winter, says he doesn't know what he would do without the yearly event. Not only did he get food and a coupon for a haircut, he met with agencies who are lending him a hand, like Consumers Energy.
"One helped me not get my power shut off," he said. "I'm a heart patient, and I spend a lot of time going back and forth to Ann Arbor. It costs a lot of money. Without this event, I would be up the creek without a paddle."
Niece, Miranda Petrimoulx, 5, got her teeth cleaned before sinking her teeth into a ham sandwich and chocolate chips cookies provided by Walmart.
The youngster declined to answer questions since she was eating. Other agencies in attendance were Habitat for Humanity of Bay County, Region VII on Aging, Bay Area Women's Center, Bay City Housing Commission, The Literacy Council of Bay County, and Good Samaritan Rescue Mission.
Sue Mitchell, the case manager at the mission and volunteer Sandy Tomczak filled bags with items such as toothpaste, shampoo, soap, all donated to the mission from local churches. Meanwhile, Deb Thompson, housing case manager for the Bay Area Women's Center, was passion out "the fun stuff" like makeup and hair pieces.
"When you're down in the dumps, makeup helps," she said.
Project Connect is a sub-committee under Bay County Continuum of Care, a group of human service agencies who help the homeless, residents.
Sue Mitchell, the case manager at Good Samaritan Rescue Mission, fills a bag with personal hygiene items.
Photo by Pati LaLonde © MyBayCity.com
Joseph Petrimoulx shows off his new coat to Chris Girard, president and CEO of Do All Inc., during Project Connect. The coats, says Girard, came from donation's to Do All's Cat's Meow.
Photo by Pati LaLonde © MyBayCity.com
Erick O'Hare and Mike Burns, both of Midland, load up a car with food during the food giveaway of Project Connect.
Photo by Pati LaLonde © MyBayCity.com
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