Project Connect puts locals in touch with community services

By MO CRANKER on October 18, 2019.

mcranker@medicinehatnews.com@MHNmocranker

Medicine Hat’s annual Project Connect is set to run Wednesday and will allow members of the community to get in touch with a number of helpful organizations.

Project Connect is advertised as a free, one-day event for those in need, set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. John’s Presbyterian Church downtown.

“We host this every year to get a multitude of social service agencies under one roof,” said church minister Jeff Lackie. “We do this with the community every year to help those in need make connections that can be helpful to their lives.

“We have this set up in our gymnasium and we encourage people to go around and talk to every organization to see if they can be impacted.”

Bus rides to and from the event will be free and transit passes can be found at the Medicine Hat Community Housing Society, St. John’s Church and the Salvation Army. Church goers will serve free food and drinks throughout the day.

Lackie says everything offered is 100 per cent free to attendees – including haircuts, which are quite popular.

“At the very least, people can come and get fed and get to know each other,” he said. “It is amazing how big of a difference a haircut can make for someone, and it can make such a big difference in their demeanour – seeing peoples’ faces after they got a free haircut was really impactful for me.

“We have a team of hairdressers that give up a day to do this for Project Connect and we’re so thankful for them.”

The event has been held at St. John’s for the past eight years and helps hundreds each time.

More information can be found by searching for Project Connect on Facebook or by calling St. John’s.