POWERGRAMS

For more than 1,000 people in central Alabama, having nowhere to lay their heads at night is a stark reality. Doing her part to help these people is a passion for Joy Craddock, who sees their plight as she travels the streets of downtown Birmingham. Instead of throwing away leftover food or getting rid of clothing that no longer fits, Craddock stops to hand these items to the homeless. "I live and work downtown, and it's crazy to me to see the homelessness in this city," said Craddock, Corporate Relations specialist. "I had no idea how rampant it is until I moved down here and came face to face with it." Craddock got the chance to do more for these forgotten ones when she took part in the ninth annual Project Homeless Connect at Boutwell Auditorium in February. At Craddock's urging, the Magic City Chapter of the Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO) adopted the event as a signature project for 2016. Project Homeless Connect, sponsored by United Way of Central Alabama (UWCA), One Roof, Hands on Birmingham and the city of Birmingham, is a one-day event that provides the homeless an opportunity to take advantage of a wide array of services. Every night, 1,138 people in Jefferson, Shelby and St. Clair counties are homeless, according to the 2015 Point-In-Time census by One Roof, a clearinghouse for agencies serving the homeless. "Transportation is a big issue for homeless people," said Courtney Newton, assistant vice president of Community Outreach for UWCA. "If you're homeless, you may have to go to the west side to get your driver license and then go to the east side for a dental appointment. Being able to connect with each agency can be difficult. We bring all the services together one day in one place where homeless individuals can receive the services they need in one stop." About 60 agencies and organizations were on hand to provide services such as medical, dental, vision and hair care. There were representatives offering legal aid, housing information, veterans support, IDs and even pet care. Craddock and Nicole Hedrick partnered to recruit Magic City Chapter volunteers. Members joined more than 900 other volunteers who worked with nearly 600 homeless people who packed the auditorium. The morning began for volunteers with a 15-minute orientation. Afterward, each was paired with a homeless client and began walking their new partners through getting the services they need. "We call the volunteers 'smiling faces,' because they are supposed to give the clients a smiling face and a warm greeting to let them know they are here for them for the day," said Tawanna Willoughby, administrative coordinator, Hands on Birmingham. Project Homeless Connect is unique nationally in that it matches one client with one volunteer, said Newton. It helps raise the awareness of volunteers and the homeless, allowing each to see the world through other eyes. "Most people are uncomfortable with someone who is homeless, and won't even acknowledge that APSO Joy Craddock, Nicole Hedrick, Wells Cooner, Kevin Williams and Douglas Craddock volunteered. Homeless woman gets free eye exam. 2

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