Students Unite For Community Support At Project Connect

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- An annual event to help people in need gets a leg up itself from local college students. Project Connect will take place at the River's Edge Convention at the end of the month and provides services for homeless people and community members in need. For the last 10 years, St. Cloud State University Health and Wellness Profession students have been helping build basic need bags that are given away at the event and helping at the event as well.

Master student Abbigail Bullard says helping at the event is a good learning experience:

"For me, so last year was my first year, and I think it was just super eye-opening to see how an event like this can help the people in our community that are struggling and that might be experiencing homelessness, and I think it really just, it puts things in perspective for sure."

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Senior Tori Voigt has been helping with Project Connect for three years. She says it is good to see the community come together to support those in need:

"I really like that this is something that our community's able to provide for individuals, and I think it's something that should be implemented other places as well, because everyone who comes is able to get some additional support, and I think it's really great that we're able to offer this."

Bullard says their goal is to make 600 basic need bags to hand out this year. Voigt says the bags have an array of items in them like socks, tooth brushes and toothpaste, underwear, and hygiene products, and the bags and Project Connect are for anyone who needs a little help:

"I just want to make sure that everyone knows that it's an event that is open to anyone who's experiencing homelessness or extreme poverty. We want to make sure that it's accessible for everyone and just kind of spread the awareness of it, and also for anyone who's willing to help out or has the means to, any donations are really appreciated and help."

They have an Amazon wishlist set up so people who want to help can order the needed items for the bags and have them shipped directly to St. Cloud State. Project Connect runs from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on October 28th. It will have assistance and information on housing, clothing, social services, medical check-ups, and more.