Helping the homeless in Battle Creek

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – On Wednesday the US Department of Agriculture reported that twelve percent of Michigan residents are "food insecure."

That means that 1.2 million, or one in eight, Michigan residents are at risk for hunger and lacking adequate resources to get the food they need. That number has increased consistently in Michigan since 1998.

At one point or another, more than 86,000 people were homeless across Michigan in 2008. That represents a ten percent increase from 2007, and the number is not expected to go down for 2009, however, several groups are coming together to fight the growing problem.

For nine years, the City of Battle Creek has put together a homeless health fair for hundreds of area residents, who through no fault of their own, have found themselves with nowhere else to turn.

"I had a good job," said Lynn Tyler, "but the economy slowed down, there were cuts. I was laid off."

Tyler is one of hundreds of Battle Creek residents who have found themselves a casualty of the economy.

"A lot of us had cars, and homes, and we don't have that no more," said Tyler. "A lot of us are homeless and out on the streets."

Tyler's situation isn't unique. At Wednesday's ninth annual Project Connect homeless health fair in Battle Creek, an estimated 300 residents wandered through the 60 or so exhibits at the fair, receiving everything from clothing to flu shots.

The services offered at Wednesday's fair saved many of those present a lot of money that they either simply don't have, or can't afford to part with.

"I can come down here, get my flu shot, diabetes checked, get my hair done, these are all the things I don't have the money for," said Brenda Parrott.

Those involved say having all the services available under one roof is a blessing.

"Basically it's a God send," said Parrott.

Denise Washington, who spearheaded Wednesday's event understands that Battle Creek's homeless problem has skyrocketed in recent years. And while she knows she can't eradicate homelessness altogether, she says she can at least make a difference.

"That would be my utopia. To wave my magic wand and end homelessness but we know that's not going to happen," said Washington.

All of the services offered at the fair were paid for with grant money, and Washington told Newschannel 3 that the demand for services to the homeless population in Calhoun County and Battle Creek are so great that it is possible the fair could be offered more than once a year to help even more residents.