Shoe shopping and dental appointments may seem like simple errands to many. But for someone navigating homelessness, they can be daunting tasks.
Lack of money and transportation play a pivotal role, but so does the feeling of not being welcomed — the feeling of embarrassment.
That's why Melanie Haytas Shannon values the annual Marion County Community Homeless Connect event, which took place Tuesday.
"Here," Shannon said, "everyone's in the same position."
The one-stop-shop experience — housed in the First Baptist Church of Salem downtown — serves people who are homeless, or those at-risk of becoming homeless, by connecting them with needed services and resources, organizers said.
Those include dental, vision and health screenings, pet care, bike repair and haircuts. Resources from 55 service providers are available for housing, employment, veteran services and other benefits.
Guests were also are offered a hot breakfast and lunch and in-kind donated items such as sleeping bags, clothing and toiletries. Volunteers served more than 900 meals, organizers said.
During its first 10 years, the annual event served upwards of 450 people a year. Organizers from the Salem Leadership Foundation and Community Action Agency said they served more 500 this year.
They anticipated more based on Point-in-Time homeless counts collected back in January. According to the annual county, Marion County's homeless population grew from 732 people in 2015 to 1,049 in 2017.
Shannon worked at the event as the outreach manager for Capitol Dental.
Free of charge, all attendees are offered cleanings, fillings, extraction and referrals for future treatment, as needed, in one visit.
Michael Anderson, for example, was able to get some basic dental cleaning done. The 25-year-old has been homeless for five months, "this time," he said.
Tuesday was the first time he got dental care in four or five years.
"(Dental work) is more important to (people who are homeless) because they are already facing so many other things," Shannon said. "Everyone's so grateful and humble."
Capitol Dental was among dozens of providers and organizations at the event, including the student-led project, One Thousand Soles.
'It helps them feel more human again'
One Thousand Soles filled one room of the church with 500 pairs of shoes free to those in need. This was the project's first year participating in the Community Homeless Connect.
Laurie Shaw Casarez, a youth development coordinator with the City of Salem, said a pair of shoes doesn't just protect feet — it provides a sense of dignity and hope.
"It helps them just feel more human again," she said. "They've told us, 'Every pair of shoes tells us the community sees us and values us."
Casarez said the shoes may seem like just a Band-Aid, but project volunteers find shoes help individuals feel more comfortable and confident. Better-fitting shoes are also able to address health concerns, such as blisters and hammer toes.
"Each pair is a symbol of hope," she said.
One Thousand Soles was launched in 2012 by a group of 18 students at South Salem High School and is now backed by the City of Salem, as previously reported by the Statesman Journal. It's described as a project by teens for teens.
The children who go shoe shopping at the project's Ike Box space downtown often arrive in footwear that is either held together by duct tape or several sizes too small or too big, project leaders said.
But at Tuesday's event, the project brought shoes of all sizes, styles and colors for anyone who came — most of whom were adults.
David Twine Jr., 49, was able to get a pair of supportive, comfy sneakers Tuesday. This was a much-needed change from the heavy boots he was wearing before, which hurt his already-injured back.
Twine, who has been homeless for about a month, has been staying at the Union Gospel Mission downtown. He came to the event with his friend Anthony Stevens, 40, who's also staying at the shelter.
Twine had his vision checked, got clothes, shoes and a hat, and spoke to volunteers about housing. Stevens was able to get his social security card replaced and had his vision checked.
Stevens and Twine agreed these are events are powerful because they provide more awareness and allow people experiencing homelessness to ask questions and get answers.
"There's a lot of services the homeless people don't know about," Stevens said. "Events like this are great because you can walk in and get everything (you) need."
Anna Reed of the Statesman Journal staff contributed to this story.
Contact Natalie Pate at npate@StatesmanJournal.com, 503-399-6745, or follow her on Twitter @Nataliempate or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/nataliepatejournalist.
