bent, not broken

more from the series on the economy:



Kathy Garrett, center, quietly sorts clothing as scores of homeless men and women weave past, not knowing how much they share in common.

“I know how they feel,” said Garrett, “I've been in their situation.”

Garrett is a volunteer with Project Homeless Connect, along with Luz Colon, to the eft of her. On this day, they're helping to serve the needs of hundreds of homeless people.

She recollects to the years she was homeless and says,“It was a group like this that put me back on my feet, and I haven't looked back.”

Garrett has volunteered the past three years at the event, which offers a variety of services including medical treatment, housing services and donated clothing. The project is held at Norfolk Scope Exhibition Hall, and is run by the city's Office to End Homelessness. It comes at a time when people across the area are in need of assistance.

“It's rough, there's not many jobs out there for people,” says Garrett. “There's many things that prevent you from getting a job. It's important to be able to look right. You can't to an interview with holes in your clothes.”

“If you can get just simple basics, it can make a world of difference,” she says. Moments later, Timothy Snider, at left, remarks, “This is definitely helping me out.” Snider is one of the hundreds in attendance. “I was really needing the clothing,” he says.

“It's a big help towards keeping me off the streets.”