Bethel’s Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center hosted its semiannual community resource fair on November 4, expanding its mission this year to include residents displaced by Typhoon Halong.
Formerly known as Project Homeless Connect, the event has been renamed Project Resource Connect to reflect its broader reach and to reduce stigma for those seeking help. “We wanted the event to feel open and welcoming to anyone who might benefit from community resources,” said Theresa Quiner, director of the Kuskokwim Consortium Library, one of the lead organizers.
Project Resource Connect is part of a statewide initiative that provides residents with access to multiple local services in one location. Attendees could get haircuts from Windy Willow’s Salon volunteers, enjoy moose chili, and receive flu and COVID-19 vaccinations through a pop-up clinic operated by the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation (YKHC).
Tables offered winter gear, reflective tape, and outdoor supplies, while agencies shared information on housing, transportation, and wellness programs. The January event will also collect updated data to better understand the needs of Bethel’s unhoused population.
This year’s fair featured more agencies than usual to address the needs of Typhoon Halong evacuees temporarily living in Bethel. The American Red Cross, City of Bethel, and Bethel Friends of Canines were among the new participants.
At the City of Bethel’s table, Kayla Saddler, an administrative assistant and Yugtun interpreter, helped evacuees connect to individual assistance applications, local services such as laundry facilities, bus passes, and fitness center showers, and provided information on longer-term housing options.
“It can take time to learn how to access resources in a larger community like Bethel,” Saddler said. “Events like this help make that process easier.”
The Bethel Friends of Canines also played a vital role by registering pets for spay and neuter services and offering free dog food and dog houses to evacuees housing animals.
Organizers described the event as an example of Bethel’s ongoing commitment to community resilience and mutual aid, especially in the wake of widespread storm damage along Alaska’s west coast.
For more information about future resource events, follow YKHC’s public health updates.
