Health and social services agencies will gather at North Central Michigan College for Project Connect, an event designed to help individuals and families access resources.
The event is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, according to a community announcement.
During Project Connect on March 19, 2025, the Pregnancy Care Center of Petoskey shared the various resources they offer.
Dozens of organizations, agencies to participate
Project Connect will feature more than 70 nonprofit agencies and businesses and will offer assistance in areas such as education, employment, health, housing and parenting.
“The idea behind this special event is to help individuals and families gain access to the services they need, all under one roof, on one day,” Dana Lorian, Project Connect co-chair, said in the announcement. “Understanding the often-complicated social services system can be a challenge, and at Project Connect participants will be guided to agencies that can offer assistance in areas such as education and employment, health and wellness, housing and finance, and kids and parenting.”
The Health Department of Northwest Michigan will offer a variety of resources, including the SAFE in Northern Michigan program, which empowers youth to lead substance-free lives in Antrim, Charlevoix and Emmet counties. The Women, Infants and Children program will also be available to support parents, foster families and non-traditional caregivers for children younger than 5 years old.
The Family Health team will provide a private space called “Parent’s Pit Stop” for parents to feed and change their babies. Nurse practitioners will be on hand to offer family planning and reproductive health services.
Manna Food Project providing food, information
Manna Food Project will attend the event, offering bags of apples, nutrition education materials and flyers with pantry locations, including partner pantry sites.
“Manna is proud to take part in the 2026 Project Connect,” Carrie Klingelsmith, executive director of Manna Food Project, said in the announcement.
Other free services will include a hot snack, haircuts, family photos, car seat check-ups and stroke screenings.
Michigan Secretary of State Mobile Office
New this year, the Michigan Secretary of State Mobile Office will be present, offering free services such as disability parking placards, voter registration and no-fee state identification cards for those who qualify.
No advance registration is required, but attendees are encouraged to bring a picture ID, Social Security number, discharge papers for veterans (DD214), proof of income and Medicaid or private insurance information.
For more information or to download a brochure, visit ProjectConnect231.com. Volunteers can also register on the website.
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This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Project Connect to support families with resources on March 18 in Petoskey
