Miranda Pederson/Daily NewsSheetal Mande, a public health intern at the Barren River District Health Department, expalins the blood pressure results to a patient at Friday's Community Connect AmeriCorps in partnership with LifeSkills Inc. at the Salvation Army.

Rachel Carson came seeking help.

The Bowling Green resident recently took in her 74-year-old mother-in-law after a fire destroyed her home. She also has two new little ones – Carson is keeping her friend’s two sons, ages 5 and 8, because her friend is unable to care for them.

Carson needs help making her house disability-accessible for her mother-in-law and getting home weatherization to cut down on utility costs. She also needs medical equipment and child care assistance.

Carson was one of several area residents who attended Community Connect, a gathering of local organizations to provide services for low-income and homeless individuals. The event was Friday at the Salvation Army on West Main Avenue.

The first-time event was put together by Heather Gordon, supporting housing counselor with LifeSkills, who developed the event as part of an AmeriCorps project.

Booths opened in The Salvation Army gymnasium and chapel at 9 a.m.; by 11 a.m., organizers had seen about 50 people.

“The community has really come out for this,” Gordon said.

About 20 organizations were on hand to provide attendees with information and services.

Community Action of Southern Kentucky provided a range of information, from children services to the Meals on Wheels program to the garden program.

“We give them seeds and plants so they can save money by growing food,” said Frances Thornton, community services program assistant for Community Action.

On Friday, several people visited the Community Action center seeking information about educational scholarships, head start services, home weatherization, low-income energy bill assistance and unemployment assistance.

“I think it’s awesome,” Thornton said. “I’m learning myself. We can understand what other agencies can do, and I’m gathering materials myself to help pass them out.”

A few tables down, Superior Medical Supply from Clarksville, Tenn., offered assistance with medical equipment. The company helps people whose insurance will not fully cover some medical needs, such as diabetic shoes, test strips and power chairs.

“Just about everything you need, we’ve got,” said Nikki Sparks, sales representative with Superior Medical Supply. “This demographic of people don’t know Medicare will provide them with diabetic shoes. They’re out there walking in $5 shoes that’s going to cost them a toe in the next four or five years.”

Sparks said she had spoken with several residents Friday morning, and she was surprised by the large turnout.

“If more communities would do something like this, it would be an asset,” she said.

Across the street, several people flocked to the chapel to receive HIV and blood pressure testing and free haircuts – the most popular service, Gordon said.

“They’re starting to roll in a lot now since we got here,” said Donna Lockhart with PJ’s College of Cosmetology, which provided the free trims.

Joe Ricken of Glasgow was getting his hair cut Friday morning. Ricken draws disability and ventured to the event to see what services were offered. Ricken, who lives in an apartment, has been searching for a new home.

“I’m still trying to find a house,” he said.

Next to the hair trimming tables, health department workers were giving blood pressure tests.

“We have checked 34 people and that’s a lot,” said Mindy Key, a health educator at the Barren River District Health Department. “It’s so needed right now … blood pressure is one of the first signs your body is telling you something is wrong.”

Joyce Adkins, also a health educator with the health department, said she was surprised by the range of ages that visited her table.

“We’ve seen everything from a 17-year-old to some who are 75,” she said.

As another woman sat down to get a blood pressure test, Carson and her family made their way to the chapel. Carson had received information about getting her house weatherized and more accessible for her mother-in-law, as well as help with child care and getting a power chair for her mother-in-law.

“We just all came down together to see what we could get,” she said. “They have been very helpful and nice and informative.”