Has anyone every asked you where you spent the night? For most of us, the answer is simple: "Why, in my own bed of course!" For others, though, the answer is not so easy.

This week, more than 200 people -- most of whom don't have a home, let alone a bed -- were treated with dignity and kindness at the second annual Project Homeless Connect held at the Civic Auditorium.

The event, coordinated by Kings United Way and the Kings Tulare Continuum of Care on Homelessness, brought together agencies, service providers and charity organizations for a one-stop opportunity to provide help to the indigent.

Most of the visitors looked down on their luck; some carried their worldly possessions in a garbage bag; some had children in tow. But they all had one thing in common. They were in need, and had come to Project Homeless Connect to get the basics: Food, clothing, medical attention and, hopefully, a kind word and a little help.

This is the second year the event has been staged, and it obviously took a mountain of coordination and planning to pull it off. But one thing that wasn't a problem, according to organizers, was finding volunteers.

More than 200 breakfasts were prepared and served by local Kiwanis clubs, and church volunteers serviced bicycles or handed out hygiene packs. More than 70 others were on hand -- all wearing bright orange T-shirts -- to take basic information or direct the needy to food, clothing, medical attention or even a haircut.

These volunteers were ready to help with smiles, information and even stories of their own. One young woman who now works at the Owens Valley Career Development Center, which provides training for American Indians, said she was there to "give back." She was one of those who had received help, and then ultimately had been offered a job.

There were free flu shots, and medical, vision and dental screenings. Veterinary care and supplies were available for pets, and tables overflowed with donated clothing, warm blankets and fluffy towels.

Everywhere you looked, there were kind words and smiles, from the stylists trimming hair and the guitar player on the stage, to the woman sitting at a table offering to play board games with anyone who wanted to stop by and sit a spell.

One by one, the needy made the rounds of the provider booths, some stuffing clothes into a Home Depot or garbage bag, others with a new haircut, a hot meal in their stomachs, and a Bible or a couple of used paperback books in their knapsack. They eventually trickled out into Civic Park, some finding temporary refuge on a bench with everything they owned gathered around them.

As I walked out to the comfort of my waiting car, I wondered how these folks would answer the question if asked, "Where did you sleep last night?"

(Nov. 7, 2009)