Easton Church "Connects" With Community

Joyce Eckert eats right, and walks everywhere she can.

But she's also uninsured, and -- at 64 -- a year away from Medicare.

What do you do when you don't have insurance?

"Nothing," Eckert said. 

So on Wednesday afternoon, she left her home in Neston Heights -- walking, of course -- and headed to in downtown Easton, which was hosting its third annual .

The event brings together several local service organizations to provide residents with advice on health, housing, and other matters. 

"We're trying to reach people who aren't necessarily in the system or familiar with the system, but can benefit from these programs," said First UCC's Margaret Parisi.

Those programs included , LANTA, veterans affairs and human services departments, and the Easton branch of the .

People came to that organization's table to ask about their food pantry, or emergency housing. The questions weren't just hypothetical, said case-worker Elizabeth Reyes.

"That's today and every day," she said.

In addition to the different service organizations, provided free health screenings. People from all walks of life came in to get their blood pressure taken and have their cholesterol looked at, said tecnician Colleen Martin.

"Young couples, senior citizens," she said describing the range of visitors. One common denominator: Many of them had no insurance coverage. One man had no home.

"He gave a mailing address, and said it was a relative," Martin said.