Volunteers Needed for Nationwide Homeless Count
Fayette Cares is seeking volunteers for the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Homeless Street Count taking place between 12 noon Tuesday, January 24 and 11:59 am Wednesday, January 25, 2016. This nationwide effort helps determine the numbers of people living on the streets or in makeshift accommodations not meant for human habitation.
Once a year, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires a 24 hour count of individuals dealing with homelessness. Each county gathers volunteers to drive or call to count individuals that are sheltered or unsheltered. The information gathered form the PIT count across the country gives HUD a snapshot of homelessness in our nation.
Volunteers can help fund life-changing services by driving through assigned sections of Fayette County to document situations where it appears someone is living on the street or in a place not meant for human habitation, such as a bus, barn, or condemned building. Teams may cover their assigned portion of the county at any time during the 24 hour period. A brief training will be provided at Fayette Cares on January 20th to learn more.
The count must be completed within a twenty-four hour period of time. This information, combined with other statistics, is presented to Congress who then determines the allocation of HUD funding for homelessness intervention services based on the need. Most of the organizations serving the homeless in West Tennessee, Stewart, Houston and Humphreys counties are linked to this funding in some manner either directly or indirectly. Therefore, the more accurate the homeless count the more accurate the funding.
Please join Fayette Cares in this important nationwide effort. To learn more and get involved contact Pam Rose by email atfinance@fayettecares.org or by telephone at (901) 465-3802 x 223 for meeting time and location.
