WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE — The Community Action Commission of Fayette County (CACFC) is preparing for its annual “Point-in-Time” (PIT) Count to be held on Tuesday, Jan. 23.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that communities receiving Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Grant funding to complete a sheltered and unsheltered count of homeless persons in their county, annually.
“The data collected during this count assists our homeless projects locally and across the state by: identifying changes in trends among homeless populations, compliance with reporting requirements from federal and state funders, and justify the need for continued resources to assist the homeless,” the Community Action news release states.
HUD defines homeless as: persons who are sleeping in places not meant for human habitation, staying in emergency shelters, enrolled in transitional housing having been homeless prior to transitional housing entry, or in a place not meant for human habitation.
This statewide homeless count is typically held the last week of January, and this year, the count will begin at 8 p.m. and will end no later than 6 a.m., the morning of Jan. 24. Data will be collected within survey areas defined through the Counting Us app. The PIT Count also includes persons staying at the Brick House emergency shelter, persons enrolled in CACFC homeless housing programs, and persons that are unsheltered (i.e. living on the streets, in their vehicles, in abandoned buildings, etc.)
The 2023 PIT count revealed there were 93 persons being assisted through the Brick House emergency shelter or housed through CACFC housing programs, with a total of nine unsheltered persons.
Chelsea Davis, CACFC Homeless Programs Coordinator, explained “The information collected during the Point in Time Count directly impacts CACFC’s ability to identify any gaps in services, as well as compete for future funding to continue to assist our homeless community. This count also provides us an opportunity to offer our homeless a hot meal, a care package filled with items to help provide a small bit of comfort and an opportunity to potentially connect them to available services.”
Davis went on to explain that a Drop-In Center would be available on Wednesday, Jan. 24, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Second Chance Center of Hope located on Oakland Avenue in Washington C.H. The Drop-In Center will offer food, bottled water and a care package for any unsheltered persons in need. These care packages will be distributed as backpacks donated by the Paint Valley ADAMH board and will be filled with a community resource guide that lists available programs offered in the community, along with other donated items such as nonperishable food, personal care items, hygiene products, and blankets. There will be local programs representatives available on site to describe their programs and how those in need could obtain those services.
For more information about this year’s count being held on Tuesday, Jan. 23, or if you are interested in volunteering, or donating, please contact Community Action at 740-335-7282 or [email protected]
