Murphy – North Carolina’s annual count of homeless people will take place on the evening of Jan. 31 and morning of Feb.1.
Local communities across the state, including western North Carolina, are seeking volunteers to conduct the count. The process involves surveying people to find out where homeless people slept on the night of Jan. 31, providing an in-depth look at homelessness in this region and throughout the state.
Sue Lynn Ledford – executive director of Four Square Community Action, a regional nonprofit based in Andrews that assists people with housing difficulties – said the volunteers will also gather information on those who are temporarily sheltered in hospitals, homeless shelters, jail, staying temporarily with friends and relatives, and lack a permanent housing plan.
“Our goal is to get the most accurate count possible, and we rely heavily on the support of volunteers,” said Maria Pedro, regional coordinator. “Through the dedication of volunteers, we can effectively assess the extent of homelessness in WNC.”
In Cherokee County, multiple agencies and volunteers will aid in the efforts, including Four Square, the Department of Social Services, Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital, local safety agents such as Emergency Medical Services,
volunteer firefighters, veterans groups, Reach of Cherokee & Graham Counties, law enforcement, municipalities and community volunteers.
The Point-in-Time Count helps agencies gain a deeper understanding of how many individuals and families are experiencing unsheltered homelessness, which includes living on the streets or in cars, RVs or other places not meant for long-term human habitation.
The goal is to count and interview every person possible that is experiencing homelessness.
“This is a challenging feat,” Ledford said, “but the information gathered will help local officials and agencies plan more accurately, set benchmarks to measure progress and help plan programs to appropriately address our local needs.”
Historically most of WNC’s information has primarily been anecdotal and has not provided an accurate count of the families and individuals that are unhoused, she said.
“Those who are unhoused are also invited to reach out on their own behalf,” she said.
Volunteers are needed in all counties to work in teams to seek out and briefly interview those who are unsheltered.
Virtual and live training will be held in advance of the actual count. A training session will cover the use of the survey tool, best practices for approaching and interviewing those experiencing homelessness, including homeless youth and veterans.
A trauma-informed approach to PIT, and other necessary information to prepare volunteers for a successful experience will be addressed.
To volunteer or for more information, email Maria Pedro at mpedro@brchs.com or Ledford at sue.ledford@foursq.org. Call Four Square Community Action at 828-321-4475.
Each area of North Carolina may conduct counts differently, Ledford said, so reach out to the contact person listed above to volunteer and sign up. The training event will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday for Cherokee, Clay and Graham counties.