Point In Time Homeless Count For Region Begins Tues Night

The Point in Time Homeless Count begins Tuesday night accounting for homeless populations across 18 counties.

The federally designated day takes place across America with volunteers surveying the homeless. Homeless Advocacy of Rural TN Advocate Vivian Walker said the organization will collect data from our region to report to the federal government.

“Needs change from year to year,” Walker said. “We’ve seen numbers and needs change through the pandemic. People that were never homeless before all of a sudden find themselves homeless. It’s good if we can know who they are and what caused that exactly.”

Walker said volunteers will not focus on personal information, but collect data on a person’s situation. Walker said the goal of the federal government is to find the needs and provide housing.

“We’re not asking for names or social security numbers but just collecting data like this is a middle aged man that’s staying in a park,” Walker said. “So we can know a little bit more about them and their needs and barriers.”

Walker said beyond surveying, connections are made with the homeless population. Walker said contact information is given right to the hands of those in need. Walker said the hotline links people to local services.

“Every volunteer that goes out will have a card that gives our information,” Walker said. “These people will have a phone number that they can call. We connect them with programs that are specific with their needs.”