Homeless Count is getting Press!!

This article ran in my local paper (identifying info blanked out):

Article published Jun 12, 2006

Survey to count area homeless

Data to help determine needs, get grants

By ______________________________

State and local officials hope to bring visibility to Colorado's homeless this summer while gaining a better understanding of who they are and the services they need.

The first statewide count of homeless people in 18 years is scheduled to take place the evening of Aug. 28 and during the day Aug. 29. Volunteers will visit agencies that work with the homeless to survey residents as well as parks and other places used as havens.

A goal of the survey is to reach as many homeless people as possible who are not staying in shelters, said (my name), coordinator of the project in Larimer County.

Many homeless people, including families with young children, end up "crashing on friends' couches" or camping, she said, and are not easily found.

"We want to contact as many people as we can in the county," (my name) said. "We want to get a good snapshot of what homelessness looks like in Larimer County."

The project is sponsored by the Colorado Interagency Council on Homelessness, which was appointed by Gov. Bill Owens in 2003. The survey is intended to get an accurate count of the homeless across the state, document the demographics of the population and determine mobility trends. The information would be useful in applying for government funds aimed at programs designed to address homelessness, which is on the rise.

For the purposes of gathering the information, the state's counties have been divided into nine regions. Each county is expected to do its own survey, without financial backing from the state, (my name) said.

Hundreds of volunteers are needed to help conduct the survey. Donations such as gift cards to pass along to homeless people who participate also are needed, she said.

An estimated 700 to 1,300 people are homeless in ________ County, (my name) said. The survey is expected to produce a more accurate number and useful information about individuals' situations. It also would generate information on the number of homeless who have physical and mental disabilities or have substance-abuse problems. Understanding how a person became homeless is a step toward addressing his or her needs, (my name) said.

A 1988 statewide count of the homeless identified 3,165 people, including 2,145 in the Denver metro area. A survey taken in January in metro Denver found 9,091 homeless people.
The number of homeless in metropolitan areas has been studied, but not in rural areas, said Very Kind Woman and Friend, regional director of Agency XYZ. The agency operates homeless shelters in two northern CO cities.

The homeless population has shifted in recent years, Very Kind Woman and Friend said, with shelters seeing fewer "travelers" and more area residents seeking help. The number of homeless who are physically disabled has increased, she said.

Officials typically put the number of homeless at 1 percent of the population, Very Kind Woman and Friend said. Having solid numbers on the homeless would help agencies better understand the depth of the issue and coordinate services, she said.

The reporter did a GREAT job, including these sidebars:

Who is Homeless?
A person is defined as homeless if he or she is:
* Sleeping in places not meant for human habitation, such as cars, parks, sidewalks or vacant buildings;
* Sleeping in an emergency shelter;
* Spending 30 consecutive days or less in a hospital or other institution but ordinarily sleeping in an emergency shelter or a place not meant for human habitation;
* Living in transitional/ supportive housing after being on the streets or in emergency shelters;
* Staying temporarily with family or friends while looking for a permanent place to live;
* Staying temporarily in a motel paid for by others while looking for shelter or housing;
* Being evicted within a week from a private dwelling unit and having no subsequent residence identified;
* Being discharged from an institution and having no subsequent residence.

And,

Want to help?

Volunteers and donations are needed to assist the homeless count in ______ County. For information about the program and how to help, contact (my name) with City Y Human Services at myname@ci.cityy.co.us or 555-5555.

It was really cool, both for my project, and for my career development, to have this kind of noticeable press. At this point, the letter template I drafted to get the word out has been adopted by the State for all the other counties to use, and that press article is being referenced as a model. It makes me giddy to see doors opening that just a few months ago were seemingly nailed shut!