Homeless count begins in Franklin County

During Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week The Big Bend Homeless Coalition is conducting their annual Point-In-Time Count of the homeless. This is the first year since 2007 Franklin County has done a count. It is especially critical with the Seafood Industry/Bay situation and our at-risk population. The count consists of a volunteer meeting with a person to complete a confidential survey. Your personal information will not be shared. You can also call a confidential hotline; 1-850-792-9426. The count is done in order to collect data to fight homelessness. The data will go to the state to find out where funding is needed the most. Future funding & outreach for Franklin County could be influenced by data we collect. It assists in development or redistribution of programs & services, to raise community & political awareness of homelessness at the local, STATE and NATIONAL level. This data provides communities with the opportunity to go beyond a count, working with outreach teams, health care, & service providers for an opportunity for those experiencing homelessness to get connected to housing, in development or redistribution of programs/services & raises both community and political awareness.

There are two targeted groups in the survey:

Group one: consists of people living on the streets, a trailer park, motel, campground, abandoned building, substandard or inadequate housing or a place not designated or ordinarily used as regular sleeping accommodations for people.

Group two consists of people facing eviction or have been evicted, staying with a friend or relatives, couch surfing, hospital, prison, jail or those in public housing.

The count data also is provided to Congress as part of the Annual Homeless Assessment Report. This is used by Congress, HUD, other federal departments, and the public to understand the nature & extent of homelessness. It collects important data on the general homeless population and subpopulations of homeless persons, including Veterans, families, individuals, & youth.

Veterans are a main target of the count because of “The Zero: 2016 program” This programs goal is to end Veteran homelessness by the end of 2015, and to end chronic homelessness in 2016. If you are a veteran or know a veteran call Charles Elliott at the Franklin County Veterans Services - 653-8096.

For more information or to be included in the survey or if you know of a homeless person please call Sandi Hengle 850-323-0982.





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