Thousands of Volunteers are Needed Every Year to Count the Homeless

HUD Senior Management Analyst and Homeless Coordinator Samuel Miller and HUD Senior Management Analyst Earleene Sealy attended the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development information session, the start of the 2017 Youth Count conducted each year - during the day - at the end of January. The Youth Count is an initiative to better understand the number of homeless and unstably housed youth in NYC to better inform services. Last year, over 60 organizations participated in the program and many more are expected this year. Homeless youth are particularly vulnerable and there is an emphasis on counting this population to ensure available resources reach this population.

NYC Youth Count Volunteer Sign Up (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NMNPTXC)

Jessica Rodriguez, Outreach Coordinator Runaway and Homeless Youth, The Door, Inc.; Samuel Miller, HUD Region II Homeless Coordinator, and Devoria Alexander, Field Supervisor, New York City Department of Youth Community Development

NYC gearing up for the 2017 Point in Time Homeless Count

Every January, homeless housing and services provider organizations join the homeless Point In Time Count, when thousands of volunteers go out during one night at the end of the month to count the homeless. HUD Region II Staff volunteer for the PIT count every year and in New York, more than 3,800 volunteers are needed. Volunteers canvas parks, subways, and other public places to count the number of people living unsheltered in the city.

You can help us collect vital information that is used by outreach teams to help homeless people leave the streets for a better life. The NYC Department of Homeless Services will be conducting the Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE) count in the five boroughs. Visit the HOPE 2017 (http://nychope.cityofnewyork.us/events/hope-2017/event-summary-a24bc37184574437b7e4c0f20391ae01.aspx) website for more information about the count to be held on January 23, 2017.

###