FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Gruber, Development Manager, MDHA
469-222-0047, David.Gruber@mdhadallas.org
2015 Point-In-Time (PIT) Homeless Count
This Thursday, January 22, 2015
Dallas, Texas – If you happen to be standing in
front of Dallas City Hall this coming Thursday, January 22, 2015 at 5pm, you
will see an interesting sight. A few hundred people will gather in front of the
building, only to then fan out into the night. Their mission? To count and
survey those in our community who are experiencing homelessness. The
Point-In-Time (PIT) Homeless Count in Dallas is conducted by the Metro Dallas
Homeless Alliance (MDHA), and is a requirement under U.S. Law.
In fact, during the final ten days of January such counts
will take place in every community across our nation. The PIT, which occurs
every year, allows communities and the nation as whole to track progress
towards ending homelessness, and gather vital data about the needs of those
experiencing homelessness. Dallas and the nation as a whole are committed to
ending veteran homelessness this year and chronic homelessness next year.
Here in Dallas, MDHA’s grantees and partner agencies
count guests and residents in shelters and housing sites, while the above
mentioned community volunteers, escorted by Dallas police officers, locate and
count those living elsewhere. Similar counts are conducted the same night by
the Collin County Homeless Coalition and by the cities of Garland, Irving and
Mesquite, who are all part the Dallas area Continuum of Care organization,
which is led by MDHA.
MDHA still needs volunteers for this huge operation,
which in Dallas is subsidized by the Real Estate Council Foundation. Volunteers
must be at least 18 years of age, should wear clothing appropriate for the
weather and comfortable shoes, and bring a flashlight, a pen, and a clipboard.
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