DENTON, MD - Volunteers took to the streets, shelters, and wooded areas in five Mid-Shore counties Wednesday to conduct the annual Point-in-Time count, a nationwide effort to record the number of people experiencing homelessness.
The one-day count seeks to account for individuals living in cars, on the streets, in encampments, or in shelters. The data collected helps secure funding and assess the state of homelessness in the region.
"It tells us a couple things. First and foremost, it helps secure grant money," said Jimmy Morris Jr., Continuum of Care and Housing Outreach Specialist with Mid-Shore Behavioral Health.
The count plays a key role in obtaining roughly $2.5 million in federal funding for rental assistance, as well as for shelters to purchase necessities like bedding and food.
"Secondly, it tells you how bad it's getting. The shelters are full. We're housing people in hotels, and the grant money only covers so much. All the shelters in all five counties are busting at the seams," Morris said.
Organizations such as His Hope Ministries and local library branches assisted in surveying individuals experiencing homelessness, hoping to obtain the most accurate count possible.
"In order to get the services, we need to have an accurate count of how many people that is, so when we're asking for those dollars and we're asking community organizations to help, we know how many we have, where they are, and how they can get the best help that they can have," said Janet Salazar, director of the Queen Anne’s County Library.
Among those surveyed was Theresa Taylor, a resident at the His Hope Ministries shelter.
"If we don't tell them, they'll never know. And imagine how many people that are homeless don't get counted because they don't do the surveys," Taylor said.
Others emphasized the importance of raising awareness and receiving support.
"The amount of people who are becoming homeless, I mean, you got families and all this stuff, and they need help. Like, I'm a family of four, and we desperately need help," said Logan Clemens, who is currently staying at His Hope Ministries.
"Some of us have bad lifestyles, ya know, and we want to grow to do better for our housing," said Lane Pritchett, another resident of the shelter.
The data collected from the Point-in-Time count must be submitted to the federal government by Feb. 7. Communities across the country select one day in late January to conduct their count, which helps determine the level of funding and resources needed to address homelessness.