The Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) is organizing a volunteer effort to count Austin's unsheltered homeless population. Volunteers will physically count individuals, conduct surveys, and provide care kits containing hygiene products and information on accessing local services.
Matthew Mollica, Executive Director of ECHO , said, "We have folks that are Austinites living in bushes and under trees."
One Austin nonprofit says there's only one way to find out. The Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, or ECHO, is looking for volunteers to help get an accurate read on the size of the homeless population in the city."It's a count where we organize a lot of volunteers to actually go out and physically count people living unsheltered in our community, do a survey with them, and give them care kits to better understand their situation," Mollica explained.
The kits include hygiene products such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, and deodorant, along with a flyer on how to access services in Austin for people who may not know about the available resources. "Really, what we're trying to do is get folks stuff they can use on a daily basis that will make their living situation a little more manageable," Mollica added.
In 2023, around 800 people participated in the count. ECHO says there are currently 600 people signed up, but they are trying to increase that number by a couple hundred."You can sign up all the way to the count, so if you're unsure of your plans for 3 a.m. on Sunday and you end up being available, then come on out," Mollica said.
HOMELESSNESS VOLUNTEERISM AUSTIN ECHO COMMUNITY SERVICES
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Austin Volunteers to Count Homelessness on Single NightAustin volunteers will participate in a point-in-time count to estimate the number of people experiencing homelessness in the city.
Read more »
Austin Volunteers to Conduct Homeless CountVolunteers in Austin will conduct a point-in-time (PIT) count of homeless individuals on a single night in late January. The Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) expects to recruit around 1,200 volunteers to cover areas of the city and Travis County. The PIT count is crucial for gaining a snapshot of homelessness on a specific night, providing vital data on the number of people in emergency shelters, transitional housing, or living unsheltered. The data collected is used by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to gauge the extent of homelessness in communities nationwide and influences funding allocated to homeless services.
Read more »
Salt Lake County Seeks Volunteers for Annual Homeless CountSalt Lake County officials are calling for 400 volunteers to help with the annual Point-in-Time homeless count at the end of January. While 250 volunteers have already signed up, more are needed to ensure a comprehensive count of people experiencing homelessness in the county.
Read more »
Bucks County Nonprofit Seeks $4 Million to Create Inclusive Housing and Employment HubNext Steps Programs, a Bucks County non-profit, is raising $4 million to purchase a property and transform it into a residential and retail building for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The project aims to address the lack of housing and employment solutions for this population in Pennsylvania.
Read more »
Dallas Animal Services Seeks Volunteers for New Year's Eve 'Calming the Canines' EventDallas Animal Services is looking for volunteers to help reduce the stress of New Year's Eve fireworks on shelter animals.
Read more »
National Archives Seeks Volunteers to Transcribe Revolutionary War DocumentsThe National Archives is calling on volunteers with cursive reading skills to help transcribe historical documents, particularly veteran pension files from the Revolutionary War. This joint effort with the National Park Service aims to shed light on the lives of early American veterans ahead of the nation's 250th birthday.
Read more »