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The Lee County Homeless Coalition is looking for volunteers who are willing to help with this year’s Point In Time Count (PIT)/ Annual Census to determine the number of unsheltered homeless in our community. For those of you who have participated in this activity in the past, it will look much different this year due to Covid. We want to prioritize the safety of our volunteers and those who are experiencing homelessness. There will be no paper surveys only the ArcGIS mobile app. The survey will have fewer questions this year thus limiting the amount of time the volunteers interact with clients. Volunteers must wear masks and be willing to download and use an app on their phones. The data will be collected either by interview or observation, whichever meets the volunteers’ comfort level. In an effort to minimize duplication volunteers will be assigned certain areas to be covered. The count will be completed in a 24 hour period.
In previous years, we have been able to gather good data about the homeless population which is essential to understanding the causes of homelessness and designing effective responses. The results have provided us with valuable information on the characteristics of the homeless population. Unmet needs have been identified, and strategies developed to meet those gaps in services. Although not as detailed as previous surveys this year’s PIT count will help us identify patterns, trends, and give us opportunities for future outreach.
Many of you have been participating in the monthly Homeless Impact Surveys or volunteering for the Cold Weather Outreach and are already familiar with the ArcGis123 mobile app. We appreciate your help with those activities and hope you can assist with the PIT count.
If you are interested in volunteering or have further questions, please contact Janet Bartos at 239-322-6600 or email janet@leehomeless.org. An area will be assigned and a brief training provided. We thank you for your participation!
