Evansville, IN – The Evansville Vanderburgh Commission on Homelessness announces the
2026 Region 12 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, scheduled to take place from 12:00 p.m. on
January 28 through 12:00 p.m. on January 29, 2026, as part of a nationwide initiative
coordinated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The PIT
Count provides a snapshot of individuals and families experiencing homelessness across
Evansville and surrounding counties and is a critical tool for informing funding decisions,
system planning, and community response efforts. Local media interested in covering the PIT
Count may coordinate through Aurora, Inc.
Ryan Scott, Executive Director of Aurora, Inc., stated:
“Our outreach teams and volunteers continue preparing for the PIT Count while we await
guidance from the State on whether weather or travel advisories may require adjustments to
the count date. Regardless, our focus remains on safely engaging people where they are and
ensuring the data accurately reflects the realities facing individuals experiencing homelessness
across Region 12.”
The count is led by Aurora’s Homeless Outreach Team, with support from emergency shelters
and service providers throughout the region, in partnership with the Region 12 Homeless
Services Council and the Commission on Homelessness for Evansville and Vanderburgh
County. Volunteers and community partners work together to engage individuals experiencing
homelessness, connect them to resources, and collect data that helps shape future services.
In Evansville, United Caring Services operates White Flag shelter access for anyone in need of
overnight shelter, while the Evansville Rescue Mission provides White Flag accommodations
for men. Shelter staff complete surveys for individuals staying overnight and enter data into
HMIS, Indiana’s Homeless Management Information System. Programs not yet integrated into
HMIS complete paper surveys that are returned to Aurora for data entry.
Beyond shelter-based data collection, Aurora’s outreach teams and volunteers conduct street
outreach in Vanderburgh County and engage with partners across nine additional counties –
Knox, Warrick, Daviess, Spencer, Pike, Dubois, Perry, Posey, and Gibson – to ensure a
comprehensive regional count.Savannah Whicker, Administrator for the Commission on Homelessness, emphasized the
unique context of this year’s count, stating:
“With extreme winter weather impacting our region, our priority has been getting as many
people as possible into shelter ahead of the storm. While we anticipate a high number of
individuals counted in shelter this year, we are hopeful that proactive coordination will result in
fewer people remaining unsheltered during dangerously cold conditions.”
The PIT Count remains one of several tools used locally to assess homelessness trends and
system performance, supporting continued efforts to strengthen housing stability, crisis
response, and coordinated care throughout the region.
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About the Commission on Homelessness
The Commission on Homelessness for Evansville and Vanderburgh County, established in
2005, leads efforts to implement strategic actions aimed at preventing and ending
homelessness in the local community. Its members include representatives from local non-
profits, civic organizations, city and county government, the Evansville Vanderburgh School
Corporation, United Way of Southwestern Indiana, Evansville Housing Authority, and various
homeless service and housing agencies.
The Commission works to address homelessness, including housing initiatives, coordinated
entry systems, community-wide processes, and homeless prevention and diversion programs.
For more information, visit evansvillehomeless.org or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/
evvhomeless.
About Aurora, Inc.
Founded in 1988, Aurora provides permanent, long-term housing solutions for those
experiencing homelessness through intensive case management supplemented with rental
assistance. Aurora’s focus is on housing first while connecting individuals and families to other
supportive services which include jobs, increased income, disability, social security, medical
care, and substance abuse facilities.
For more information, visit www.auroraevansville.org.
