Evansville To Conduct Annual Point-in-Time Count Of Homelessness

Evansville To Conduct Annual Point-in-Time Count Of Homelessness

• Provides snapshot of individuals experiencing homelessness in Evansville 

• • Conducted by the Aurora Outreach Team with support from area homeless shelters, agencies and other local partners 
• • Begins at 7:30 p.m. at CK Newsome Center, site this year of the White Flag Homeless Emergency Shelter operated by United Caring Services and Evansville Rescue Mission during freezing weather. 

EVANSVILLE, Ind., January 27, 2021 – On January 27-28, 2021, Evansville will conduct its annual Point-in-Time (PIT) count of people experiencing homelessness in the community, including sheltered and unsheltered homeless men, women, children and families. Mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the count provides a snapshot of the number and characteristics of people experiencing homelessness in Evansville. The Aurora Homeless Outreach Team conducts the count with support from area homeless shelters and agencies, in conjunction with the Region 12 Homeless Services Council and Commission on Homelessness for Evansville and Vanderburgh County. The count will observe all mandated COVID-19 mask and social-distancing requirements. 

WHO – Aurora Homeless Outreach Team and its Team Lead Natasha Goodge with four medical student scholars of the Southwest Indiana Area Health Education Center (Count of homeless who are unsheltered). Agencies participating include United Caring Services, Ozanam Family Shelter, House of Bread and Peace, Evansville Rescue Mission, YWCA Evansville, Salvation Army, and others (Count of all in-shelter homeless population). Other participants include Eric Biesel, ECHO Housing Case Manager, and Officer Josh Brewer, Evansville Police Department. 

WHEN – The count begins Wednesday, January 27, 2021, at 7:30 p.m. at CK Newsome Center, and resumes and concludes the morning of Thursday, January 28, 2021. 2 

WHERE – The count of those experiencing unsheltered homelessness will begin at the CK Newsome Center at 100 E. Walnut St in downtown Evansville, at 7:30 p.m. Since this location serves as the community’s White Flag Emergency Shelter this year, many of the individuals being counted will be indoors for the night at this facility. Once the count at CK Newsome Center concludes, Aurora’s Homeless Outreach Team will continue by car and on foot to check locations where they have observed homeless clients living (building steps, abandon homes, wooded areas, under bridges, etc.) to ensure these individuals are counted. 

Onsite contacts are Natasha Goodge of Aurora and Krista Board of United Caring Services. 

About the Point-in-Time Count 

The annual point-in-time count is mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for communities receiving its funds for programs to aid people experiencing homelessness. The count includes sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January, including emergency shelters and transitional housing, as well as locations unfit for habitation. HUD aggregates the local data each year as a snapshot of homelessness nationally. HUD utilizes PIT data in its strategic planning for future programs to address homelessness. 

About the Commission on Homelessness 

The Commission on Homelessness for Evansville and Vanderburgh County was formed in 2005 to direct and facilitate the implementation of strategic actions to prevent and end homelessness locally. The Commission includes representatives of local non-profit and civic organizations, City and County government, the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation, the United Way of Southwestern Indiana, the Evansville Housing Authority, and homeless services and housing agencies, among others. Together, they provide leadership for local implementation of national programs and resources to address homelessness, including housing initiatives, coordinated entry and other community-wide homeless processes, homeless diversion and prevention programs. For more: www.evansvillehomeless.org/ and www.facebook.com/evvhomeless/