Every year in January, YSS takes the lead in Marshall County for a “Point in Time Homeless Count.” YSS works with other local non-profits to canvass the county. David Hicks, Senior Director of Community Engagement, says they are doing a count plus gathering other information.
Hicks says without a homeless shelter in Marshall County, many times, they are transporting individuals out of town for support. The count will take place on January 28th and it is a 24-hour count.
Hicks says they are not able to count someone who may be couch surfing. Those people are not considered homeless by the federal government standards.
Hicks says there are some known locations where homeless people stay across Marshall County. The goal is to find out how many people are considered homeless and also share information about support and resources in town. They do not collect any names of individuals. Hicks says they want to find out a reason the person became homeless and how long they have been homeless.
Zach Tomesch, News Director KFJB