Point-in-Time

 

Photo: Barbara Davidson/LA Times

January is the month for the annual point-in-time (PIT) count across the nation. HUD mandates that a yearly census of the homeless population be gathered to guide its allocation of support for those agencies that rely upon HUD funding to provide services for the homeless and near homeless population.

The numbers from 2015 are telling. The PIT count was 183 in 2010; in 2015 it was 368, 74 of which were considered unsheltered (living in places not meant for habitation). By all accounts the increase in numbers was partly due to the improvement in accuracy in the counting process.

If the population of the Rescue Mission is any indicator, the count will be at least the same for 2016. This is significant in that the Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley is the only emergency overnight shelter in Mahoning County. We have seen a marked increase in the number of individuals served at the Mission – an average of 131 per night for fiscal year 2015.

Stay tuned for information on 2016 PIT. In the meantime, consider what you can do to help the Mission care for this increasing need.