Workers To Count West Tennessee Homeless
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Dozens of volunteers searched the streets of West Tennessee Thursday in search of the area’s homeless. Organizers of the count said doing this every year is important to help get funding to help those in need. More than 20 volunteers from several agencies braved the rain to count the number of homeless. They are expecting that number to be at least 480 people in Madison County, like last year. “It gives us a good idea on how many we have and it benefits the community, ’cause then we can bring dollars into our community to help serve them,” said coordinator Vicki Lake. Lake said agencies that help the homeless have to do an annual count in January, as part of their large grant application they submit for housing the homeless. “We receive about $1.2 million every year through a grant, but we have to base it on need, so this data helps us show our need,” Lake said. According to Lake, local organizations such as RIFA and ARM also use the numbers to help them locate the people, and give them shelter. Police said it works. “We’ve gotten( a homeless man) off the streets,” said Sergeant Johnny Jines of the Jackson Police Department. “He’s no longer having to beg. He’s got an actual disability check which he’s entitled to, and things are working great for him.” Volunteers fill out forms with their location, living situation, if they were there last year, and if they are veterans. “We’re trying to get a hold on all the veterans coming back from the Iraq and Afghanistan war. So many are turning up to be homeless,” Lake said. And they are hoping this count will change that. Lake said they will have a head count of the homeless in West Tennessee, both sheltered and unsheltered, in about three weeks.
