Volunteers needed for annual homeless count

Volunteers are needed for the annual Point In Time homeless count on Thursday, Jan. 28.

The annual count is an important tool in the community’s efforts to assess the number of homeless in Snohomish County as well as to determine ways of ending homelessness.

The Snohomish County Executive Office and the county’s Homeless Policy Task Force, as well as numerous human services providers, will participate in the annual count. The results of the count help ensure that vital federal and state money continues to fund local programs that work to end homelessness.

“Ending homelessness is an issue that should be foremost on all of our minds,” said Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon, who has participated in past annual counts. “The annual count gives us excellent data that can be used to help understand how widespread homelessness in Snohomish County is and who is most affected.”

More than 200 volunteers participated in last year’s count, which found more than 2,300 people identified as homeless, including more than 800 children under the age of 18.

Volunteers are needed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Volunteers are asked to commit to a three-hour period. All training and materials will be provided at each of the four gathering sites in Arlington, Everett, Lynnwood and Monroe.

North Snohomish County volunteers should contact Nate Greenland at the Smokey Point DSHS Community Services Office, 3704 172nd St. NE, in Arlington. Call 425) 347-6556 or e-mail nategreenland@housinghope. org.