The South Dakota Housing for the Homeless Consortium is holding its Point-In-Time Homeless Count later later this month, and volunteers are needed.
Last year, more than 950 people in South Dakota were counted as homeless during the survey, which is only conducted one day out of the year.
"Just asking the questions...going through," Volunteer Kim Hansen said.
That's what Kim Hansen will be doing come January 23rd when she volunteers for a second year during the Point-In-Time Homeless Count.
Last year, she was stationed at the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House and The Banquet.
Homeless Advisory Board Coordinator Stacey Tieszen says volunteers in Sioux Falls spend most of their time in the central part of the city.
"We'll just primarily focus our efforts on that Pettigrew Heights and Downtown area this year so hopefully what we do encounter we'll be able to make sure they're safe and get them to wherever they need to be if they're not," Stacey Tieszen said.
The volunteers will ask people a series of questions starting with...
"Where'd you sleep last night and then following that up with some basic demographics," Tieszen said.
The answers will be recorded on an app.
Last year's homeless count in Sioux Falls was just over 320, but Tieszen says there are likely more people without a home than what this count reflects.
"I can't count you if you are at jail or at detox. I can't count if you're at a friend's house out of economic necessity. So when I say 'snapshot' it's really tiny the number of people we can count," Tieszen said.
However, the numbers do carry a lot of weight down the road.
"From a federal government standpoint it determines the homeless dollars we get. And for grant purposes and what other agencies might use it for this is one number they come to rely on," Tieszen said.
That's one of the reasons Hansen is volunteering for a second year.
"It's a great way to help out; it's a great way to meet new people; hear people's stories; and do your part to help out with our homeless population," Hansen said.
If you'd like to help in your part of the state, you can find contact information here.
© 2018 KELOLAND TV. All Rights Reserved.
- General
- News
- {{Title}}