Lowcountry nonprofit seeking volunteers to help with 2023 Point in Time Count

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - With the new year comes another Point in Time Count, counting anyone experiencing homelessness on a single night in January.

That night is on the horizon. With Jan. 25 only a couple of weeks away, one Lowcountry nonprofit is in need of volunteers.

One80 place in downtown Charleston is looking for volunteers to come out on that night to help engage with and count people.

The Point in Time Count is a yearly count of sheltered and unsheltered people in the community on a single night at the end of January. It’s required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development in order for the community to receive more funding and support for people experiencing homelessness.

The count is shared with lawmakers, legislatures and HUD to make the case for why the community needs continued funding, more funding or more affordable housing.

One80 Place Chief Compliance Officer Amy Wilson said the count also gives the community a better understanding of the needs of people experiencing homelessness.

With the South Carolina population on the rise, she said this count is critical. According to the most recent annual report from the South Carolina Interagency Council on Homelessness, homelessness across the state has increased by 18 percent in recent years.

Wilson said One80 place heads the Point in Time Count and is looking for more volunteers, specifically in Berkeley and Dorchester Counties.

She said volunteers would go out in groups to different homeless communities and ask them to fill out a short survey and pass out supply bags with bug spray, instant coffee, hand warmers and more.

“The people that you’re talking to, they are people. They’re not a number, they’re not just this person on the street, they’re real people. And understanding what led to this point in their lives, what they need and what they want, is critical. And it’s something we should all want as a community,” Wilson said.

She said the commitment for volunteers includes one or two short training sessions that are no more than one hour, and then a few hours on the night of January 25th.

Anyone interested in volunteering can email hcarver@lowcountycoc.org.

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