Point in Time Count
Author: Brianna Jones
Faculty Supervisior: Anelise Farris, Ph.D.
Community Partner: Street Beat
Abstract:
For my service-learning project I partnered with Street Beat to assist the Georgia Department of Community Affairs with counting the homeless in Camden County. Street Beat is part of Safe Harbor, and their program provides resources for local homeless youth and adults. While counting we gave out breakfast and lunch, plus hats, toothbrushes, bathing wipes, etc. During the count there were other local organizations there with tables set up giving out information and other necessities. For example, Work Source Georgia was there to assist in finding jobs and Coastal Georgia Community Action was there to give information about free education for children at the local Head Start. Participating in the count really opened my eyes to the number of local people/families that are homeless. It's important for us because it helps determine funding and resources to help combat homelessness in our community. Plus, we got to interact with these people and kind of learn more about them, their background, and how they ended up homeless. This count is done every year and to help people could volunteer to count. Aside from the actual counting, you can help these people out by providing resources and information, help local organizations get the word out. I'm now actively participating in Camden County's Homeless Coalition, and I would have never even thought to until this project.
