The goal is to better understand how many individuals are experiencing homelessness in our community and be better equipped to meet their needs. The City of Mesa is looking for volunteers to participate in the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) 2020 Point-In-Time Homeless Street Count on Tuesday, Jan. 28 from 5 a.m. to noon. Volunteers will meet at Salvation Army, Building 3, 241 E. 6th St. for an orientation at 5 a.m. before being sent to their project locations at 5:30 a.m.
The MAG 2020 Point-In-Time Homeless Street Count is a one-day count to determine the number of people experiencing homelessness in Maricopa County during a given point in time. The Count includes a brief survey to identify some of the characteristics of people experiencing homelessness in our community. Cities, such as Mesa, that receive federal funding for homeless assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are required to conduct an annual comprehensive count. This helps local governments and nonprofit organizations more effectively allocate resources necessary to meet the needs of the homeless population.
Volunteers, who must be 16 or older, will be deployed in groups of three or four to count and interview homeless individuals and their families in various parts of Mesa. An optional training session will be held Wednesday, Jan. 22 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Salvation Army, Building 3, 241 E. 6th St. To register, visit www.mesaaz.gov/PITCount.
We are asking for donations of hygiene/care packages to be given out during the Point-In-Time Count. Suggested items for the care packages include socks, ChapStick, combs, Kleenex, Band-Aid adhesive bandages, hand warmers and waterless shampoo. Donations will be accepted until Wednesday, Jan. 22 at Mesa Housing and Community Development Office, 200 S. Center St, Building 1, Mesa, AZ 85210.
