Volunteers in Tarrant County are canvassing all kinds of areas making sure the often unseen are seen and counted Thursday night.
"It's important to me that these people know that they matter and that their lives matter and they count," volunteer Chandry Manzke said.
It's called Point In Time Count. People who are unsheltered get counted as part of an effort to help organizations get federal dollars to address homelessness.
"But it also does go into part of a formula of how, what determines what housing funding we get," Tarrant County Homeless Coalition Executive Director Lauren King said.
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Approximately 500 volunteers were trained and paired with police officers to cover an area.
"If police officers know where there is an active camp or where someone is living they will go to that place and see if they can find anyone there,” King said. “If they do find someone they'll actually do a survey."
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King said she is expecting to see an increase in those needing shelter.
"In looking at our ongoing data that we collect throughout the year my guess is that our numbers will get closer to where we were pre-pandemic,” King said. “To give you an idea homelessness fell by about 40% during the pandemic."
One volunteer tonight says she is taking count of the homeless and trying to leave them with a little hope.
"I would love to have the opportunity to pray with some people and just give them hope that what they are going through right now that this will pass,” Manzke said. “That their circumstances can change and improve."
A public presentation will be given in March that will give the numbers collected Thursday night.
The Tarrant County Homeless Coalition will also release more information that will give a broader view of the homelessness situation in both Tarrant and Parker counties.
