During the cold final days of January, a count of Augusta’s homeless population is tallied.
This year’s Point in Time (PIT) count kicked off Tuesday, but some of the dates have been shifted due to extreme temps and snowfall.
The biggest count begins late Friday and into the wee hours of Saturday morning when teams will go to known homeless encampments to talk to those living there.
“We do the Point in Time the last 10 days of every January. That’s typically when it’s coldest to get a snapshot of homelessness,” said Bethany Trapp, co-chair of PIT planning.
The numbers help the city in its grant application process as well as to receive government resources.
It’s done nationally in conjunction with the Department of Housing and Urban Development,
Volunteers survey the unhoused by asking questions such as why the person is homeless, if they have any income or if they have access to medical care.
For the overnight count, about 100 volunteers are needed. They will go out in teams with Augusta-Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies to talk with the homeless population, according to Brennan Meagher Communications and Community Liaison.
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