By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com


Several local agencies participated in a count to help determine just how many people are without a home when the weather is its roughest.

The Livingston County Homeless Continuum of Care Committee is reporting a Point-in-Time (PIT) count of 44 individuals in shelters experiencing homelessness during the coldest month of the year. The PIT count takes place nationwide annually on the last Wednesday of January and is required for homelessness programs that are funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The count took place last Wednesday, between 10am and midnight, and included 7 teams with 14 volunteers from the United Way, the Salvation Army, St. Vincent DePaul, the Livingston Family Center, and the Connection Youth Services, Severe Weather Network, OLHSA, and Livingston County Catholic Charities. Two unsheltered individuals were also found during the time frame and were offered shelter and resources.

Because of COVID, communities could have requested a waiver for the unsheltered portion of the count, but Continuum declined to request such a thing and completed the count as normal.

PIT Count Committee Chair Lynda Brown Schultz thanked everyone who took part in the count and said she witnessed their group of people show up with empathy for those who may need assistance and resources.