2022 Wichita-Sedgwick County Point-In-Time Homeless Count Takes Place February 24

WICHITA, Kan., Feb. 23, 2022

Event: The annual Point-In-Time Homeless Count is a national effort undertaken once a year by professionals and volunteers to seek out and count those who are currently homeless in communities across the United States. The results are used to identify resources needed to address the issue, make local funding decisions, study trends in homelessness and increase awareness about those who don’t have shelter.

When: Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022

Where: Across Sedgwick County

Video/Photo Opportunities:

• 4:45 a.m. – Veterans Administration (VA) team departs from Building 5 at the VA (5500 E. Kellogg). Media may conduct interviews with staff and ride-alongs may be arranged.
  Contact: Suzanne Jenkins, Director of the Homeless Outreach Program at the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center, (316) 295-6788.
• 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. – A United Way of the Plains representative will be available throughout the day for interviews about the count progress at the Salvation Army (350 N. Market). Media crews may enter through Market Street or Broadway Street entrances and should proceed to the second-floor gym.
  Contact: Cole Schnieders, Continuum of Care Planning Manager with United Way of the Plains, (316) 737-7485.

Background: The last Point-In-Time Homeless Count in Wichita-Sedgwick County was conducted Jan. 29, 2020. Results of that year’s Wichita-Sedgwick County Point-In-Time Homeless Count showed a 4.4 percent increase in overall homelessness. A total number of 619 homeless persons were counted in 2020, compared to 593 in 2019. The count was not conducted in 2021 due to various service disruptions caused by the pandemic. Check this link for more information about the 2020 count and to find helpful definitions.

United Way of the Plains leads Impact ICT – Continuum of Care (CoC), the community coalition working to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring. Impact ICT – CoC addresses barriers to permanent housing and manages housing assistance resources from federal grant funding. Visit the website to learn more about the work of Impact ICT – CoC.

United Way of the Plains and its CoC partner agencies will work with volunteers to conduct the 2022 Point-In-Time Homeless Count for the Wichita and Sedgwick County area. The count results are reported to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for their national database and as part of their grant requirements. The public is encouraged to dial 2-1-1 or text 898-211 on that day if they see someone who appears to be homeless to ensure they’re included in the count.

Reports about past counts conducted across the nation can be found on the HUD EXCHANGE website at hudexchange.info.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Angie Prather, Vice President of Marketing and Chief Community Engagement Officer, (316) 267‑1321, ext. 4105, aprather@unitedwayplains.org

United Way of the Plains is a nonprofit and for-impact organization that focuses on health, education, financial stability and basic needs – the building blocks for a good quality of life and a strong community. Our mission is to improve lives by harnessing the caring power of our community to advance the common good in south central Kansas. Follow us on these social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.