United Way needs 160 volunteers for the 2025 Wichita-Sedgwick County Point-In-Time Homeless Count on January 23

WICHITA, Kan., Nov. 12, 2024 – The annual Point-In-Time Homeless Count is a national effort undertaken once a year by professionals and volunteers to estimate the number of Americans who don’t have safe and stable housing. As part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Grant requirements, the results are reported to that agency and studied for national trends. Locally, data is used to inform funding decisions, study local trends, reach underserved persons, and increase awareness of those experiencing homelessness, both sheltered and unsheltered.

The Coalition to End Homelessness in Wichita / Sedgwick County (Coalition), backed by the United Way of the Plains, leads the Point-in-Time Count locally. The Coalition is made up of local government, non-profit agencies, and community stakeholders who want to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring in Sedgwick County. In 2023, members of the Coalition housed or kept in housing 1,433 individuals.

Trained volunteers and members of the Coalition will conduct the 2025 Point-In-Time Homeless Count for the Wichita and Sedgwick County area on Thursday, Jan. 23,  from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cole Schnieders, United Way of the Plains Continuum of Care Planning Manager is leading the 2025 data collection efforts. Schnieders says the count is an important tool in reaching the Coalition’s goal of Functional Zero Homelessness. “We’ll need 160 volunteers to complete this vital study. Every volunteer will be trained and paired with an experienced professional. These data collection teams will be speaking directly with our homeless neighbors. In some ways, this is our largest community outreach event of the year. We want everyone homeless to know they matter, and we want to end their homelessness.”

Those interested in volunteering can learn more on United Way’s website. Training will take place in early January, so volunteers are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible. The deadline to sign up is Thursday, Dec.12, 2024.

The last Point-In-Time Homeless Count in Wichita-Sedgwick County was conducted on Jan. 25, 2024. Results showed a total of 691 homeless persons in Wichita-Sedgwick County compared to 702 in 2023 and 690 in 2022. Check this link for more information about the latest count and to find helpful definitions. Visit United Way’s website to learn more about the work of the Coalition. Reports from past counts conducted across the nation can be found on the HUD EXCHANGE website at hudexchange.info.

United Way of the Plains submits the annual HUD grant application and manages the yearly process for funding homeless services in Sedgwick County. The coalition was awarded a $3 million HUD grant in 2024. United Way also manages the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), a shared database that is used for case conferencing to match clients with needed resources. The Coalition to End Homelessness is overseen by Matt Lowe, Director of Community Impact at United Way.  

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MEDIA CONTACT: Stacy Ward Lattin, Manager of Public Outreach and Community Engagement, (316) 267-1321, ext. 4224, swardlattin@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, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok.