Philadelphia leaders, volunteers offer resources to those experiencing homelessness in city
Philadelphia city leaders and hundreds of volunteers will hit the streets late Wednesday night to find people experiencing homelessness.
It's all part of the annual federally required Point in Time Count, which tracks sheltered and unsheltered people on a single night in January.
"It's very critical that we be out there in the streets. Boots on the ground addressing this issue," said City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, who will be out in Center City.
The event is happening on one of the coldest nights of the winter and in the middle of a Code Blue, which went into effect on Sunday.
This activated warming centers throughout the city.
Volunteers will search there, along with shelters and other outdoor locations on the streets.
"We're touching base and offering resources for individuals. If you are outside, encouraging them to come inside, and most importantly helping individuals with resources to help them put their lives back together," said Johnson.
Communities across the United States will share their data. Last year, the city found a 38% rise in homelessness in Philadelphia.
This outreach will also help the city and the federal government figure out why people are experiencing homelessness and what programs are working, so they can step in and help.
"At the end of the day, it's really about reaching out to them and letting them know we care for them and most importantly, using that data for us to come up with strategies and solutions to address homelessness in the city of Philadelphia," Johnson said.
"I believe people should recognize that those who are homeless probably aren't homeless by choice, so we need to have a level of compassion in supporting them," he said.
