GREENSBORO - Working in a cold drizzle, volunteers started counting the homeless at 6:30 a.m. today in Guilford County as part of the annual census of area homeless.
Many of the workers gathered this morning at Greensboro Urban Ministry downtown off West Lee Street, where about 200 homeless had gathered for the Wednesday breakfast. Most had already been counted at their shelters, so volunteers ended up with only about 20 new names.
Throughout today and this evening, about 50 volunteers will take part in the "point-in-time" count, which is used to secure state and federal funding to help the homeless, said Shanna Reece, chair of the Homeless Prevention Coalition of Guilford County.
The money is used for housing needs, such as creating transitional housing and paying for federally subsidized housing vouchers. It also helps agencies find people who are in need of services and to figure out where there are gaps in services.
The final tally likely won't be finished for about two weeks, Reece said.
Last year, there were 981 homeless counted, compared with 1,269 the year before.
Officials expect the numbers will increase this year because of the troubled economy.
Early signs pointed to an increasing number of homeless when shelters filled up over the summer, a time when typically they have open spaces. Additional winter emergency sites were formed in partnership with several area churches to create almost 100 additional spots. Still, emergency shelters at Greensboro Urban Ministry and the Salvation Army's Center of Hope have been full this winter, officials have said.
Contact Jennifer Fernandez at 373-7064 or Jennifer.fernandez@news-record.com