Statewide homeless count set for Jan. 30

Nevada, Mo. -- People in Vernon County don't like to think there are homeless people among them, but there are.

Homelessness looks different in every community, according to Nevada Housing Authority Director Carol Branham.

In Vernon County, "It's the young man or young lady who got kicked out of his or her home by the parents, who wants to stay in school and get a diploma. Now they're going from couch to couch or car to car to have a place to stay. It's the single mom who literally lives with her children in a van. It's the disabled man who lived with his parents, but they died and now he has nowhere to go. It's the veteran basically living out of his car, not getting the services he needs," Branham said.

Through her work at the Housing Authority, which offers public housing, Branham sees, on average, one person or family without a home every day. And there's little she can do to help. With the exception of the Moss House, a local shelter for victims of domestic violence, there's little emergency or transitional housing in the area, Branham said. There are some resources, such as the Red Cross and Ministerial Alliance, which help with certain circumstances, but needs still exist.

No one is sure how many homeless are in the area, however.

An upcoming statewide count set for Wednesday, Jan. 30, hopes to answer that question with the help of volunteers. Branham, who is coordinating the count in Vernon County, said she had a different view of the homeless since she has been involved with the Housing Authority.

"When I was a kid I thought of a homeless person as the one who guy who dropped off a train by our family farm that my father would bring in and feed," Branham said. "Now,when I think of a homeless person I think it could be the guy down the street who lost his job or the little old lady who lost everything in a fire."

The count will be performed by volunteers who will try to find out more than just the numbers of homeless but also some background information.

Local law enforcement agencies are helping as well.

Branham said that the volunteers won't swoop down on someone and pull a clipboard out and start badgering them with questions. The count will be more subtle and the approach as non-invasive as possible. "We want to do it a little more casually," Branham said. "We don't want to intimidate anyone. We'll try to find out if there is a need we can help with. There will be some provisions for providing shelter for those who need it and every team will have emergency kits with a towel, wash cloth, and some personal hygiene items."

Kits were assembled with donations obtained locally.

Volunteers will have badges identifying them as participants in the counting effort, and Branham said she appreciates their willingness to help.

"We've had great response from the faith community to provide volunteers," Bran-ham said. "They're making an important contribution to the success of this count.

The count is mandated by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in obtaining funding from certain programs.

Although Vernon County has not participated before, the counting system is not new.

"This is a HUD requirement," Branham said. "It's not a new thing, the funding coming to Missouri is dependent on these counts. There are resources that are available, for veterans and for others that are dependent on getting this information."

Branham said that the date for the count was set by HUD, and that she wasn't sure if there would be anyone obviously homeless to count because of the weather.

"We may not encounter anyone," Branham said. "A winter-time count may not find the people. There will be another count during the summer that will give us different data to work with. Even if nothing else comes of it, "this will bring an awareness of needs in our community," and to begin the process of seeking "comprehensive, long-term solutions tailored to the community's needs." Branham said.

The Balance of State Continuum of Care will be coordinating the count which is sponsored by the Gov-ernor's Committee to End Homelessness, Missouri Housing Development Com-mission and a group comprised of local not-for-profit agencies, government agencies, and faith-based organizations interested in housing and homelessness issues.