Cumberland County Point in Time – Annual Count Scheduled

January 2, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Carlisle, PA – Connect to Home and the Cumberland County Housing Authority will lead staff from partner agencies and community volunteers in conducting the annual Point In Time [PIT] Homeless Census on Wednesday, January 22 and Thursday, January 23, 2025. The Point in Time Count will provide a ‘point in time’ snapshot of sheltered and unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness in Cumberland County during this time period.

During the census, specialized outreach teams will conduct brief, conversational and/or observational surveys with people on the street to confirm if they will/did sleep unsheltered on the night of January 23, and document what their housing needs may be. More than three dozen partner agency staff and community volunteers will depart from multiple staging areas across the county to count and interview individuals, veterans, families, and young people living on the streets. Coordinated Entry Housing Assessments will be offered on the spot to anyone experiencing homelessness, utilizing the Community Cares Outreach Team and Coordinated Entry Access Site.

The annual PIT Count is conducted each year in January, allowing local and regional agencies to gain insights on the progress being made toward ending people’s homelessness, as well as collecting demographic information, assessing client needs, and identifying any gaps in services. The Count is also a requirement of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the local Continuum of Care (CoC) funding process. The Cumberland County Housing Authority, as our local lead agency, applies for this funding each year, as well as other partner agencies, to provide permanent housing, outreach, and supportive services to individuals experiencing homelessness. “The annual Point-In-Time survey is a very important undertaking in our community. The survey allows us to see trends and changing demands for services. The connections made with homeless individuals and families help us better understand the outcomes achieved by existing services and plan for improved services.” – Connect to Home Regional Manager and PIT Count Coordinator Chris Kapp

For more information, or media access to staging area/count teams, please contact Chris Kapp, Unsheltered PIT Count Volunteer Coordinator, at ckapp@cchra.com.