Annual Homeless Count January 25

San Juan County’s 2018 Point in Time Homeless Count will be conducted on Thursday, January 25. Count organizers and volunteers work with local family resource centers, food banks, emergency cold weather shelters, churches, healthcare providers, senior centers, libraries, the sheriff’s office, and many other community support service providers to conduct the count. The count, initiated by the State of Washington in 2005 (RCW43.185C.030), is conducted annually at the end of January.

This year the San Juan County Health & Community Services Department has partnered with the Resource Centers on each island to provide Point in Time Count volunteer training on the following dates:

• San Juan Island Family Resource Center
  January 16 at 3:00pm
• Orcas Community Resource Center
  January 18 at 11:30am
• Lopez Island Family Resource Center
  January 23 at 11:00am

The department is also working with the Cold Weather Emergency Shelters on Orcas and San Juan to ensure the shelters are open the night of the count regardless of weather conditions to encourage participation.

Last year’s San Juan County count identified 36 individuals living outdoors, in vehicles or abandoned building, and 60 individuals living in substandard structures without access to either drinking water, a restroom, bathing facilities or the ability to cook hot food. As well, 58 individuals were also identified who were living in temporary, unstable living arrangements, often with family or friends.

If you have questions or would like to help with the count, please contact Ryan Page, San Juan County Affordable Housing Coordinator, Health & Community Services, 370-0590, [email protected]

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