Chaffee County Community Foundation is partnering with the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, to secure a Point In Time count for the unsheltered in our community.

The Point In Time count helps establish the number of individuals experiencing homelessness in an area. HUD requires each Continuum of Care (CoC) nationwide to conduct this survey in the last 7 days of January each year.

Volunteers will be assigned specific locations (shelters, libraries, food pantries, etc.) and provided with a short survey (only 5 or 6 questions) to use.

This survey primarily focuses on the question “Where did you sleep on the night of Tuesday, January 24th?” This is the “Point in Time” or (PIT) aspect of the assignment.

Training for this volunteer opportunity will be provided during the second week of January, via Zoom, and you will be given care packages to offer the individuals with whom you are engaging.

There are flexible time slots for certain locations and also specific time slots for other locations (needed to correlate with food pantry hours and such). The survey locations include Buena Vista, Salida, and a few locations in Johnson Village and Poncha Springs.

If you have any questions about this volunteer opportunity, please don’t hesitate to call our office, prior to registering. Call Laurel at 719-204-5071Once you’ve registered, you will be contacted by Barbara Martinez who will provide further information.

What is a Point-in-Time Count?
A point-in-time (PIT) count is an annual survey of the number and characteristics of homeless persons at a single point in time, i.e., on a single night in the last 10 days of January. This is generally collected with a survey that asks basic demographic information while masking identity in accordance with guidance.

Why do we do Point-in-Time Counts?
Point-in-Time data helps us understand the number and characteristics of people experiencing homelessness on a county and local level, identify local needs, better advocate for families and individuals experiencing homelessness, measure our progress in making homelessness rare, brief, and one-time, and it is used to assist with applying for HUD (Department of Housing & Urban Development) and other homelessness housing and assistance funds.

How does a Point-in-Time Count help my community?
The PIT Count helps our local resource providers to be better advocates for unsheltered people in our community, it provides the data needed to secure state and federal funding for local solutions, and ensures we know what services are needed to address homelessness in our community.

How can I help? 
Please consider volunteering for one or more shifts to help with the PIT Count. All volunteers will receive training, support and be paired with seasoned volunteers. This is a great way to help our community offer a compassionate and effective response to those experiencing homelessness.

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Dan R

Danny “Dan R” Ridenour has been in radio and television broadcasting for over 40 years, starting as a senior in high school in Rogers, Arkansas. His radio career has had stops in Nashville, Memphis, Oklahoma, and eventually, Colorado. Dan enjoys being involved in the community, having been a member of the Upper Arkansas Service Club and is currently on the board of directors for the Salida Community Center and is a member of the Chaffee County Fair Committee. He and his wife Carrie spend their days doing everything the mountains have to offer: hiking, camping, fishing and skiing. They've raised 3 children and have 2 grandchildren.

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