Carbon County volunteers canvassed numerous communities to conduct the annual homeless Point-In-Time count.

The count seeks to get an overall picture of how many unsheltered individuals are within a certain area.

Kimberly Miller, Executive Director Carbon County Action Committee for Human Services, explained the purpose of the PIT count is to identify those who are homeless to gather information about them and offer packages contained in backpacks.

Miller said the canvassing began at around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, and continued through noon today.

“The Action Committee has prepared backpacks with cold weather items (scarves, hats, gloves, socks, etc.), hand warmers, blankets, lap robes, bags of toiletries, various food items, water, Narcan, and information packets with information of services available in Carbon County,” Miller said. “Each canvassing group has been supplied with several of these bags.”

Miller said the number of unsheltered county volunteers was at least 16, with possibly more.

“The Point-In-Time count measures and monitors trends and changes in homelessness on local and national levels,” she said. “Further, it helps communities (including states) understand what resources are needed and strategize the best ways to use them to end homelessness.

Miller added, “The Carbon County Action Committee for Human Services has been organizing the unsheltered count in this county for years, and once again, is pleased to be teaming up with its various community partners in the planning and conduct of this year’s count.”

She said that includes Family Promise of Carbon County, Carbon County Office on Aging, Carbon County Drug & Alcohol, SS Peter & Paul’s St. Vincent de Paul Society, and the Lehighton Cold Weather Station.

Miller said the Carbon County Action Committee for Human Services also shared details concerning this count with local police departments, area service providers and school districts requesting assistance in surveying any individuals or families that slept in a place not meant for human habitation that they had personal contact with either the evening of the count or the next morning.

She pointed out that while the Point-In-Time count is completed in one night, the actual number will not be known for several weeks, and cannot be released until confirmed by the State of Pennsylvania.

“HUD’s annual PIT Count includes both “sheltered” and “unsheltered” counts and our agency is only responsible for coordinating the annual “unsheltered” Point-In-Time Count in the county,” Miller said. “As such, most of our responses are only in relation to the “unsheltered” count.”

She said that as shelters or emergency shelters, the state of Pennsylvania also invites Family Promise of Carbon County, Peaceful Knights, and the Lehighton Cold Weather Station to report the number of sheltered individuals they served the evening of the count.

Cathy Lamm, Executive Director of Family Promise of Carbon County, who also serves as chairperson of the Carbon County Homeless Task Force, said there were a team of six who drove around the Panther Valley School District parameters and distributed necessary bags, warm hats, scarfs, gloves, personal hygiene and snacks.

“We kind of know where some of the unsheltered folks gather, but if anybody wants to be counted, get something to eat, a warm drink, should come to our shelter,” Lamm said. “It gives the government a snapshot of how many unhoused folks we have during a specific Point in Time that are out there and are unhoused.”

However, Lamm added, “There’s folks that we don’t get to count. Unfortunately, we don’t have access to those folks.

“That’s why it’s important if people want to be included in this, that they contact us,” she said. “The more numbers we have, it signals to the powers that be that we need more aid.”