The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Volunteers sought for annual homeless youth count
MIDDLETOWN — With January right around the corner, we are now starting to feel the effects of a New England winter: snow, wind and cold. While many of us are fortunate to be able to find refuge from the elements, that is not the case for everyone here in Middlesex County.
The Coalition on Housing and Homelessness, formed in 2008, set a 10-year goal to prevent and end homelessness in Middlesex County, Meriden and Wallingford by 2018. This organization is made up of volunteers in the community, including representatives from local faith organizations, service providers, local government and more.
Since its formation, over 100 supportive housing units were created to house formerly chronically homeless individuals, and 325 households have been assisted through their flexible homelessness prevention fund. The MCCHH has made great strides in reducing instances of homelessness in our county, with homelessness being decreased already by over 50 percent.
There are still many challenges ahead, as homelessness among youth and young adults is increasing.
The statewide group, Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness is going to conduct a third youth count between Jan. 24 and 30. The first count, held in 2015, helped to identify 3,000 homeless and unstably housed youth. The challenge with this population is that they often do not trust the existing systems and likely would never have entered homeless shelters. By conducting these counts and identifying the community members facing these difficulties, we will have a better idea of the magnitude, needs and demographics of homeless youth in our state.
This is where we need your help. The CCEH is looking for volunteers to assist in this year’s youth count. Surveyors are going to be dispatched to numerous locations, from libraries to parks to coffee shops, and are crucial in collecting personal information about members of this population. To volunteer, please visit CCEH.org/youth-count and click the registration link. Training will be provided.