VIRGINIA BEACH — On a single night this past January, 243 people in this city were found to be experiencing homelessness.
However, since families and individuals experience housing crises and move in and out of homelessness on an ongoing basis for many different reasons, the scope of the homelessness issue and number of people in need are much greater.
For more than three decades, Virginia Beach has been committed to ending homelessness through a tapestry of faith, city and nonprofit organizations working together.
Virginia Beach Housing and Neighborhood Preservation and the BEACH Community Partnership invite citizens to join the communitywide effort to make homelessness rare, brief and nonrecurring:
Sign Up to Volunteer for the 2019 Point-in-Time Count
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires cities that receive federal funding for homeless programs to conduct an unduplicated count of the homeless population, known as the Point-in-Time Count.
The count helps determine how much funding a community will receive for homeless programs and services, and provides demographic information about a city’s homeless population.
Each year, more than $1.5 million is granted through the Continuum of Care to Virginia Beach agencies that provide housing and supportive services to the homeless.
Volunteers are needed to help count and administer a survey to homeless persons living on the streets during the 2019 Point-in-Time Count on Jan. 23, from 4 to 8 a.m. Volunteers must be 18 years old and attend mandatory training.
Interested first-time volunteers are encouraged to attend an informational session on Dec. 4, at 6:30 p.m. at the Housing Resource Center, 104 N. Witchduck Road.
To volunteer, register online at www.vbgov.com/VBPITCount by Jan. 3.
For more information about volunteering, contact Diane Hotaling at 757-385-1278 or dhotalin@vbgov.com.
Give to VB Home Now
VB Home Now is a 501(c)(3) foundation that supports and enhances the community system of services, programs, and facilities to prevent and end homelessness in Virginia Beach.
Donations to VB Home Now will help homeless and at-risk families, individuals and youth by addressing key needs in the community. All contributions to VB Home Now are tax deductible.
To learn more about VB Home Now or to donate, visit VBHomeNow.org.
For more information, contact Erin Walker at 757-385-5760 or ewalker@vbgov.com.
