Volunteers needed to help count Dallas County homeless on Jan. 21

From 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Jan. 21, the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance (MDHA) will conduct its annual Homeless Count, required by law to assess homelessness and develop plans to lower the numbers. Results will be announced during the MDHA’s State of the Homeless Address in March.

Volunteers will fan out across Dallas County to count unsheltered homeless; partner agencies will count sheltered homeless. The volunteers will follow planned routes, canvassing under bridges, and in parks, cars and wooded areas deemed to be safe, as well as abandoned buildings and other areas where persons may be seeking shelter.

MDHA will need 750 volunteers, working in teams of three to five, to conduct a full and accurate count. Volunteers must be willing to commit to a four to six hour, one-time shift. In the past, congregations, companies, non-profits, service organizations and neighborhood associations have made this a service project for their group.

Advance online and on-site training will be provided. To sign up visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/DallasPIT, and for more information visit: www.mdhadallas.org/2016-homeless-count/.

Update: For results click here.