Lake Co. Officials Help To Count Homeless, Offer Assistance

LAKE COUNTY, IL — Volunteers in Lake County recently worked overnight to look for and offer assistance to homeless people in the county, according to a news release from Lake County. Lake County officials in conjunction with the Lake County Coalition for the Homeless (LCCH), other partners and community volunteers participated in the annual Point-In-Time (PIT) Homeless Count on Jan. 23.

This year, 88 volunteers made contact with 21 people experiencing homelessness. This number is expected to increase as volunteers conduct further interviews and pull additional data from local shelters and agencies, officials said.

"The information gathered is critical to understanding where resources should be spent and helps evaluate current and future programs to aid the homeless," according to Lake County officials.

Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart and Vice-Chair Mary Ross-Cunningham were in attendance and were joined by fellow board member Linda Pedersen and Lake County Clerk Robin O’Connor, according to a news release.

“Lake County is working hard to ensure unsheltered people have a place to call home,” said Chair Hart. "The PIT Count is a crucial part of measuring our progress because it produces a snapshot census of the homeless population, allowing us to connect people with the resources they need to help transition them from being homeless to finding permanent housing. We thank everyone who volunteered last night. Together, we can make a difference in the fight to end Lake County homelessness.”

During last night's event, volunteers also distributed items that were donated to the cause, including food, blankets and hygiene supplies, to every unsheltered person they found. In addition, all of those individuals were offered transportation to a local shelter and were connected with organizations who can assist with providing permanent solutions for employment and housing.

"The data gathered last night is extremely valuable because it helps establish housing solutions, which is vital to our mission of ending homelessness," said Brenda O’Connell, Continuum of Care Coordinator for Lake County and one of the PIT Count organizers."Ending homelessness is our top priority, but in order to achieve this, we must connect individuals with affordable, permanent housing. We are making great strides every day, and we appreciate all those who are dedicated to helping us."

Lake County, LCCH and other local partners work year-round on many programs and initiatives that aid the homeless.

For Lake County residents looking to help, they can make a difference by supporting the Lake County Coalition for the Homeless and the various member organizations. Each organization has different needs so there are various ways to get involved, according to the news release.