As Austin's unhoused population continues to be a significant concern, local non-profit ECHO is urgently seeking volunteers to help with the biannual Point in Time Homelessness Count this Saturday. The organizsation, known formally as the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition is aiming to deploy as many as 1,200 volunteers across the city, yet they find themselves hundreds of helpers short as the date approaches. With a previous turnout of about 800 volunteers, and still 300-400 participants needed, they're making a final push to get people involved in this fundamentally important event.
According to a CBS Austin report, this Saturday night, volunteers will be making the rounds to various locations where Austin's homeless individuals settle for the night, in order to accurately catalogue and assist them. This method of counting has proven effective to avoid duplication as, “We've been seeing just incredible increases in rent and the housing crisis,” lead organizer for Austin Mutual Aid, Sasha Rose explained, highlighting the primary barrier to overcoming homelessness is the rising cost of living. Additionally, data gathered from ECHO’s previous work indicated a 72% increase in people seeking homelessness services in 2023, related to unaffordability.
The count, which only occurs once every two years, is utilized not just for statistical purposes but also to inform policy decisions at local and national levels, making the involvement of volunteers crucial to achieving a comprehensive census. A KXAN interview with Angela de Leon, director of operations for ECHO, revealed that there's still hope for the volunteer numbers to go up, stating, “Quite frankly, someone could show up at 3 a.m. at the Trinity Center downtown, and we will absolutely get them onboarded and sent somewhere where we could use their help.”
For those interested in contributing to this critical effort, the call for volunteers remains open until the count commences. Volunteers can sign up directly on ECHO’s website, with the organization stressing the importance, of every single person who contributes their time. While the coalition works towards understanding and addressing the challenges of homelessness in Austin, individuals can play a vital role in supporting a cause that directly impacts the fabric of their community.
