DUNCAN —
One critical point most people don’t realize is when people do not have a regular, fixed, stable night time residence, they are considered homeless and receive aid.
On Tuesday, hundreds of volunteers for the “I Count” campaign will be working across 16 Oklahoma counties to make an accurate count to bring more support to those in need.
In a 24-hour blitz effort, the “I Count” campaign will be making the count with the aid of approximately 75 veterans’ organizations, churches, non-profits and government agencies to capture an accurate number of homeless, focusing on veterans, to help bring additional Veterans Affairs and homeless support to this region of the state.
“We wanted the most accurate and credible (survey) as possible,” Pat Hollis, Media Chair for the campaign said. “The key is to get the community involved, when they involved, we can be as comprehensive as possible.”
The campaign, described as the largest and most comprehensive effort to count the number of homeless the region has ever seen, will help provide more support and benefits to existing programs which help the homeless and could expand the programs available.
Hollis believes the key to achieving such a monumental task is the support of area communities and sharing information that could lead to friends and family receiving support they could not be aware they qualify for.
“People don’t realize they are considered homeless when sleeping on someone’s couch, without a permanent roof over their head,” Hollis said. “Not just people on the streets, not just locations not meant for human habitation, even including those in transitional housing and emergency shelters qualify.”
Hollis said most people are not aware if anyone served on active duty with an armed service for at least 180 days and was discharged or released honorably qualify for veteran’s benefits.
Those who served 90 days but spent at least one of those days serving in war time, they also qualify as a veteran, between World War II and the Persian Gulf, Hollis said.
In the month of July, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs announced nearly $100 million in grants to help homeless veterans and those at risk of becoming homeless.
Hollis said the Oklahoma Secretary for Military and Veterans Affairs, retired Major General Rita Aragon has personally sat in on training for the upcoming count and hopes to potentially duplicate the efforts of this pilot program in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa Metropolitan areas.
The homeless hotline is 580-595-0636 and members of the public are welcome to report a homeless site, individual or self-report themselves for the survey.
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