Volunteers to conduct homeless survey in Indio

Volunteers will gather at Martha’s Village and Kitchen on Tuesday, January 26 to deploy for this year’s Homeless Point-in-Time Count for the city of Indio.

Organizers said the Homeless Point-in-Time Count takes place once a year on a single day in January. Cities across Riverside County create teams of volunteers who spend the morning surveying the unsheltered homeless population in their cities. A count of the sheltered homeless (homeless living in transitional housing and emergency shelters) is also completed in the afternoon.

The Homeless Point-in-Time Count is a requirement for organizations like Martha’s to receive funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), according to a release.

Officials said although the count is a requirement for funding, the survey gives Martha’s a better idea of how to allocate resources and provide the most effective services for the community.

Volunteers for Indio will arrive at Martha’s at 5 a.m. And will conduct the count from 6 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

According to the release, the Quality of Life Team from the Indio Police Department frequently interacts with the homeless on the streets and informs them of the upcoming count and population survey. The unsheltered homeless are generally favorable toward participating and anticipate the day of the count. Incentivized “goodie bags” are distributed in exchange for their participation.

This year, the incentives will include items such as toothbrushes, hygiene products, beanies, socks, water, dog food and informational inserts for local and county-wide homeless services, service providers and contact information, officials said in the release.