Counting the Uncounted

Thank you to the group of 40 Robin Hood staff, volunteers, donors and friends who participated in last night’s Homeless Outreach Population Estimate.  Armed with hats, hand-warmers, maps, pens, and clipboards, teams walked streets, public parks, and subway platforms on the west side of Manhattan surveying individuals about their housing status.

Of the many people surveyed, over 100 people were counted as homeless in the blocks canvassed by the Robin Hood teams. One team encountered a pregnant woman and her husband living in 23rd Street A/C subway station and connected them with a family shelter where they would not be separated.

A Robin Hood-staffer who experienced her first HOPE Count last night said, “In the most tactile and clearest way, it brings you face-to-face with poverty in the city.”

Last night’s experience provided a new perspective on our fellow citizens who are trying survive in New York City each day.

HOPE Count

Tonight 3,000 volunteers will comb New York City streets for the 2012 HOPE Count. Robin Hood staff and donors will be joining the group of volunteers again this year. It’s an invaluable experience for the Robin Hood community as well as important measure for our programs.

Conducted by the New York City Department of Homeless Services, the survey aims to get an accurate count of the unsheltered men and women living on New York City streets in all five boroughs and on the subway trains.

In the early hours of morning, teams of three volunteers canvass the specific zones to find out just how many unsheltered people live in our city and offer support services to those they may find. 

The HOPE Count is a crucial resource for understanding and intensifying the fight on poverty.