The annual effort to estimate the country’s homeless population got underway Thursday. The Flathead Valley is trying to expand its efforts to get an accurate count.
Inside the basement of Kalispell’s First Presbyterian Church, unsheltered locals and those struggling to keep housing gathered for a free meal.
Service providers and volunteers asked questions as part of the national point-in-time count of the homeless population.
It also provides insights into how many times people have been homeless or whether domestic violence or substance use is preventing them from finding housing.
Typically, Flathead homeless organizations host a large event in Kalispell, offering haircuts, warm clothes and other services to gather as much of the homeless community together as possible. But they knew that event wasn’t capturing everyone.
That’s why Sean Patrick O’Neill with Community Action Partnership said there will be popup events like this one around the Flathead through Feb. 1. That’s when the national count ends.
“People in the canyon and people in Columbia Falls, they’re struggling with housing instability. They’re sleeping in their vehicles and campers that aren’t hooked up,” O’Neill said.
Hosting events in new communities also gives providers a chance to count people sleeping outside who don’t make it to the events.
As O’Neill finished his last survey of the night, he said he was happy with how the count is going so far.
“We are getting surveys done with folks that are unsheltered and don’t have a place to stay,” O’Neill said. “Typically, we have one of the largest, if not the largest, unsheltered population in the state.”
He said getting an accurate count of that population will help advocates for homeless services get more funding. He said that’s key as the local homeless population continues to grow.
