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Homeless coalition still accepting volunteers for survey
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Posted on Jan 20 2020
The homeless coalition is still accepting volunteers for its 4th annual Point-In-Time count that will be held on Jan. 25.
So far, a total of 75 volunteers attended the Commonwealth Homeless Coalition’s orientation at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center last Jan. 17 and at the Northern Marianas Housing Corp. central office in Garapan last Jan. 18.
According to Northern Marianas Housing Corp. office manager Jacob Muña, they are still accepting volunteers to reach their goal of 120. He hopes that more volunteers will reach out to them before or on Jan. 22 so that they can conduct another orientation before the Point-In-Time count on Jan. 25.
“We’re still grateful and thankful that the volunteers are setting some time aside to help us with this count,” said Muña. “We’re also hopeful that more people will volunteer.”
The orientation informed volunteers on the basics of the count and its purpose.
According to Muña, the point of the count is to obtain funding to assist individuals and families who are living in a place that isn’t meant for human habitation and who are sleeping in an emergency or transitional shelter.
Muña stated that the Continuum of Care grant they are applying for will help assist people who meet the requirements with temporary apartments in hopes that they will take this opportunity to get back on their feet and turn their lives around.
The CNMI Homeless Prevention Coalition, in collaboration with NMHC, will be conducting the Point-In-Time count on Jan. 25 from 7am-12pm.
The count is a prerequisite for every community that receives federal funds for programs that aid the homeless, particularly the COC grant.
In 2018 alone, over 1,000 individuals were considered homeless by the Department of Housing and Urban Development definition. That means actual homelessness or living in a home unfit for human habitation.
If you would like to volunteer, contact Muña at (670) 483-9447.
