Courtesy Community Solutions website.
Kansas City is now part of a national effort against homelessness and volunteers are needed to start the work.
Community Solutions, a New York based nonprofit, recently selected Kansas City as one of 68 pilot communities in “Zero:2016.”
The effort seeks to end veteran homelessness by December 2015 and chronic homelessness by December 2016, according to a Mid-America Regional Council press release.
The first local step is the 2015 Point-in-Time count, which provides the local homeless population snapshot.
The count will take place Jan. 28-29 and volunteers are needed to distribute and conduct the survey at shelters, churches, libraries and feeding locations.
Volunteers can contact Evie Craig at restart, ecraig@restartinc.org, 816-472-5664, ext. 252.
Continuum of Care groups in Jackson and Wyandotte counties will work with area landlords, businesses and other groups to eliminate homelessness.
“Kansas City’s inclusion in the Zero:2016 effort creates an opportunity for us to be a national leader in the Housing First movement,” said Councilman Scott Wagner, chair of the Homelessness Task Force of Greater Kansas City. “But more importantly, we can strategically impact the issue of homelessness in our area to improve the lives of individuals and families and the livability of our neighborhoods.”
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