In the face of bitter temperatures and sometimes perilous weather conditions, there may be no population more at-risk than individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
Understanding how large and widespread this community is in Delaware is crucial to securing funding and reshaping policy. Late in the night of Jan. 24 and into the early hours of the morning, community members gathered in New Castle’s Hope Center, equipped with care bags, surveys and maps to partake in Delaware’s annual Point In Time (PIT) count.
As affordable housing problems continue to take center stage in legislative spaces and the pool of pandemic-era support is all but dry, the PIT count attempts to get a snapshot of Delaware’s homeless population during the most dangerous time of year.
It could be months before the final data comes back, but previous years have showed that Delaware’s lack of affordable housing and dwindling support has not only made people more vulnerable to homelessness, but also has made it harder to track.