Submitted by San Juan County

The San Juan County’s 2019 Point in Time Homeless Count will be conducted on Thursday, Jan. 24. Count organizers and volunteers work with local family resource centers, food banks, emergency cold weather shelters, churches, health care providers, senior centers, libraries, the sheriff’s office and many other community support service providers to conduct the count. The count, initiated by the state of Washington in 2005, is conducted annually at the end of January.

This year, San Juan County Health and Community Services staff is collaborating with the local resource centers on each island to provide Point in Time Count volunteer training on the following dates:

1 p.m., Jan. 10, San Juan Island Family Resource Center.

1 p.m., Jan. 16, Orcas Community Resource Center.

Noon, Jan. 18, Lopez Island Family Resource Center.

Last year, the Point in Time Count identified 57 individuals living outdoors, in vehicles, abandoned building or substandard RVs or boats. There were 63 individuals also identified who were living in temporary, unstable living arrangements, often with family or friends.

If you have questions or would like to help with the count, contact Ryan Page, San Juan County affordable housing coordinator, at 360- 370-0590 or ryanp@sanjuanco.com.