Volunteers count, assist Central Florida’s homeless

ORLANDO, Fla. — Hundreds of volunteers fanned out through Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties this week to count the homeless and tell them about United Way’s free 24-hour information and assistance hotline, along with other services.

This is an annual task that allows communities to track the homeless population and see how many are reentering society. Funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is provided, based on what the count reveals.

Last year, the Point in Time count showed there were 2,074 homeless people living in the three counties. Most were in shelters, but just over a third were already in transitional housing. Only 17% were unsheltered.

Surprising to some, the 2017 data revealed that 22% of homeless people in Central Florida are children. Only 11% are veterans. Efforts to house and assist veterans have been a priority for local leaders.

Data from this year’s count will be made available in the spring.