Press Release

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December 27, 2006

In another step in Contra Costa Health Services' 10-year plan to end homelessness in Contra Costa County, volunteers are being recruited for a count of the county's unsheltered homeless population on January 30.

"Contra Costa was the first county in the Bay Area to have such a plan, and in order to accomplish it, we need to collect baseline data on the homeless population every couple of years to assess our progress," said Cynthia Belon, LCSW, director of the county Homeless Program.

Training for the count, which is required for all volunteers, will take place January 23-25 at churches in Concord and Richmond. Each volunteer must attend a one-hour training. The actual count will begin at 6 a.m. Wednesday, January 30, simultaneously in West County, Central County and East County.

Belon said an estimated 15,000 people experience homelessness in Contra Costa each year, with 900 families and more than 7,000 individuals enduring it each night. She said this will be the second ever Homeless Count in Contra Costa, and that the 2005 count was aided by 150 volunteers.

Training for the count will take place at 6:30 p.m. January 23 and 11 a.m. January 24 at Chestnut Community Church (AKA Phoenix Center), 3525 Chestnut Ave. in Concord. Trainings will also take place at 6:30 p.m. January 24 and 11 a.m. January 25 at Grace Lutheran Church, 2369 Barrett Avenue, in Richmond.

Volunteers are asked to register in advance by January 19 using a form available at the Homeless Count page. The form can be emailed to Danielle Crowell, faxed to 415-788-7965 or mailed to Homebase, Center for Common Concerns, ATTN: Danielle, 870 Market Street, Suite 1228, San Francisco, CA 94102.

For more information about volunteering, call Danielle Crowell at 415-788-7961, ext. 301.

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