Here are pictures, preliminary findings and more.

This year, GKCCEH made it our first priority to go about the Point In Time Count in such a way that treats each person experiencing homeless as just that: Not a number, but a person. We are taking advantage of the opportunity to share information about frostbite and hypothermia, connect homeless individuals to services when possible and hand out PIT Personal Care Bags that include a variety of necessary personal items. 

Our preliminary findings: 

We rescheduled KC’s PIT Count for March 2-3, 2022. Before the second day was over, we had already identified more individuals experiencing homelessness in our city than last year’s total. 

More than a number

As we said above, our first priority when conducting PIT is treating each individual experiencing homelessness that we come in contact we as the person that they are. Our team has been blown away by the kindness and openness with which these individuals shared information and allowed us to ask personal things. We know this is an important update for our audience and the Kansas City population as a whole to hear. Please always remember that individuals without shelter are people with real emotions and real lives just like you. 

Veterans experiencing homelessness

Our team has come across an alarming amount of military veterans experiencing homelessness in Kansas City. There are many organizations aiming to address this reality. If you’d like to get involved in solving this epidemic, please reach out to local organizations like the Veterans Community Project and Veterens Affairs- Kansas City. 

The winter weather has taken its toll

Overall, our team conducting the count has described an overwhelming sense of exhaustion and fear. While connecting individuals we come in contact with to resources where we can, we need more funds to continue doing so. Please consider donating to GKCCEH to help us serve the Greater Kansas City Area in this way. 

Photos from the week:

Featuring a team member making PIT possible

Shida McCormick is our Data Systems Manager. McCormick plays a crucial role in the accuracy and efficiency of the PIT count. She developed her love for data analysis from first working with long-term case management systems. She was given the opportunity to serve in a position bridging the gap between data entry and data output and really thrived. McCormick believes in the Kaizen concept of continuous improvement. Though the tasks in her position are often large, she uses the tactic of breaking them down into manageable tasks to be completed. She will continue to work toward helping the GKCCEH team and beyond understand the relationship between data and data analysis. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, writing, and traveling with her husband and their three children.

Thank you for making Kansas City better, Shida!