Volunteers needed for Rock County homeless count
Photo 
Marc Perry
TO VOLUNTEER
The Rock County Homeless Intervention Task Force twice-annual homeless count will start at 11 p.m. Wednesday. Volunteers will meet at ECHO, 65 South High St., Janesville.
If you’d like to participate, call Marc Perry at (608) 755-2470 extension 2279.
Volunteers will have an hour of orientation. The count itself will take place from about midnight until 4 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 28, Perry said.
Volunteers should dress warmly in layers and remember to wear boots and mittens, Perry said.
JANESVILLE — Are you looking for a reminder of how warm and safe your bed is?
Maybe a night outdoors supporting Rock County’s homeless population will help.
The Rock County Homeless Intervention Task Force twice-annual count will start at 11 p.m. Wednesday.
Volunteers will be divided into groups, and the groups will spread around the county, said Marc Perry, director of planning and development for Community Action of Rock and Walworth Counties.
Along with searching for homeless singles and families, the teams will give out care packages containing toiletries and non-perishable food items.
Donations for the care packages can be dropped off at ECHO, Perry said. In addition to food and personal care items, flashlights and can openers would be appreciated, he said.
The count is mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The results help determine the needs of the local homeless population and land grant money when possible, Perry said.
The count is a “24-hour snapshot” of the homeless population in shelters and on the streets, Perry said.
Based on recent conversations with shelter workers, Perry anticipates finding more families without homes than single people during this count.
“We’re anticipating finding more families on the street, but we’re hoping we don’t run into any,” Perry said. “The hope is we don’t find anybody on the street, that people have found a safe and warm place to be.”
Jan 24, 2010 at 2:20 a.m.
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"I'm questioning the placement of the information there and why, given the wasted gap of white space below the article,"
Maybe they were sending a subliminal message that we must all fill in the spaces that exist between us.
Jan 23, 2010 at 4:56 p.m.
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I so agree with the churches to open their doors to help the homeless out. Churches in other communities have done this with great success. My sister was at that crisis house...what a nightmare that was. Bless all who turn to help someone else!!
Jan 23, 2010 at 2:29 p.m.
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do not send them to that crisis house in janesville -that place is ran by someone who has battery charges on a minor! You think our homeless and people with mental illness are safe there. sad
Jan 23, 2010 at 1:05 p.m.
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I understand what a side-bar is, I'm questioning the placement of the information there and why, given the wasted gap of white space below the article, that information couldn’t be added as an adendum in the same sized font as the article, instead (no coding necessary). Technically, it's more important to the Task Force's goal than the write-up is.
Jan 23, 2010 at 1:50 a.m.
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That's their standard sidebar format. There isn't somebody hand-coding the HTML for each page here, or they'd need to double the staff.
Jan 22, 2010 at 10:36 p.m.
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a flashlight and a can opener.... That should keep them warm..
Jan 22, 2010 at 7:01 p.m.
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Why is the information on how to volunteer so small, and off to the side? There's a huge gap of white space beneath the last paragraph of the article in which that info could easily fit, in a much larger font.
Jan 22, 2010 at 6:35 p.m.
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I'm sure that eligible persons will be directed to resources. There are people who will not be eligible for various reasons and then some who will be unwilling.
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The volunteers are there to count, though, not to solve problems. It's sort of like the census taker isn't there to make sure your social security check has the right amount.
Jan 22, 2010 at 5:57 p.m.
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So when you find them on this night you should have a church set up for them to sleep in that night. What are you going to ask "just checking if you are homeless?" and walk away. Yes I read you'll give them a bag of stuff but a place to sleep that night would be a nice addition!
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