2022 Point in Time Count
On what would be one of the coldest days of the year so far, teams of people – including several Bell employees – set out to assist with the 2022 Point in Time Count on Thursday, January 27.
Lori Leister, Bell’s assistant director of mental health services (and also supervises Bell’s NextDoor program) reported on her team’s experience:
“Today Bell participated in the 2022 Point in Time Count, which is a HUD required activity for housing providers annually within the last 10 days of January.
My team of Amy Sipe and Airis Mercado traveled to many areas around the York City perimeter to look for signs of people experiencing homelessness. The pictures show us handing out blankets and knit hats at My Daily Bread, where we talked with several people who did not have a warm place to sleep last night. We also found a homeless camp under the College Street bridge, on the creek banks of the Codorus off of Richland Avenue, and talked with a man living in his car.
This event is coordinated through the York County Coalition on Homelessness. If we are able to ask questions we try to record some basic info on demographics, along with info on why people are in the situation they are in. We provide resource information if requested. All the data goes back to the Coalition and then forwarded to HUD. Hopefully this info provides a look at homelessness in York County.
(Bell executive director) Tony Schweitzer also participated with another team and looked through York City parking garages. Alfreda Bangbeor (NextDoor program coordinator) and Marcella Kinard (director of Bell’s shelter services) participated as well, but by completing paperwork for those people currently in services so that they are counted as well.
It is always a meaningful event that Bell is happy to participate in to understand the needs people are facing and the challenges. It also makes one feel blessed for the comforts of your own home!”
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