As part of an effort to count homeless individuals and families for the Jan. 24 “Point In Time Count,” or PITC, a free community meal at Grace Covenant Church at 5 p.m. Thursday is open to community members who are homeless, a press release said.
The dinner is being organized by Trinity Outreach Center of Hope, or TORCH, a new nonprofit working to support the most economically challenged in our area and leading the Jan. 24 homeless count in Anderson County.
While everyone is welcome to the community meal, anyone who is homeless will be given the opportunity to take part in the brief PITC survey that asks only basic information such as age, gender, and if you are a veteran, the press release said. No name or other indentifying information will be required.
Participants in the count will be offered free flu shots, blankets, and coats, as well as information on how to find potential resources. Nurses who volunteer at the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge will administer the flu vaccine.
Grace Covenant Church is located at 320 Robertsville Road, at the former Trinity Methodist Church in Oak Ridge.
The press release said more than 65 people attended a Jan. 11 community forum on homelessness organized by TORCH and the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church. The forum brought together concerned community members and experts from social service agencies, faith-based groups, and others for a frank discussion about homelessness in Anderson County. Topics included the definition of being homeless, the faces of homelessness, an exploration of potential solutions, and ways that people could be involved in the PITC.
“The mission of TORCH is to invest in and support the holistic transformation of the economically disadvantaged in our community as they pursue self-sufficiency,” TORCH Executive Director Zabrina Minor said. “We aim to address the gaps in services and to be a conduit to ensure that resources are reaching the demographic groups that need them most. For the homeless, many times that means letting them know about services and resources for which they are eligible and assisting them in accessing those resources. The PITC is the next step in that process.”
The PITC is an annual requirement of Congress and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Across the nation on Jan. 24, information is gathered at local levels and later summarized at the national level. That data is used to determine the amount of funds to be given to state and local communities. According to available information, that data could lead to $900,000 or more in local funding to end homelessness.
The press release gave three definitions of homelessness: “unsheltered homeless,” people living in a place not meant for long term habitation such as cars, parks, tents, sidewalks, and abandoned buildings; “sheltered homeless,” people living in a house, trailer, or other environment that does not have basic necessities such as running water or electricity; and the “precariously housed,” also known as “couch” homeless, people living with friends or family but on the verge of being homeless at any time due to overcrowding and short-time lodging.
The press release said community members of the community can donate hygiene products, coats, or short-term hotel stays for homeless people or families. To do so or to learn more about the Jan. 24 dinner, the PITC, or TORCH, call Minor at (205) 873-4547.
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