U of A Researchers, Volunteers to Conduct Biennial Census of Local Homeless Population

Michael Drager

7 Hills Day Center is one of the places the biennial homeless census will be conducted

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Community and Family Institute at the University of Arkansas will conduct its biennial census of the homeless population in Washington and Benton Counties at the end of this month.

“In our last census, in 2013, we found that more than 2,300 people – men, women and children – are homeless on any given night in Washington and Benton Counties,” said the director of the institute, Kevin Fitzpatrick, a professor of sociology who holds the Bernice Jones Endowed Chair in Community. “This survey does more than just raise local awareness of a national problem – it gives our service providers, government officials and local non-profits the information they need to understand and work effectively with these people in our community.”

Volunteers are still needed to help conduct the Washington and Benton County census, counting and interviewing homeless people who live in shelters; use food banks, soup kitchens and day centers; or live outdoors. A short training session will be held from 6-7:30 p.m.  Monday, Jan. 26, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on East Street in Fayetteville. Further information is available by contacting Fitzpatrick at kfitzpa@uark.edu.

The actual 24-hour census will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, and end at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 30.