FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

James C. Durrah II

media@miriamskitchen.org

DC HOUSING ADVOCATES LEAD ANNUAL INITIATIVE TO GATHER DATA AROUND

HOMELESSNESS

Miriam’s Kitchen will join hundreds of volunteers on Wednesday night as they conduct a census to

gather key information about individuals experiencing homelessness in the area.

 

Washington, D.C. (January 23, 2023) – This week, Miriam’s Kitchen staff and volunteers will take part in

the annual point-in-time (PIT) count to gather critical demographic data regarding those experiencing

homelessness in DC. As a notably powerful tool in the assessment of the District’s progress toward

ending homelessness, the PIT count collects data around each of our neighbor’s experience of

homelessness as well as key demographic data around race, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation,

and more. Conducted nationwide within a single night, the PIT also allows for understanding trends in

homelessness in cities across the country. The annual count will begin late Wednesday night at 9 p.m.

ET. Members of Miriam’s Kitchen’s outreach team will be leading teams of surveyors in Foggy Bottom,

The National Mall and Adams Morgan.

 

Last year’s PIT count showed a 12% decrease in homelessness and a 22% decrease in chronic

homelessness over 2021. These statistics show that, with the right resources and leadership, ending

homelessness is possible. As budget advocacy season kicks off in the District, the PIT Count can also help

highlight key funding needs and pave the way for large scale systemic change. As such, the Miriam’s

Kitchen-led Way Home Campaign is calling on Mayor Bowser to fund her administration’s strategic plan

to end homelessness by expanding investments in housing with supportive services, including funding

for 1,260 PSH vouchers for single adults; homelessness prevention; and improved shelter services. In

addition, because the implementation of life-saving housing resources from FY2022 and FY2023 has

been concerningly slow, Miriam’s Kitchen will also be calling for systems improvements to ensure

current and future dollars are spent quickly and in accordance with best practices.

Although the results from this census won’t be available for several months, leaders at Miriam’s Kitchen

hope that this experience will drive policymakers to do more to prevent and end chronic homelessness.

 

About Miriam’s Kitchen

Founded in 1983 as a soup kitchen, Miriam’s Kitchen has evolved over the years to provide more than

meals. Today, Miriam’s Kitchen is a critical player in the fight to end chronic homelessness in D.C. On the

direct services level, we serve more than 3,000 men and women experiencing homelessness—helping

them to improve their health, increase their income and obtain housing through a range of programs

and partnerships. And at the systems level, we work with leaders across the city to make instances of

homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring.

###